Arkenlight

What Arkenlight does

Arkenlight Limited is a UK private spin-out from the University of Bristol (founded 2016), co-founded by Professors Neil Fox and Tom Scott, that is developing a 'Diamond Battery' - a betavoltaic micro-power device in which radioactive isotopes (Carbon-14, Tritium, or Nickel-63) are trapped within a synthetic-diamond crystal grown by Chemical Vapour Deposition, allowing beta-decay energy to be converted directly into electrical current. The technology has produced a Nickel-63 prototype approaching 1.9 V output with Carbon-14 variants targeted at ≥2 V, in a form factor of roughly 10 mm × 10 mm × 0.5 mm; one gram of Carbon-14 is calculated to deliver 15 J per day for the 5,730-year half-life, totalling 2.7 TJ over the device's life.

The business model centres on hardware sales of micro-power cells, optionally combined to scale output, to enterprise and industrial customers whose applications require decades-to-millennia of maintenance-free operation - industrial IoT sensors, medical implants, satellite systems, RFID/tracking, security devices, and power-on-chip integrations. The company uses a sales-led direct engagement model through its website and a 'Request a Demo' mechanism, with no public pricing or disclosed commercial customers. Adjacent product extensions include diamond detectors for real-time tritium measurement in gas (UKAEA-funded, tested Sep 2025) and diamond-based graphite core mapping probes (IAEA ISOP 2025 Innovation Award, Oct 2025).

Arkenlight's technology sits at TRL 4 in a laboratory-validated state. It is self-funded to date through research grants and partnerships, primarily with the UK Atomic Energy Authority at Culham (since 2016) and the University of Bristol, and is publicly seeking major investment to establish pilot-scale production and grow the team. Headcount is in the 11-50 range, with named technical leadership drawn from the founding Bristol academics and partners in Switzerland (Smolsys), nuclear site services (Nuclear Restoration Services), and photonic instrumentation (Clifton Photonics). Revenue, funding rounds, and commercial deployments are not disclosed in the source material.

Name

Arkenlight

Legal name

Arkenlight Limited

Website

https://arkenlight.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Arkenlight is a University of Bristol spin-out developing betavoltaic 'Diamond Battery' micro-power cells that harvest energy from radioactive isotopes (Carbon-14, Tritium, Nickel-63) trapped in synthetic diamond, targeting long-life sensors for industrial IoT, medical, space, RFID, and security applications.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Betavoltaic Nuclear Batteries

NAICS

Battery Manufacturing (33591)

SIC

Electronic & Other Electrical Equipment (No Computer Equip) (3600)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYIMAGAHAA

Battery Cells (Li-ion, LFP, Sodium-ion, Lead-acid, NiMH)

Industrials, Manufacturing & Construction/Electrical Equipment & Industrial Electronics/Batteries, Energy Storage & Charging Equipment (Industrial ESS, chargers)

SECONDARYEUAFABAH

Solid-State Battery Materials & Cell Manufacturing

Energy, Utilities & Environment/Energy Storage & Grid Flexibility (Batteries, Hydrogen Storage, Demand Response)/Battery Materials, Cells & Packs Manufacturing

Keywords

• Diamond battery
• Betavoltaic cells
• Radiovoltaic micro-power
• Nuclear micro-battery
• Industrial IoT power

Headquarters

HQ city

Bristol

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Personnel, Infrastructure, Operations

Revenue model

1. Diamond Battery Hardware Sales: Sale of diamond beta-battery micro-power devices as physical products. Devices provide constant electricity supply for sensors and devices lasting decades to millennia depending on radioactive isotope half-life. Multiple cells can be summed to increase power output for commercial viability.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Arkenlight develops and manufactures diamond-based radiovoltaic (betavoltaic) micro-power batteries that harvest energy from the radioactive decay of isotopes such as Carbon-14, Tritium, or Nickel-63 trapped within a synthetic diamond crystal structure. The company uses Chemical Vapour Deposition to grow isotopically layered diamond PN junction diode devices that convert beta decay energy directly into electrical current, providing continuous micro-power for decades to millennia.

Product overview

Arkenlight offers a unified Diamond Battery technology platform based on patented radioisotope piezoelectric (betavoltaic) micro-power technology. The core Diamond Battery is a semiconductor diode device that traps radioactive isotopes (Carbon-14, Tritium, or Nickel-63) within a synthetic diamond structure, converting beta decay energy directly into electrical current. The product family includes Ni63 and C14 variants optimized for different voltage and lifetime requirements, with Tritium-infused variants offering higher power density over shorter timeframes. The company also offers related diamond detector products for tritium measurement and radiation mapping applications. The Diamond Battery provides continuous power for decades to millennia without charging, targeting industrial IoT sensors, medical devices, satellites, security devices, RFID applications, and power-on-chip implementations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Diamond Battery A radioisotope voltaic micro-power device made from diamond that harvests energy from radioactive decay of unstable isotopes (Carbon-14, Tritium, or Nickel-63) trapped within its diamond crystal structure, providing constant electricity for sensors and devices for decades to millennia.
• Ni63 Diamond Battery A diamond battery variant using Nickel-63 as the radioactive isotope power source. The Ni63 version has produced close to 1.9V output in prototype form.
• C14 Diamond Battery A diamond battery variant using Carbon-14 as the radioactive isotope power source. Being optimized to achieve at least 2V output. Carbon-14 has a 5,730 year half-life.
• Tritium Diamond Battery A diamond battery variant using Tritium (H-3) as the radioactive isotope power source. Tritium has a 12.3 year half-life, enabling higher power output for several decades. Tritium is infused into interstitial spaces between carbon atoms in the diamond structure.
• Diamond Detectors for Tritium Detection Solid-state diamond radiation detectors for real-time and in-situ measurement of tritium in gas environments. Developed for UKAEA.
• Graphite Core Mapping Probes Diamond-based mapping probes for deployment into nuclear reactor cores to map radiation and physical properties, developed and deployed at Magnox reactor cores.
• First Pre-commercial Diamond Diode Prototype Pre-commercial diamond diode prototype device successfully fabricated and tested in collaboration with Smolsys Ltd., marking the transition from laboratory devices to pre-commercial prototypes.

Quantifiable outcome

• 1g of C-14 delivers 15J/day, totaling 2.7 TeraJoules over 5,730 years
• +3 more outcomes

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered secondary and core.

• Nuclear Restoration Services (NRS)secondaryStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 October 2025Industrial collaborators supporting deployments of novel mapping probes at the Trawsfynydd nuclear site in North Wales. NRS provided support for the IAEA award-winning work on graphite core mapping probes.
• Clifton PhotonicssecondaryTechnology or Integration · 12 October 2025Technology partner that helped with Raman system for physical characterisation coincident with radiation measurements in the graphite core mapping probe project awarded the IAEA ISOP 2025 Innovation Award.
• Smolsys Ltd.coreTechnology or Integration · 21 August 2025Swiss-based company that collaborated with University of Bristol team to successfully fabricate and test a pre-commercial diamond diode prototype device. This collaboration marked a significant milestone in moving from laboratory devices to pre-commercial prototypes.
• UK Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2016Close research partnership with UKAEA using unique facilities at their Culham Campus in Oxfordshire. The partnership began in 2016 when Professors Fox and Scott from University of Bristol started developing the Diamond Battery technology. UKAEA provides access to specialized nuclear facilities including the Tritium Fuel Cycle facility, enabling research into both Diamond Battery development and diamond detector technology for tritium detection.
• University of BristolcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2016Core academic partner where Diamond Battery technology was invented by Professors Neil Fox and Tom Scott. The University of Bristol team, including Dr Robbie MacKenzie, has been central to all device development including growing first C-14 diamond devices and pre-commercial prototypes. The university continues as primary research and development partner.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Market position

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/arkenlight
• Facebookfacebook.com/arkenlight
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/arkenlight-limited

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 Arkenlight