Echion Technologies
Echion Technologies develops XNO®, a proprietary mixed niobium oxide anode material enabling 6-minute charging and >50,000 cycle life in lithium-ion batteries for industrial applications including mining, data centres, robotics, rail, and maritime.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2017
- HeadquartersCambridge, United Kingdom
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Echion Technologies does
Echion Technologies is a Cambridge University spinout (founded 2017) that develops XNO®, a proprietary mixed niobium oxide active anode material for lithium-ion batteries, based on engineered Wadsley-Roth crystal structures. XNO® is positioned as a drop-in replacement for graphite or LTO on the anode side, compatible with standard electrode manufacturing processes (NMP, aqueous, dry) and all major cathode chemistries (NMC, LFP, NCA, LNMO). Its performance envelope — 6-minute full charge at 10C continuous, >50,000 cycle life, EUCAR3 safety with no fire/no explosion, and operation from -30°C to +60°C — is designed for industrial duty cycles (mining, AI data centre UPS, robotics, rail, maritime) where conventional Li-ion chemistries fail to deliver simultaneously on power, life, and safety. The IP portfolio comprises 22 patent families and 46 granted patents.
Echion monetises XNO® through direct B2B sales of anode powder to cell manufacturers, supported by a cell-engineering customer support team, alongside a "Powered by XNO®" ecosystem model in which qualified manufacturing partners (GUS Technology in Taiwan, Leclanché in Switzerland, Grinergy in Korea, EAS Batteries in Germany, LI-FUN in China) commercialise XNO®-based cells, modules, packs, and engineered battery systems under their own brands. Production is anchored by the 2,000 tonnes/year XNO® facility at CBMM's Araxá, Brazil industrial complex — opened November 2024 and equivalent to ~1 GWh of cell capacity annually — built through a strategic manufacturing partnership with CBMM, the world's leading niobium producer, which is also a minority equity holder. The company is venture-backed (~£49 million disclosed funding across Series A, Series B, and a November 2024 extension), with customers and end-markets spanning Europe, North America, South Korea, China, Taiwan, Japan, and Brazil.
Echion Technologies firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Echion Technologies
- Legal name
- Echion Technologies Ltd
- Website
- https://echiontech.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2017
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Echion Technologies develops XNO®, a proprietary mixed niobium oxide anode material enabling 6-minute charging and >50,000 cycle life in lithium-ion batteries for industrial applications including mining, data centres, robotics, rail, and maritime.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Echion Technologies industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Battery Anode Materials
- NAICS
- Chemical Manufacturing (325)
- SIC
- Miscellaneous Chemical Products (2890)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Anode Materials Manufacturing (Graphite, Silicon, LTO) (EUAFABAC)
Keywords
Where Echion Technologies is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Cambridge
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
Echion Technologies business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- XNO® Anode Material Sales: Echion supplies its proprietary XNO® mixed niobium oxide active anode material directly to cell manufacturers worldwide. The material is sold in commercial quantities (currently at 2,000 tonnes per year scale). Cell manufacturers integrate XNO® as a drop-in active anode material in their own product lines. Revenue is generated from material sales, with pricing typically quote-based given the B2B industrial nature of the product.
- Ecosystem Revenue (Cells, Modules, Packs, Systems): Echion acts as a technology orchestrator, working with a growing ecosystem of manufacturing partners (GUS Technology, Leclanché, Grinergy, EAS Batteries, etc.) who produce and commercialise XNO®-based cells, modules, packs, and engineered battery systems. Echion earns revenue from the sale of anode material into this ecosystem. Revenue flows from the ecosystem to Echion through material supply agreements and potentially licensing/royalties arrangements.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | XNO® anode material sold to cell manufacturers on a contract/quotes basis |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
Echion Technologies product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Echion Technologies develops and manufactures XNO®, a proprietary mixed niobium oxide active anode material designed as a drop-in replacement for graphite or LTO in lithium-ion cells. The material is supplied at industrial scale (2,000 tonnes per year) to cell manufacturers globally for use in heavy-duty applications such as mining, AI data centre UPS, industrial energy storage, robotics, rail, and marine.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- XNO®: Proprietary mixed niobium oxide active anode material for lithium-ion batteries, enabling 6-minute charging, >50,000 cycle life, and market-leading safety. Marketed as the world's most advanced niobium-based battery anode technology.
Products and services
- XNO® Mixed Niobium Oxide Anode Material A drop-in active anode material for lithium-ion batteries, replacing graphite or LTO on the anode side. Compatible with NMP, aqueous, and dry electrode manufacturing and with all standard cathode chemistries including NMC, LFP, NCA, and LNMO. Designed for industrial high-power duty cycles, enabling 6-minute charging, greater than 50,000 cycle life, EUCAR3 safety, and 2x the energy density of leading LTO packs. Sold to cell manufacturers worldwide.
Quantifiable outcome
- 51% lower global warming potential than LTO at material level; 61% lower on an energy-delivery basis (Ghent University peer-reviewed study)
- +8 more outcomes
Companies that use Echion Technologies
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Echion Technologies technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature8 records
Echion Technologies partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
17 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- GrinergycoreKorean battery startup developing next-generation fast-charging batteries. Signed supply agreement for XNO® anode material (July 2025). Plans to launch XNO®-based battery products in H2 2025 targeting railway, defence, and logistics industries. Won CES Innovation Award 2023 and Technology Innovation Award at IEVE 2025.
- Leclanché SAcoreSwiss leading provider of energy storage solutions. Launched XN50, the world's first commercial Li-ion cell featuring XNO®, in September 2024. The cell delivers 50% higher energy density vs. LTO, fast charging, and >10,000 cycle life. Leclanché is replacing its LTO offering with XNO® and integrating into new module and pack solutions for heavy-duty e-mobility, rail, and marine applications.
- Switch TechnologiesminorHeavy-duty battery and electric vehicle engineering services provider. Developed the world's first XNO® hybrid-powered Toyota Land Cruiser 79 Series (December 2024), a parallel-hybrid vehicle for mining operations. Cells manufactured by LI-FUN. 9-month collaboration to hybridise a vehicle widely used in mining.
- MACAminorGlobal contracting group in the resource and construction sectors. MoU partnership to access Echion's XNO® battery technology for heavy-duty electric vehicles used in mining and construction operations. MACA to deploy XNO®-powered batteries in its fleet of heavy-duty vehicles.
- Warwick Manufacturing Group (WMG)minorEchion awarded Faraday Battery Challenge funding for collaborative research project DANCER with WMG (University of Warwick). Project targets commercialisation of XNO® for increased life cycle and high temperature performance specifications required by heavy-industry applications, surpassing automotive industry expectations beyond 2025.
- HiQ-LCA Project ConsortiumminorEchion CTO Dr Alex Groombridge appointed to advisory board of the High-Quality Life Cycle Assessment for Battery Industry (HiQ-LCA) project, co-funded by EIT RawMaterials and the European Union. Consortium includes BRGM, CellCircle, ecoinvent, European Lithium Institute, Eramet, Fraunhofer ISC, Fraunhofer IST, Ghent University, Leiden University, MINVIRO, Northvolt, and Université de Bordeaux.
- LI-FUN TechnologyminorLeading Chinese battery cell development and manufacturing company. MoU signed November 2023 formalising collaboration. LI-FUN is supplied with XNO® anode material and gains access to Echion's electrochemistry support. LI-FUN supplies cells for the XNO® hybrid-powered Toyota Land Cruiser developed with Switch Technologies.
- GUS Technology (Taiwan)coreTaiwan-based specialist in lithium-ion batteries, pouch cells, and energy storage systems. Initial MoU (May 2023) secured availability of XNO® for GUS and access to Echion's electrochemistry support. Joint development agreement formalised June 2024. GUS manufactures XNO®-based cells, modules, and packs at its Zhongli, Taiwan facility (~1 GWh annual capacity). Commercial product launch announced at Battery Japan, March 2026.
- EAS Batteries GmbHminorHigh performance battery cell manufacturer. Developed a 4690-format cylindrical cell powered by XNO® achieving 300-310 Wh/L energy density, 7C/7C charge/discharge rate capability, and cycle life trajectory exceeding 10,000 cycles. Development supported by project CASCADE (Faraday Battery Challenge).
- DB Engineering & ConsultingminorPartnership with DB Engineering & Consulting was one of 8 winners in the Charge On Innovation Challenge (launched by BHP, Rio Tinto, and Vale). Proposal combined XNO® battery chemistry with DB's extensive railway technology experience for battery-powered mining haul trucks. Unprecedented design flexibilities unlocked by XNO®'s ability to handle high power charge from trolley assist systems.
- Circular Niobium Project (Beta Technology, British Geological Survey)minorInnovate UK-funded feasibility study led by Beta Technology with Echion Technologies and British Geological Survey. Project to establish a business case and roadmap for recycling niobium in the UK, addressing the very low global recycling rate of niobium (0.3%). Echion participates as the novel battery anode material developer using niobium.
- TopsoeminorDanish global leader in carbon emission reduction technologies. Published joint whitepaper showcasing high-performance, cobalt-free 3V LNMO-XNO™ cell system. Topsoe's high-voltage spinel LNMO cathode paired with Echion's XNO® anode. Benefits over other cell systems such as NMC-LTO highlighted. Both companies welcome collaboration with cell manufacturers and OEMs.
- iElectrolyteminorJapanese company (Osaka) developing ionic liquid-based lithium-ion batteries. Collaboration to demonstrate ultra-long cycle life Li-ion pouch cells combining XNO® anode with iElectrolyte's ionic liquid electrolytes, achieving >98% capacity retention after 1,000 cycles. Cells manufactured and tested at iElectrolyte. Expanding commercial relationship for 2 Ah pouch cells.
- Project CASCADE Partners (Johnson Matthey, Britishvolt, UCL)minorFaraday Battery Challenge Round 4 project (12 months from August 2021). Partners: Johnson Matthey (cathode materials, eLNO®), Britishvolt (cell testing, scale-up assessment), UCL Electrochemical Innovation Lab (characterisation and modelling). Project to develop ultra-high power and fast-charging battery materials system using JM's cathode and Echion's XNO® anode in commercial-format cells.
- Loughborough University (Knowledge Transfer Partnership)minorUKRI/Innovate UK-funded Knowledge Transfer Partnership. Professor Roger Smith and Dr Pooja Goddard (Advanced Materials Modelling Research Group) to apply computational modelling expertise at quantum scale to optimise Echion's Mixed Niobium Oxide materials and identify new strategies for new product development. 24-month partnership.
- Johnson MattheyminorJoint project (2021) to accelerate commercialisation of next-generation fast-charging battery materials for automotive applications. Project combined Echion's Mixed Niobium Oxide (MNO) anode technology with Johnson Matthey's eLNO® cathode materials. Co-funded by Innovate UK. Preceded the CASCADE project.
- University of Birmingham (Faraday Institution Industry Fellowship)minorProfessor Peter Slater (Professor in Materials Chemistry, Co-Director of Birmingham Centre for Energy Storage) joined Echion for 2 years as part of a Faraday Institution Industry Fellowship. Working to identify new mixed metal niobium oxide phases for use as anode materials, jointly assess them for performance and commercial applicability to improve Li-ion battery energy densities and charge times.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Echion Technologies competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Sila Nanotechnologies: Silicon-anode material developer supplying drop-in active anode materials to cell manufacturers and OEMs (Mercedes, Panasonic, others). Directly comparable to Echion as a next-generation anode material platform company targeting automotive and industrial applications.
- Group14 Technologies: Silicon battery material manufacturer with commercial-scale SCC55™ anode production in Moses Lake, WA, supplying cell makers and OEMs. Comparable as a specialty anode materials company with industrial-scale production and similar B2B go-to-market to cell manufacturers.
- StoreDot: Developer of silicon-dominant anode chemistries engineered for extreme fast-charging in EV applications. Closely comparable to Echion's value proposition (fast-charging Li-ion with long cycle life) and target end-markets (automotive OEMs).
- Amprius Technologies: Silicon-anode battery cell manufacturer using 100% silicon anodes for aviation, EV, and defence applications. Comparable as a next-generation silicon anode platform company addressing industrial and mobility end-markets similar to Echion's.
- Talga Group: Vertically integrated graphite and silicon anode materials developer with mine-to-anode strategy in Sweden. Comparable to Echion as a specialty anode materials supplier targeting European cell manufacturers and EV/industrial OEMs.
Broad incumbents
- Toshiba (SCiB rechargeable battery business): Incumbent manufacturer of lithium-titanium-oxide (LTO) SCiB cells offering fast charging, long cycle life, and high safety — the chemistry XNO® directly competes against in high-rate industrial applications. Relevant as the established incumbent Echion displaces.
- Microvast Holdings: Vertical battery manufacturer producing LTO and NMC chemistries for commercial vehicle, ESS, and industrial applications. Comparable as an established LTO-based supplier that Echion's value proposition targets to displace in heavy-duty and industrial niches.
- BTR New Material Group: World's largest supplier of battery-grade graphite anode materials, serving the majority of global Li-ion cell manufacturers. Relevant incumbent for benchmarking Echion's market opportunity and potential competitive overlap in drop-in anode material sales.
Emerging players
- NanoGraf: Chicago-based silicon anode material developer supplying drop-in active anode materials to cell manufacturers and the U.S. Department of Defense. Comparable as an emerging specialty anode materials company with drop-in chemistry positioning similar to XNO®.
- Altris: Swedish developer of sodium-ion cathode materials (prussian white analogue) for sustainable battery applications. Relevant as an adjacent emerging battery materials company targeting industrial ESS and mobility applications in the same European ecosystem as Echion.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Echion Technologies social profiles
Digital presenceEchion Technologies financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Echion Technologies leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles9 records
Echion Technologies funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds7 records
Investors12 records
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Echion Technologies M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
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Frequently asked questions about Echion Technologies
What does Echion Technologies do?
Echion Technologies develops and manufactures XNO®, a proprietary mixed niobium oxide active anode material designed as a drop-in replacement for graphite or LTO in lithium-ion cells. The material is supplied at industrial scale (2,000 tonnes per year) to cell manufacturers globally for use in heavy-duty applications such as mining, AI data centre UPS, industrial energy storage, robotics, rail, and marine.
Is Echion Technologies a public or private company?
Echion Technologies is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Echion Technologies founded?
Echion Technologies was founded in 2017. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Echion Technologies based?
Echion Technologies is headquartered in Cambridge, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Echion Technologies make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. XNO® Anode Material Sales are the primary driver. The others are ecosystem Revenue (Cells, Modules, Packs, Systems).
Who are Echion Technologies's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Sila Nanotechnologies, Group14 Technologies, StoreDot, Amprius Technologies and Talga Group. Broad incumbents are Toshiba (SCiB rechargeable battery business), Microvast Holdings and BTR New Material Group. Emerging players are NanoGraf and Altris.
Does Echion Technologies have an API?
No public API is recorded for Echion Technologies.
What industry is Echion Technologies in?
Echion Technologies's product category is Battery Anode Materials. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EUAFABAC, Anode Materials Manufacturing (Graphite, Silicon, LTO). Its NAICS code is 325 and its SIC code is 2890.