Kokam
Kokam Co., Ltd. is a South Korea-based lithium-ion battery manufacturer founded in 1989 producing high-energy-density cells and thermal management systems for aviation, railway electrification, defense, marine, industrial, and energy storage applications.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1989
- HeadquartersSuwon, South Korea
- Headcount251–500
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Kokam does
Kokam Co., Ltd. is a South Korea-based lithium-ion battery technology company founded in 1989 and headquartered in Suwon. It manufactures high-energy-density lithium-ion battery cells, components, and thermal management systems targeted at electric and hybrid-electric aviation, battery-electric regional railways, military/defense applications, marine, industrial, and stationary energy storage system (ESS) use cases. Its reported differentiation lies in application-specific thermal management for safety-critical verticals, exemplified by battery-electric train propulsion systems for regional railway electrification.
The firm operates as a private, specialty hardware supplier with 251-500 employees. Its revenue model centers on direct sales of battery hardware to OEMs and operators across aviation (primary segment), railway, and military defense, with additional exposure to EV, marine, aerospace, industrial, and stationary ESS markets. It is positioned in 2025-2026 industry market reports as a major industry player alongside larger incumbents EnerSys, Saft Groupe SA, GS Yuasa Corporation, and Teledyne Technologies, suggesting a niche but recognized role in the aircraft-battery segment rather than a mass-market EV play.
Kokam's go-to-market is vertical-focused, prioritizing domain specialization over volume scale. Pricing is not publicly disclosed. Corporate ownership, management team beyond founder J. HONG, funding cadence beyond a 2011 round backed by IMM Investment and Korea Investment Partners, and detailed product/partnership information are not present in the source data, representing material gaps for due diligence. The SolarEdge Energy Storage Division closure announcement of November 27, 2024 appears in the same data context and may bear on upstream channel or ownership dynamics, but no explicit link is confirmed by the provided sources.
Kokam firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Kokam
- Legal name
- Kokam Co., Ltd.
- Website
- https://kokam.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1989
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 251–500 employees
- Short description
- Kokam Co., Ltd. is a South Korea-based lithium-ion battery manufacturer founded in 1989 producing high-energy-density cells and thermal management systems for aviation, railway electrification, defense, marine, industrial, and energy storage applications.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Kokam industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Lithium-ion Battery Manufacturing
- NAICS
- Battery Manufacturing (33591), Electrical Equipment Manufacturing (3353)
- SIC
- Electronic & Other Electrical Equipment (No Computer Equip) (3600), Electrical Industrial Apparatus (3620)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Battery Cells (Li-ion, LFP, Sodium-ion, Lead-acid, NiMH) (IMAGAHAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Battery Modules & Packs (Industrial/Commercial pack assembly) (IMAGAHAB), Battery Pack & Module Manufacturing (EV) (IMACACAA), Battery Pack Manufacturing & Module Assembly (EUAFABAI)
Keywords
Where Kokam is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Suwon
- HQ country
- South Korea
- HQ region
- Asia
Markets served
Kokam business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Battery hardware sales: Kokam generates revenue through the manufacture and sale of lithium-ion batteries for aviation, railway, UAV/drone, and energy storage applications.
Kokam product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Kokam Co., Ltd. manufactures high-energy-density lithium-ion battery cells and packs for electric vehicles, marine vessels, aerospace platforms, industrial equipment, and energy storage systems. The company supplies lithium-ion battery components for battery-electric railway propulsion applications, including advanced thermal management systems used in regional train electrification projects. Its products are positioned in the aviation battery market alongside major suppliers such as EnerSys, Saft Groupe SA, GS Yuasa, and Teledyne Technologies, supporting aircraft electrification, UAV/drone, and defense battery programs.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Aviation Lithium-ion Battery Systems Lithium-ion battery cells and packs designed for electric and hybrid-electric aircraft, supporting aviation electrification programs. The product line is positioned alongside suppliers such as EnerSys, Saft Groupe SA, GS Yuasa, and Teledyne Technologies in the aviation battery market, and is intended for aircraft OEMs and tier-1 integrators seeking aviation-grade energy storage.
- Defense Battery Systems Lithium-ion battery systems engineered for defense platforms, supporting advanced defense battery applications with high energy density and ruggedized performance. Targeted at defense agencies and defense prime contractors requiring reliable power for mission-critical equipment.
- UAV / Drone Battery Systems Lithium-ion battery solutions tailored for unmanned aerial vehicles and drones, providing high energy density and lightweight power for long-duration flight missions. Targeted at UAV manufacturers and drone integrators.
- Railway Battery-Electric Propulsion Systems Lithium-ion battery components and thermal management systems used to power battery-electric regional trains, including deployment in the Hitachi Caravaggio ETR 521 battery-electric train. Targeted at regional railway operators and rolling stock manufacturers modernizing non-electrified or partially electrified rail lines.
Companies that use Kokam
Customer profileSegments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Kokam technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
Kokam partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators1 record
Recent moves3 records
Expansion highlights3 records
Kokam competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- EnerSys: EnerSys is a global industrial battery manufacturer explicitly named alongside Kokam as a major player in the aircraft electrification battery market. Both serve aviation, defense, and industrial customers with high-reliability energy storage solutions.
- Saft Groupe SA: Saft is a French specialty battery maker explicitly named alongside Kokam in the aircraft battery market. Both serve aviation, rail, defense, and industrial customers with high-energy-density lithium-ion solutions.
- GS Yuasa Corporation: GS Yuasa is a Japanese battery manufacturer explicitly named alongside Kokam in the aircraft electrification battery market. Both companies target aviation, automotive, and industrial energy storage customers.
- Teledyne Technologies: Teledyne is explicitly named alongside Kokam as a major player in the aircraft battery market, with overlapping exposure to defense, aerospace, and industrial lithium-ion battery applications.
- EaglePicher Technologies: EaglePicher is a US specialty battery manufacturer focused on aerospace, defense, and aviation applications, directly comparable to Kokam's aviation and defense battery positioning.
Broad incumbents
- LG Energy Solution: LG Energy Solution is a Korean battery giant and broad incumbent in the same lithium-ion battery space as Kokam. While primarily focused on EV cells at massive scale, LGES increasingly targets ESS and specialty applications overlapping with Kokam's portfolio.
- Samsung SDI: Samsung SDI is a Korean battery incumbent producing Li-ion cells and packs for automotive, ESS, and small-format applications. Its scale and automotive OEM relationships make it a broad incumbent competitor to Kokam in EVs and ESS.
- CATL (Contemporary Amperex Technology): CATL is the world's largest battery manufacturer and a broad incumbent across automotive, ESS, and increasingly aviation applications. Its scale and pricing power represent the dominant competitive threat to specialty players like Kokam.
- SK On: SK On is a Korean battery incumbent serving global automotive OEMs with Li-ion cells and packs. While primarily automotive-focused, SK On's scale and Korean base put it in direct competition with Kokam for cell and pack programs.
Emerging players
- Amprius Technologies: Amprius is an emerging player developing silicon-anode lithium-ion batteries for aviation and defense. It competes with Kokam in the same aviation electrification niche but at a smaller scale with differentiated cell chemistry.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Kokam social profiles
Digital presenceKokam financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Kokam leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Kokam funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors2 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Kokam M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Kokam
What does Kokam do?
Kokam Co., Ltd. manufactures high-energy-density lithium-ion battery cells and packs for electric vehicles, marine vessels, aerospace platforms, industrial equipment, and energy storage systems. The company supplies lithium-ion battery components for battery-electric railway propulsion applications, including advanced thermal management systems used in regional train electrification projects. Its products are positioned in the aviation battery market alongside major suppliers such as EnerSys, Saft Groupe SA, GS Yuasa, and Teledyne Technologies, supporting aircraft electrification, UAV/drone, and defense battery programs.
Is Kokam a public or private company?
Kokam is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Kokam founded?
Kokam was founded in 1989. It employs 251 to 500 people.
Where is Kokam based?
Kokam is headquartered in Suwon, South Korea, in the Asia region.
How does Kokam make money?
One revenue line is on record: battery hardware sales.
Who are Kokam's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are EnerSys, Saft Groupe SA, GS Yuasa Corporation, Teledyne Technologies and EaglePicher Technologies. Broad incumbents are LG Energy Solution, Samsung SDI, CATL (Contemporary Amperex Technology) and SK On. Amprius Technologies is listed as an emerging player.
Does Kokam have an API?
No public API is recorded for Kokam.
What industry is Kokam in?
Kokam's product category is Lithium-ion Battery Manufacturing. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMAGAHAA, Battery Cells (Li-ion, LFP, Sodium-ion, Lead-acid, NiMH), with a secondary code of IMAGAHAB, Battery Modules & Packs (Industrial/Commercial pack assembly). Its NAICS code is 33591 and its SIC code is 3600.