Ascend Elements
Ascend Elements manufactures advanced battery materials — pCAM, battery-grade lithium carbonate, NMC CAM, and recycled metal sulfates — from end-of-life lithium-ion batteries and manufacturing scrap using its patented Hydro-to-Cathode® process, selling primarily to automotive OEMs, battery cell manufacturers, and commodity traders via long-term offtake contracts.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2015
- HeadquartersWestborough, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Ascend Elements does
Ascend Elements is a U.S.-headquartered battery materials company that converts end-of-life lithium-ion batteries and gigafactory manufacturing scrap into precursor cathode active material (pCAM), battery-grade lithium carbonate, NMC cathode active material (CAM), and recycled commodity metal sulfates. Its core technology is the patented Hydro-to-Cathode® direct pCAM synthesis process, a hydrometallurgical method that leaches impurities while retaining lithium, cobalt, nickel, and manganese in solution, paired with the Hydro-to-Anode® graphite recovery process. An independent LCA (April 2025) validated 49% lower CO2e and 26% lower PM 2.5 versus traditional recycling, and recycled Li2CO3 production at 86% lower CO2e than spodumene mining.
The company operates Base 1 in Covington, Georgia (154,000 sq ft, 30,000 MT/yr recycling capacity, 3,000 MT/yr lithium carbonate line), a 50%-held joint venture called AE Elemental with Elemental Strategic Metals operating a 12,000 MT/yr recycling plant in Zawiercie, Poland, and the partially built Apex 1 pCAM campus in Hopkinsville, Kentucky (1M+ sq ft on 150 acres, sold at bankruptcy auction in June 2026 for ~$32M). A planned Apex 2 facility in Poland (up to $320M Polish government subsidy) was announced but pre-bankruptcy.
Ascend Elements sells to automotive OEMs, battery cell manufacturers, gigafactory operators, and commodity traders via long-term offtake contracts, with disclosed deals including up to $5B in pCAM supply to a major U.S. customer, nearly $1B in supply to a leading global automaker, and a 15,000 MT take-or-pay lithium carbonate offtake with Trafigura (2027–2031). Despite raising over $1.1 billion in equity and non-dilutive grants, the company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in April 2026 after DOE grant cancellations and a softening EV market created a roughly $112M funding gap, and subsequently divested the Apex 1 asset.
Ascend Elements firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Ascend Elements
- Legal name
- Ascend Elements, Inc.
- Website
- https://ascendelements.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2015
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Ascend Elements manufactures advanced battery materials — pCAM, battery-grade lithium carbonate, NMC CAM, and recycled metal sulfates — from end-of-life lithium-ion batteries and manufacturing scrap using its patented Hydro-to-Cathode® process, selling primarily to automotive OEMs, battery cell manufacturers, and commodity traders via long-term offtake contracts.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Ascend Elements industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Battery Materials Manufacturing
- NAICS
- Battery Manufacturing (33591)
- SIC
- Primary Smelting & Refining Of Nonferrous Metals (3330)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Cathode Active Materials (CAM) Manufacturing (EUAFABAB)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Battery Materials Refining & Re-Manufacturing Feedstocks (Li, Ni, Co, Mn, Graphite Salts) (EUAIAIAJ)
Keywords
Where Ascend Elements is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Westborough
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices6 records
Markets served
Ascend Elements business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Engineered Battery Materials Sales (pCAM): Sale of nickel-manganese-cobalt (NMC) precursor cathode active material (pCAM) produced from recycled feedstock via Hydro-to-Cathode® process. Includes up to $5B multi-year supply agreement with major U.S. customer and nearly $1B multi-year supply contract with leading global automaker.
- Recycled Lithium Carbonate Sales: Sale of >99% pure battery-grade lithium carbonate (Li2CO3) recovered from black mass. Includes 15,000 metric ton take-or-pay offtake agreement with Trafigura (2027–2031) for global marketing and logistics distribution.
- Commodity Materials Sales: Sale of intermediate commodity metals including cobalt sulfate, manganese sulfate, nickel sulfate, and lithium carbonate produced from 100% recycled lithium-ion battery feedstock.
- Full-Service Recycling and Logistics Services: Recurring full-service lithium-ion battery recycling with logistics management, materials tracking, secure chain of custody, certificate of recycling, and 24-hour security. Includes corporate battery management program for auto dealerships via Call2Recycle partnership.
- Government Grants and Non-Dilutive Funding: Non-dilutive grant funding from U.S. Department of Energy (~$480M total awarded across $164M CAM and $316M pCAM grants, latter active), $125M DOE graphite recycling grant with Orbia, and up to $320M cash subsidy from Polish Ministry of Economic Development and Technology for Apex 2 facility.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Custom quote-based pricing based on battery chemistry, type, and volume |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Multi-year contract | Take-or-pay multi-year offtake contracts |
Go-to-market motion4 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels8 records
Ascend Elements product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Ascend Elements manufactures advanced battery materials — including NMC precursor cathode active material (pCAM), NMC cathode active material (CAM), and battery-grade lithium carbonate (Li2CO3) — using valuable elements reclaimed from spent lithium-ion batteries and manufacturing scrap. Its patented Hydro-to-Cathode® direct precursor synthesis process leaches impurities while keeping valuable metals in solution, bypassing up to 15 traditional intermediary steps in cathode manufacturing. The company also operates full-service lithium-ion battery recycling and logistics services for OEMs, gigafactories, and dealerships.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Hydro-to-Cathode®: Proprietary hydrometallurgical process for converting spent lithium-ion battery black mass into precursor cathode active material (pCAM).
- Hydro-to-Anode®
- Base 1
- Apex 1
- Apex 2
Products and services
- Hydro-to-Cathode® Direct Cathode Precursor (pCAM) Synthesis Patented direct cathode precursor synthesis process that leaches impurities out of spent lithium-ion battery feedstock while keeping valuable metals (lithium, cobalt, nickel, manganese) in solution, then converts them directly into engineered precursor cathode active material (pCAM). Eliminates up to 15 intermediary steps in traditional cathode manufacturing and delivers up to 98% recovery of critical elements, underpinning NMC pCAM grades 111, 532, 622, and 811.
- Hydro-to-Anode® Graphite Recycling Technology Patented graphite recovery and purification process that yields 99.9% pure graphite from used lithium-ion batteries, performing comparably to virgin graphite from China. Developed jointly with Orbia's Koura Global and supported by a $125M U.S. DOE cost-sharing grant for advanced battery recycling infrastructure.
- Apex 1 — pCAM Manufacturing Campus (Hopkinsville, KY) North America's first commercial-scale pCAM manufacturing facility located on a 150-acre campus in Hopkinsville, Kentucky. The 1-million-square-foot advanced manufacturing campus is powered by renewable energy and will produce 27 kT of decarbonized pCAM per year in 2026, ultimately enough pCAM and CAM to equip up to 750,000 EV battery packs per year. Partially funded by a $316M U.S. DOE grant.
- Project Apex 2 — European pCAM and Lithium Manufacturing Facility (Poland) Planned first-of-its-kind EU fully integrated battery materials refining center in Poland that will convert black mass from spent lithium-ion batteries into battery-grade lithium carbonate and precursor cathode active material (pCAM) using the Hydro-to-Cathode® process. Backed by a USD $320 million (≈1.22 billion PLN) grant from Poland's Ministry of Economic Development and Technology. Designed to align with the EU Critical Raw Materials Act and EU Battery Regulation.
- Base 1 — Commercial-Scale EV Battery Recycling Facility (Covington, GA) One of North America's largest lithium-ion battery recycling facilities, located in Covington, Georgia. The 154,000 square-foot facility has capacity to process up to 30,000 metric tons of end-of-life EV batteries and gigafactory manufacturing scrap per year (~70,000 EV battery packs annually). Houses battery discharge and disassembly, battery shredding, lithium extraction, and analytical testing capabilities. ISO 9001:2015 certified.
- AE Elemental — European Battery Recycling Joint Venture Joint venture of Ascend Elements and Poland-based Elemental Strategic Metals that owns and operates a commercial-scale EV battery recycling facility in Zawiercie, Poland with capacity to process 12,000 metric tons of used Li-ion batteries per year (~28,000 EV battery packs annually). A second AE Elemental facility is planned in central Germany with capacity to recycle up to 25,000 metric tons of batteries per year.
- Recycled Battery-Grade Lithium Carbonate (Li2CO3) Battery-grade lithium carbonate recovered at >99% purity from black mass through the Hydro-to-Cathode® process. Current commercial-scale capacity of 3,000 metric tons/year at Covington, GA, with plans to produce more than 15,000 metric tons annually across U.S. and Europe by 2027. Covered by a multi-year 15,000-metric-ton offtake agreement with Trafigura (2027–2031) and a separate supply deal with Koura (Orbia) for up to 5,000 metric tons/year.
- NMC pCAM (Cathode Precursor Active Material) Nickel-manganese-cobalt hydroxide precursors including grades 111, 532, 622, and 811, produced from recycled feedstock via the Hydro-to-Cathode® process. Available in 5-6µm and 10-12µm (d50) particle sizes for transportation, defense, and grid energy storage applications. Studies showed cells made with Ascend Elements' upcycled pCAM exhibited over 50% longer cycle life than traditionally made cells and 88% greater power capacity.
- NMC Cathode Active Material (CAM)
- Recycled Commodity Battery Materials High-quality commodity materials (cobalt sulfate, manganese sulfate, nickel sulfate, lithium carbonate) sourced 100% from recycled lithium-ion batteries, offered as intermediate metals for battery material production or other applications.
- Full-Service EV Battery Recycling End-to-end lithium-ion battery recycling service with up to 98% recovery rate, full logistics management, materials tracking, certificate of recycling for traceability, and proof of proper disposal. Handles cells, modules, and packs from battery electric vehicles, plug-in hybrid vehicles, heavy-duty equipment, electric aircraft, and stationary storage. Complies with US DOT standards including 49 CFR 173.85 and partners with Call2Recycle for customized dealership, repair-facility, and recycler collection programs.
- Corporate Battery Management Program (with Call2Recycle) Customized EV battery management, logistics, and recycling program for automotive dealerships, recyclers, and repair facilities. Provides online access to Call2Recycle's GreenTraxEV cloud-based platform (built on Microsoft Dynamics and Microsoft Power Platform), world-class lithium-ion safety education, US DOT-aligned packaging and shipping standards, and end-to-end support. Aims to collect and recycle the equivalent of over 300,000 EV battery packs by 2030.
Quantifiable outcome
- 49% lower CO2e emissions and 26% lower PM 2.5 emissions vs traditional battery recycling (Hydro-to-Cathode® pCAM process, independent LCA April 2025)
- +10 more outcomes
Companies that use Ascend Elements
Customer profileNamed customers11 records
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles6 records
Ascend Elements technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration2 records
Feature6 records
Ascend Elements partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators20 records
Recent moves10 records
Expansion highlights7 records
Ascend Elements competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- POSCO Future M: POSCO Future M (formerly POSCO Chemical) is a leading Korean producer of NMC cathode active materials and precursors, and a major shareholder in the GM Ultium Cells joint venture. It is the dominant Asian pCAM producer competing for global OEM supply contracts that Ascend targets.
- Umicore: Umicore is a Belgian materials technology company and one of the world's largest producers of NMC cathode active materials. As an established Western pCAM/CAM incumbent, it competes broadly with Ascend's engineered cathode materials, particularly in European OEM supply chains.
- BASF Battery Materials: BASF is a global chemical company with a major battery materials business producing NMC cathode active materials and precursors. It serves European and North American OEMs with recycled-content and virgin cathode materials, making it a broad incumbent competitor to Ascend's Hydro-to-Cathode pCAM in both geographies.
- Sumitomo Metal Mining: Sumitomo Metal Mining is a Japanese producer of nickel, cathode materials (NCA and NMC), and battery-grade lithium nickel oxide. It is an established incumbent in the cathode precursor space and competes with Ascend for OEM qualification and supply of high-quality cathode materials.
- EcoPro Group: EcoPro is one of the largest Korean cathode materials producers, particularly for high-nickel NMC chemistries used in EV batteries. EcoPro already has an MOU with Ascend Elements to qualify recycled materials, and is establishing North American operations that compete directly with Ascend's pCAM offerings.
Others
- Glencore: Glencore is a major global commodities trader and one of the world's largest cobalt and nickel producers with growing involvement in battery materials recycling through partnerships and RecycLiCo. As a competing commodity trader and lithium carbonate producer (via its Mt. Holland mine), it is an adjacent competitive force to Ascend's recycled lithium carbonate business.
Direct peers
- Li-Cycle: Li-Cycle is a leading lithium-ion battery recycler using a proprietary hydrometallurgical 'spoke-and-hub' process to produce black mass and battery-grade materials. Like Ascend Elements, Li-Cycle has also filed for Chapter 15 restructuring in 2024 amid softening EV demand, making it the most direct comparable in business model, technology approach, and recent financial trajectory.
- Cirba Solutions: Cirba Solutions is a North American battery recycling and materials company processing lithium-ion batteries into black mass and refined critical minerals. It competes with Ascend Elements for OEM and gigafactory recycling contracts and is expanding into cathode precursor production, sharing the same target customer base.
- Redwood Materials: Founded by former Tesla CTO JB Straubel, Redwood Materials recycles lithium-ion batteries and manufactures anode copper foil and cathode active materials. Backed by Amazon, Ford, Toyota, and Volkswagen, it is the largest U.S. battery recycler and competes directly with Ascend for OEM recycling contracts and pCAM supply.
Emerging players
- Element Energy: Element Energy is a U.S.-based battery materials startup developing iron-air and other battery chemistries, with a growing focus on sustainable battery materials and recycling. It is an emerging competitor in the North American battery materials landscape with overlapping customer segments.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Ascend Elements social profiles
Digital presenceAscend Elements compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance4 records
Ascend Elements financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Ascend Elements leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles10 records
Ascend Elements subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Ascend Elements funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds16 records
Investors39 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Ascend Elements M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A1 record
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Ascend Elements
What does Ascend Elements do?
Ascend Elements manufactures advanced battery materials — including NMC precursor cathode active material (pCAM), NMC cathode active material (CAM), and battery-grade lithium carbonate (Li2CO3) — using valuable elements reclaimed from spent lithium-ion batteries and manufacturing scrap. Its patented Hydro-to-Cathode® direct precursor synthesis process leaches impurities while keeping valuable metals in solution, bypassing up to 15 traditional intermediary steps in cathode manufacturing. The company also operates full-service lithium-ion battery recycling and logistics services for OEMs, gigafactories, and dealerships.
Is Ascend Elements a public or private company?
Ascend Elements is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Ascend Elements founded?
Ascend Elements was founded in 2015. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Ascend Elements based?
Ascend Elements is headquartered in Westborough, United States, in the North America region.
How does Ascend Elements make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Engineered Battery Materials Sales (pCAM) is the primary driver. The others are recycled Lithium Carbonate Sales, commodity Materials Sales, full-Service Recycling and Logistics Services and government Grants and Non-Dilutive Funding.
Who are Ascend Elements's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are POSCO Future M, Umicore, BASF Battery Materials, Sumitomo Metal Mining and EcoPro Group. Glencore is listed as an others. Direct peers are Li-Cycle, Cirba Solutions and Redwood Materials. Element Energy is listed as an emerging player.
Does Ascend Elements have an API?
No public API is recorded for Ascend Elements.
What industry is Ascend Elements in?
Ascend Elements's product category is Battery Materials Manufacturing. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EUAFABAB, Cathode Active Materials (CAM) Manufacturing, with a secondary code of EUAIAIAJ, Battery Materials Refining & Re-Manufacturing Feedstocks (Li, Ni, Co, Mn, Graphite Salts). Its NAICS code is 33591 and its SIC code is 3330.