Element One
Element One develops and sells chemochromic hydrogen detection products — including DetecTape, passive RFID sensors, and chemochromic paints — that visually indicate hydrogen gas presence. The Boulder, Colorado company serves the hydrogen economy across production, transmission, storage, and fuel cell facilities, selling via e-commerce and direct B2B channels.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2005
- HeadquartersBoulder, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Element One does
Element One, Inc. is a Boulder, Colorado-based privately held company founded in 2005 that develops and sells chemochromic hydrogen detection products for the emerging hydrogen economy. Its core technology — color-changing materials that turn from light gray to dark black upon contact with hydrogen gas — originated from core patent technology licensed from the U.S. National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), with two additional patents subsequently developed in-house for thin-film sensors. The product portfolio includes DetecTape (a self-fusing silicone wrap hydrogen leak indicator), Thin Film Passive RFID Hydrogen Sensors (battery-free), Networked RFID Hydrogen Sensors for distributed facility monitoring, and Hybrid DetecTape + RFID combination products, plus chemochromic paints and materials for application on decals, protective gear, equipment, and piping. Sensitivity ranges from 0.04% to 1/100 Lower Flammability Limit (LFL), and products are marketed as inherently safe, requiring no instrumentation or ignition source, at a fraction of the cost of conventional electronic detection systems.
The company's revenue model combines hardware product sales (DetecTape via direct e-commerce at detectape.com, plus B2B custom/enterprise orders for sensor deployments) with non-dilutive government grant funding, specifically U.S. Department of Energy SBIR Phase I awards and Colorado OEDIT Advanced Industries Accelerator grants. Target customers span the hydrogen value chain — production, transmission, storage, and generation/fuel cell facilities — where hydrogen's odorless, colorless, and rapidly diffusing properties create acute safety monitoring needs. The company maintains a strategic 20-year collaborative relationship with NREL, works in NREL's Energy Systems Integration Facility (ESIF), and participates in the EU-funded SUPREME project for next-generation PFAS-free electrolyzer development. Distribution is direct (e-commerce + B2B contact inquiries); the company presents at industry events such as ICHS 2023 and Hannover Messe, and has been recognized by DOE's 'America's Next Top Energy Innovator' challenge.
Element One firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Element One
- Legal name
- Element One, Inc.
- Website
- https://elem1.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2005
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Element One develops and sells chemochromic hydrogen detection products — including DetecTape, passive RFID sensors, and chemochromic paints — that visually indicate hydrogen gas presence. The Boulder, Colorado company serves the hydrogen economy across production, transmission, storage, and fuel cell facilities, selling via e-commerce and direct B2B channels.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Element One industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Hydrogen Gas Detection Sensors
- NAICS
- Other Measuring and Controlling Device Manufacturing (334519), Instrument Manufacturing for Measuring and Testing Electricity and Electrical Signals (334515)
- SIC
- Industrial Instruments For Measurement, Display, And Control (3823)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Fixed Gas Detection & Continuous Monitoring (Sensors/IoT/Telemetry) (EUAJADAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Hydrogen Storage Safety, Monitoring & Integrity (Leak Detection, Sensors, Inspection) (EUAFAEAJ), Environmental Sensors (Temperature/Humidity/Gas/Air Quality) (HDAHALAD)
Keywords
Where Element One is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Boulder
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Element One business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Hydrogen Detection Product Sales: Sale of physical hydrogen detection products including DetecTape (color-changing self-fusing silicone wrap), thin film sensors, and RFID hydrogen detection systems. Products are sold directly to industrial customers through e-commerce and contact inquiries.
- DOE SBIR Research Funding: Department of Energy Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I funding for hydrogen sensor development, testing, and integration into low-cost wireless sensing systems.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | DetecTape H2 Visual Hydrogen Leak Detector - color-changing self-fusing silicone wrap for hydrogen leak detection |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels5 records
Element One product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Element One develops and manufactures low-cost chemochromic hydrogen detection products that visually indicate hydrogen gas presence through a color change, without requiring electronic instrumentation. Its core product line includes DetecTape (a self-fusing silicone wrap that turns light gray to dark black on hydrogen contact), Thin Film Passive RFID Hydrogen Sensors (battery-free, energy-harvesting), Networked RFID Hydrogen Sensors for wireless distributed monitoring, and Hybrid DetecTape + RFID sensors for combined visual and electrical leak indication. These products are designed for fuel cell, transmission, storage, and hydrogen generation facilities in the broader hydrogen economy.
Product overview
Element One offers a portfolio of hydrogen detection products based on proprietary chemochromic technology that visually indicates hydrogen presence through color changes. The core product line includes DetecTape (a self-fusing silicone wrap that turns from light gray to dark black upon hydrogen contact), Thin Film Passive RFID Hydrogen Sensors (battery-free electronic sensors), Networked RFID Hydrogen Sensors (for wireless distributed monitoring), and Hybrid DetecTape + RFID Sensors (combining visual and electrical indication). These products are designed for the hydrogen economy across fuel cell, transmission, storage, and generation facilities, providing simple, reliable, and low-cost leak detection solutions without requiring conventional electronic instrumentation.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- DetecTape: Chemochromic tape that changes color in the presence of hydrogen - a color changing self-fusing silicone wrap designed to detect hydrogen gas leaks in fuel cell, transmission, storage and generation facilities.
Products and services
- DetecTape H2 Visual Hydrogen Leak Detector A color-changing self-fusing silicone wrap that detects hydrogen gas leaks in fuel cell, transmission, storage, and generation facilities. When in contact with concentrated hydrogen gas due to vibration or seal failure, the tape quickly changes from light gray to dark black.
- Thin Film Passive RFID Hydrogen Sensor Low-cost hydrogen sensors with no ignition source and no battery, using thin film technology and RFID energy harvesting to provide electrical indication of hydrogen presence.
- Networked RFID Hydrogen Sensors Low-cost hydrogen RFID sensors deployed in a wireless network configuration for distributed leak monitoring across hydrogen facilities.
- Hybrid DetecTape + RFID Sensors RFID sensors attached using DetecTape for both electrical and color-changing indication of hydrogen leaks, combining visual and electronic detection in a single deployment.
- Chemochromic Hydrogen-Indicating Paints and Materials Chemochromic paints and materials that change color in the presence of hydrogen, available for application on decals, protective gear, equipment, and piping to provide visual leak indication.
Quantifiable outcome
- Hydrogen detector tape changes color from light gray to dark black in presence of concentrated hydrogen gas leaks due to vibration or seal failure
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Element One
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Element One technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature5 records
Element One partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL)coreElement One was incorporated in 2005 to develop products based on core patent technology from NREL. The company entered into a collaborative agreement with NREL and continues to work in their Energy Systems Integration Facility (ESIF). This partnership has resulted in three total patents (one licensed, two developed). NREL has validated Element One's products through testing at their hydrogen facilities.
- Element One Energy AScoreElement One Energy AS is a partner in the EU-funded SUPREME project coordinated by the University of Southern Denmark. The project aims to develop PFAS-free electrolysis technology for green hydrogen production, reducing iridium usage by up to 75% and achieving 90% iridium recycling. Element One contributes to membrane electrode development and next-generation PFAS-free membranes over a three-year project timeline.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Element One competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- MSA Safety: MSA is a global leader in fixed and portable gas detection with established hydrogen detection offerings; broad multi-gas portfolio and enterprise sales coverage make it the dominant incumbent competing for the same hydrogen safety budget.
- RKI Instruments: RKI designs and manufactures fixed and portable gas detectors including hydrogen sensors for industrial and laboratory use; comparable product category but broader multi-gas positioning.
- Honeywell Analytics: Honeywell offers a broad portfolio of industrial gas detection instruments and fixed hydrogen monitoring systems; competes with Element One for hydrogen infrastructure safety contracts but as part of a much larger industrial safety franchise.
- Crowcon Detection Instruments: Crowcon is an established fixed and portable gas detection manufacturer serving oil & gas, chemical, and hydrogen applications — comparable end-customers and overlapping product category.
- Dräger: Dräger is a global industrial safety incumbent with extensive hydrogen and combustible gas detection product lines for refineries, chemical plants, and hydrogen facilities — directly overlapping with Element One's customer base from a much larger position.
- Industrial Scientific: Industrial Scientific provides gas detection and safety monitoring solutions for hazardous environments including hydrogen facilities; competes in the same end-customer space as Element One with broader multi-gas instrumentation.
Direct peers
- H2scan Corporation: H2scan manufactures solid-state hydrogen gas sensors and detection systems for industrial safety, process monitoring, and battery/transformer applications — directly comparable to Element One as a hydrogen-specific detection sensor company.
- NTM Sensors (Nevada Technical Manufacturing): NTM produces hydrogen-specific sensors and detection instruments for fuel cells, aerospace, and industrial gas detection, making it a closely comparable hydrogen-focused detection peer.
Emerging players
- Membrapor: Membrapor manufactures electrochemical hydrogen and other gas sensors used in industrial safety and emissions monitoring; a niche European sensor maker competing in the same hydrogen detection end-market as Element One.
- Sensit Technologies: Sensit specializes in combustible gas leak detection including hydrogen, with portable and fixed detectors — comparable use cases (leak detection at fittings and infrastructure) to Element One's chemochromic tape and RFID sensors.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Element One social profiles
Digital presenceElement One financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Element One leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Element One funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Element One 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 Element One
What does Element One do?
Element One develops and manufactures low-cost chemochromic hydrogen detection products that visually indicate hydrogen gas presence through a color change, without requiring electronic instrumentation. Its core product line includes DetecTape (a self-fusing silicone wrap that turns light gray to dark black on hydrogen contact), Thin Film Passive RFID Hydrogen Sensors (battery-free, energy-harvesting), Networked RFID Hydrogen Sensors for wireless distributed monitoring, and Hybrid DetecTape + RFID sensors for combined visual and electrical leak indication. These products are designed for fuel cell, transmission, storage, and hydrogen generation facilities in the broader hydrogen economy.
Is Element One a public or private company?
Element One is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Element One founded?
Element One was founded in 2005. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Element One based?
Element One is headquartered in Boulder, United States, in the North America region.
How does Element One make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Hydrogen Detection Product Sales are the primary driver. The others are DOE SBIR Research Funding.
Who are Element One's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are MSA Safety, RKI Instruments, Honeywell Analytics, Crowcon Detection Instruments, Dräger and Industrial Scientific. Direct peers are H2scan Corporation and NTM Sensors (Nevada Technical Manufacturing). Emerging players are Membrapor and Sensit Technologies.
Does Element One have an API?
No public API is recorded for Element One.
What industry is Element One in?
Element One's product category is Hydrogen Gas Detection Sensors. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EUAJADAB, Fixed Gas Detection & Continuous Monitoring (Sensors/IoT/Telemetry), with a secondary code of EUAFAEAJ, Hydrogen Storage Safety, Monitoring & Integrity (Leak Detection, Sensors, Inspection). Its NAICS code is 334519 and its SIC code is 3823.