What Hinetics does

Hinetics is a Champaign, Illinois-based startup founded in 2017 that develops next-generation superconducting electric motors and drives for high-performance applications. The company's core innovation is a cryogen-free superconducting motor architecture that uses high-temperature superconducting (HTS) magnets cooled exclusively by commercial cryocoolers, eliminating the need for liquid cryogen infrastructure that has historically constrained the practicality of superconducting machines. In May 2025, Hinetics unveiled what it describes as the world's first fully integrated cryogen-free superconducting motor, with disclosed metrics including 99.4-99.5% efficiency, 40 kW/kg power density, and a tenfold improvement in torque density relative to conventional electric motors. The design incorporates proprietary features including a commercial cryocooler-only thermal management system and Kevlar-based insulation for structural and thermal integrity.

Hinetics primarily targets aerospace customers developing hybrid-electric and all-electric aircraft propulsion systems, with secondary applications identified in maritime (passenger ferries, commercial shipping), data center cooling and power infrastructure, and heavy industrial machinery. The company is participating as a collaborator in NASA's AACES 2050 program alongside Electra, American Airlines, Honeywell Aerospace, Lockheed Martin Skunk Works, MIT, the University of Michigan, and UC Irvine to develop next-generation hybrid-electric airliner concepts. Founder and CTO Kiruba Sivasubramaniam Haran leads the firm.

The company's only disclosed capital event is a ~$219,444 National Science Foundation award in June 2018. No pricing model, customer contracts, or revenue figures are publicly available, and the technology remains at proof-of-concept stage, indicating Hinetics is in early-stage commercialization rather than active commercial shipping.

Name

Hinetics

Legal name

Hinetics

Website

https://hinetics.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Hinetics is a Champaign, Illinois-based deep-tech startup developing cryogen-free superconducting electric motors for high-performance applications. It primarily targets aerospace propulsion, with secondary applications in maritime, data centers, and heavy machinery.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Superconducting Electric Motors

NAICS

Other General Purpose Machinery Manufacturing (3339)

SIC

Motors & Generators (3621)

akta.pro primary industry

Cryocoolers & Refrigeration Units (HDAGABAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Cryogenic Systems & Cryostats (HDAGABAA)

Keywords

• Cryogen-free superconducting motors
• High-temperature superconducting magnets
• Electric propulsion systems
• Hybrid-electric aircraft motors
• High power density motors

Headquarters

HQ city

Champaign

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations

Core offering

Hinetics develops cryogen-free superconducting electric motors and drives using high-temperature superconducting magnets cooled by commercial cryocoolers, eliminating liquid cryogen infrastructure. Its proof-of-concept unit demonstrated 99.4% efficiency at 3,000 RPM, with the underlying motor technology targeting 99.5% efficiency and 40 kW/kg power density for aerospace, maritime, data center, and heavy machinery applications.

Product overview

Hinetics offers superconducting motor technology as its core product offering. The company has developed practical superconducting motors achieving up to 99.5% efficiency and 40 kW/kg power density. The flagship innovation is the world's first fully integrated cryogen-free superconducting motor, which eliminates the need for liquid cryogen infrastructure by using only a commercial cryocooler. This technology is designed for applications in aviation (including hybrid-electric aircraft), maritime (passenger ferries and commercial shipping), data centers, and heavy machinery.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Cryogen-Free Superconducting Motor A proof-of-concept fully integrated cryogen-free superconducting motor that uses a commercial cryocooler to cool high-temperature superconducting magnets without liquid cryogen infrastructure; demonstrated 99.4% efficiency at 3,000 RPM with a tenfold improvement in torque density over traditional electric motors, intended for aerospace and maritime electric propulsion applications.
• Superconducting Motor Technology The company's underlying superconducting motor platform, targeting 99.5% efficiency and 40 kW/kg power density using cryogen-free cooling and Kevlar-based insulation; intended for integration into aviation, maritime, data center, and heavy machinery applications.

Quantifiable outcome

• 99.5% motor efficiency achieved
• +3 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Recent moves3 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Broad incumbents

• Rolls-Royce Electrical: Rolls-Royce is a major aerospace propulsion incumbent investing in electric and hybrid-electric propulsion systems, including high-power-density motors for next-generation aircraft.
• Lockheed Martin Skunk Works: Lockheed Martin's Skunk Works is a NASA AACES 2050 collaborator working on hybrid-electric airliner concepts that would rely on high-power-density motors comparable to Hinetics' technology.
• GE Aerospace: GE Aerospace is an incumbent propulsion and electrical systems provider with active programs in hybrid-electric and superconducting motor/generator technology for aviation.
• Honeywell Aerospace: Honeywell is developing electric and hybrid-electric propulsion components, including high-power motors and power electronics, and is a fellow collaborator in NASA's AACES 2050 program.

Direct peers

• ZeroAvia: ZeroAvia develops hydrogen-electric propulsion powertrains including high-power electric motors for regional aircraft, addressing the same hybrid/electric aviation buyers as Hinetics.
• magniX: magniX develops high-power-density electric motors and propulsion systems for aircraft, directly competing with Hinetics in the electric-aviation motor market with a more conventional (non-superconducting) architecture.
• Wright Electric: Wright Electric is building electric propulsion systems for commercial aircraft, overlapping with Hinetics on motor technology for the electric-aviation value chain.
• H3X Technologies: H3X builds integrated motor and inverter systems for electric aviation, targeting similar power-density and efficiency metrics to Hinetics in the same aerospace customer base.

Emerging players

• Joby Aviation: Joby is a leading eVTOL developer designing its own electric propulsion motors; while not a direct superconducting competitor, it is a relevant peer for the electric-aviation propulsion market Hinetics targets.
• Electra.aero: Electra is developing hybrid-electric short-takeoff-and-landing aircraft and is a named AACES 2050 collaborator, representing a near-term potential customer for Hinetics' motor technology.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat2 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Hinetics