6k energy
6K Energy is the battery materials division of 6K Inc., producing sustainable lithium-ion cathode active materials (NMC811, NMC721, LFP) using proprietary UniMelt microwave plasma technology for defense, automotive, and energy storage customers, with a flagship CRG Defense seven-year supply agreement.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2010
- HeadquartersNorth Andover, United States
- Headcount251–500
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What 6k energy does
6K Energy is the battery materials division of 6K Inc., a privately held Massachusetts-based advanced materials company founded in 2010 (rebranded from Amastan Technologies in 2019) that established 6K Energy in March 2020 to produce sustainable lithium-ion battery cathode active materials (CAM) including single-crystal NMC811, single-crystal NMC721, LFP, and lithium salts. The division's core product is built on the proprietary UniMelt microwave plasma platform, the only production-scale microwave plasma system in the world, which operates at 6,000 degrees to synthesize advanced materials in under two seconds versus the multi-day batch processes used in conventional co-precipitation. UniMelt is claimed to deliver 50% lower processing cost, 50% lower energy use, 70% lower CO2, 90% lower water use, and 100% wastewater elimination versus traditional CAM production, and is positioned to enable cost parity with Chinese CAM suppliers while remaining IRA-compliant for both LFP and NMC.
6K Energy's commercial activity is anchored by a seven-year strategic supply agreement with CRG Defense for domestic single-crystal NMC811 for mission-critical defense battery systems (including next-generation UAS), supported by a structured Quarterly Purchase Plan and aligned with the FCC December 2025 UAS foreign-component ban and NDAA FY2026 Section 842. A three-year material supply agreement with Aqua Metals secures battery-grade nickel and lithium carbonate from the AquaRefining process, with LME-indexed pricing and tens-of-millions-of-dollars potential annual value. Revenue is generated primarily through direct enterprise sales of CAM under multi-year contracts, with index-based pricing tied to London Metal Exchange nickel and lithium prices, and a stated but not yet monetized technology licensing optionality. Current production is limited to approximately 1 ton per month at the Battery Center of Excellence in North Andover, MA, supporting customer sampling and qualification programs with over 30 automotive OEMs, battery cell producers, and other material producers.
The division operates within a parent structure that also includes 6K Additive (sustainable metal powders for additive manufacturing, formed through the 2019 acquisition of AL Solutions) and 6K Next (future growth sectors). The company is headquartered at 25 Commerce Way, North Andover, MA, with a full-scale PlusCAM multi-chemistry CAM plant under construction in Jackson, TN (initial production now targeted for early 2028) and 6K Additive production in Burgettstown, PA. Leadership includes CEO Dr. Saurabh Ullal (effective September 2024, succeeding founder Dr. Aaron Bent), President of 6K Energy Sam Trinch, and VP of Battery Products Dr. Richard Holman (former A123Systems and 24M Technologies). The company has raised more than $120M in equity and grants, with key institutional investors including Anzu Partners, Energy Impact Partners, LaunchCapital, Material Impact, and Volta Energy Technologies.
6k energy firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- 6k energy
- Legal name
- 6K Inc.
- Website
- https://6kinc.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2010
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 251–500 employees
- Short description
- 6K Energy is the battery materials division of 6K Inc., producing sustainable lithium-ion cathode active materials (NMC811, NMC721, LFP) using proprietary UniMelt microwave plasma technology for defense, automotive, and energy storage customers, with a flagship CRG Defense seven-year supply agreement.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
6k energy industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Battery Cathode Active Materials
- NAICS
- Battery Manufacturing (33591)
- SIC
- Electronic & Other Electrical Equipment (No Computer Equip) (3600)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Cathode Active Materials (CAM) Manufacturing (EUAFABAB)
Keywords
Where 6k energy is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- North Andover
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices3 records
Markets served
6k energy business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Operations, Technology or R&D, Personnel, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Cathode Active Material Sales: 6K Energy generates revenue through the sale of battery cathode active materials including NMC811, NMC721, and LFP to battery cell manufacturers, defense contractors, and automotive OEMs. Revenue is volume-based with index-based pricing tied to London Metal Exchange prices for commodity metals like nickel and lithium.
- Technology Licensing: UniMelt platform enables technology licensing potential for sustainable battery material production. The company positions its technology as the pathway to low-cost, ultra-sustainable CAM production at scale.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Multi-year contract | Battery-grade cathode materials (NMC811, NMC721, LFP) |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels5 records
6k energy product offering
Product offeringCore offering
6K Energy manufactures and sells sustainable lithium-ion battery cathode active materials, including single-crystal NMC811, single-crystal NMC721, and LFP powders, produced domestically using its proprietary UniMelt microwave plasma platform. The company supplies these materials under multi-year agreements to defense manufacturers, automotive OEMs, battery cell producers, and energy storage system integrators, with production at its North Andover, MA Battery Center of Excellence and the planned Jackson, TN PlusCAM plant.
Product overview
6K Energy operates as a division of 6K Inc., offering a platform-based business centered on its proprietary UniMelt microwave plasma technology. The core platform enables sustainable, rapid production of advanced materials including battery cathode active materials (NMC811, NMC721, LFP) and metal powders for additive manufacturing. The product portfolio includes single-crystal cathode materials for lithium-ion batteries, with manufacturing capabilities at the Battery Center of Excellence in North Andover, MA and the PlusCAM facility in Jackson, TN. The company also operates 6K Additive as a sub-brand producing premium metal powders from sustainable sources for additive manufacturing applications.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- UniMelt: Proprietary microwave plasma production platform for advanced materials manufacturing
- PlusCAM
- Ty-Gem
- Onyx In718
- HEA1000
- AquaRefining
Products and services
- NMC811 Single Crystal Cathode Material High-performance single-crystal NMC811 cathode active material for lithium-ion batteries, delivering high capacity with excellent rate performance while exceeding EV cycle-life requirements. Produced domestically using UniMelt plasma technology. Target customers are battery cell producers, automotive OEMs, and defense battery system integrators.
- NMC721 Single Crystal Cathode Material Advanced single-crystal NMC721 cathode powder for lithium-ion batteries developed under the BATTNET Program III. Well suited for All-US cell voltage window of 2.5-4.35V with defense-relevant performance targets. Target customers are defense battery system manufacturers requiring domestically produced, Foreign Entity of Concern-compliant cathode materials.
- LFP Cathode Active Material Lithium Iron Phosphate (LFP) cathode active material achieving over 160mA/gm capacity with exceptional efficiency, trending to greater than 6,000 cycles while maintaining 80% capacity. IRA-compliant. Target customers are energy storage system integrators and battery cell producers for grid storage and entry-level EV applications.
Quantifiable outcome
- 50% reduction in energy consumption vs. traditional NMC production routes
- +5 more outcomes
Companies that use 6k energy
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
6k energy technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
6k energy partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Two partnerships are on record, tiered flagship and core.
- CRG DefenseflagshipSeven-year strategic collaboration for domestic supply of single crystal NMC811 cathode active materials to power defense battery systems. CRG Defense will source from 6K Energy's North Andover, MA facility initially, with PlusCAM facility in Jackson, TN becoming primary production source in early 2028. Agreement includes structured Quarterly Purchase Plan and addresses FCC's December 2025 ban on foreign-produced UAS components and Section 842 of FY2026 NDAA.
- Aqua MetalscoreMulti-year Material Supply Agreement for battery-grade nickel metal and lithium carbonate using AquaRefining process. Three-year initial term with potential for expansion. Establishes product specifications, qualification pathways, and index-based pricing tied to LME prices. Materials expected to meet Foreign Entity of Concern compliance requirements. Optionality for future tolling arrangements for lithium-ion battery black mass. Potential value reaching tens of millions of dollars annually.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves9 records
Expansion highlights6 records
6k energy competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Umicore: Umicore is a Belgian global materials technology group and a leading producer of cathode active materials (NMC) for automotive applications. Comparable as an established CAM manufacturer with multi-chemistry capability and IRA-qualifying North American capacity.
- Albemarle Corporation: Albemarle is the world's largest lithium producer and a major player in bromine specialties. Comparable as a critical battery materials supplier to the North American EV supply chain with IRA-aligned positioning, though upstream rather than midstream CAM.
- POSCO Future M: POSCO Future M (formerly POSCO Chemical) is one of the world's largest cathode active material producers, supplying major Korean cell manufacturers. Comparable as a high-volume, vertically integrated CAM producer with global OEM relationships.
Direct peers
- Microvast: Microvast develops and manufactures lithium-ion battery materials, cells, modules, and packs. Comparable to 6K Energy in targeting the battery materials/cell value chain with vertically integrated technology platforms and U.S./China production footprint.
- Mitra Chem: Mitra Chem is a U.S.-based cathode materials startup producing LFP and NMC using proprietary iron-based cathode chemistries with iron-silicon dominance. Direct comparable in early-stage domestic CAM targeting IRA compliance and gigafactory supply.
- Nano One Materials: Nano One is a Canadian cathode active materials developer focused on LFP, NMC, and LNMO using a proprietary one-pot process. Directly comparable to 6K Energy as a CAM technology developer targeting cost-competitive, sustainable production.
Emerging players
- Solidion Technology: Solidion Technology develops silicon-rich anodes, lithium-sulfur cathodes, and other advanced battery materials. Comparable as a U.S. battery materials technology company targeting next-gen chemistries with similar defense and EV market exposure.
- Sila Nanotechnologies: Sila Nanotechnologies develops silicon-based anode materials for lithium-ion batteries using proprietary nano-engineering. Comparable as a U.S.-based next-generation battery materials company with major OEM commitments (Mercedes, Panasonic) and domestic manufacturing focus.
- Group14 Technologies: Group14 is a U.S. silicon battery materials startup producing silicon-carbon anode materials for lithium-ion batteries. Comparable as a U.S.-based battery materials innovator with IRA positioning and automotive OEM qualifications, though focused on anodes rather than cathodes.
Others
- Aqua Metals: Aqua Metals operates a sustainable battery materials recycling platform (AquaRefining) producing battery-grade nickel and lithium. Comparable as a 6K Energy supply partner and adjacent critical minerals technology company serving the U.S. battery supply chain.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
6k energy social profiles
Digital presence6k energy compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
6k energy financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
6k energy leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles9 records
6k energy subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries3 records
6k energy funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
6k energy 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 6k energy
What does 6k energy do?
6K Energy manufactures and sells sustainable lithium-ion battery cathode active materials, including single-crystal NMC811, single-crystal NMC721, and LFP powders, produced domestically using its proprietary UniMelt microwave plasma platform. The company supplies these materials under multi-year agreements to defense manufacturers, automotive OEMs, battery cell producers, and energy storage system integrators, with production at its North Andover, MA Battery Center of Excellence and the planned Jackson, TN PlusCAM plant.
Is 6k energy a public or private company?
6k energy is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was 6k energy founded?
6k energy was founded in 2010. It employs 251 to 500 people.
Where is 6k energy based?
6k energy is headquartered in North Andover, United States, in the North America region.
How does 6k energy make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Cathode Active Material Sales are the primary driver. The others are technology Licensing.
Who are 6k energy's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Umicore, Albemarle Corporation and POSCO Future M. Direct peers are Microvast, Mitra Chem and Nano One Materials. Emerging players are Solidion Technology, Sila Nanotechnologies and Group14 Technologies. Aqua Metals is listed as an others.
Does 6k energy have an API?
No public API is recorded for 6k energy.
What industry is 6k energy in?
6k energy's product category is Battery Cathode Active Materials. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EUAFABAB, Cathode Active Materials (CAM) Manufacturing. Its NAICS code is 33591 and its SIC code is 3600.