About
Real change begins with chemistry.
From the ancient use of charcoal to the development of modern solar cells, new energy always begins with new materials. And it is chemists who investigate, design, and create new materials. We are a company of chemists.
We work only in the friendly portions of the periodic table.
We believe there is so much interesting chemistry to investigate in the friendly parts of the periodic table that there is no need to work with highly toxic systems, heavy metals, or rare elements to achieve our goals. Instead, we start with substances that offer low toxicity and abundant material supply. Then we focus on adjusting their surface chemistry to maximize electroactivity.
Think big, test broadly.
We stretch the boundaries of chemistry and test every new product we make for applications to the big problems of the world—photoactivity, catalytic activity, and electron activity. Early success synthesizing materials with unique conductivities led to the realization that we had the opportunity to make batteries better.
Value the practical and scalable over the exotic and heroic.
Too much of scientific research is focused on the heroic effort. Creating exotic and rare materials with complicated synthesis techniques works for scientific publication, but not for making real change in the world. We strive for simplicity and practicality in the synthesis and manufacturing of our materials, enabling our processes to scale rapidly and cost-efficiently. Part of making batteries better is making them cheaper.
Better batteries require new electroactive materials—the chemical components that produce electrons—to store more energy for longer. Ten-Nine Tech is designing, creating, and producing these new materials.
Path to Production
A look at our past, present, and anticipated future.
2014
“Ten-Nine started in a back room of our angel investor’s warehouse. Tables from the hardware store served as lab benches. There wasn’t a sink, so glassware got washed in the bathroom at the end of the day, and I took the small flasks of nanoparticles to my mom’s house and baked them in her oven.” – Paige Johnson, Founder
2015
First material breakthrough
2016
Seed funding
6 gram batch size
2017
First patent granted
64 gram batch size
Announcement of fossil fuel parity
2018
First revenue
1 kilogram batch size
2019
20 patent filings
Product-market fit analysis
2020
Series A funding
4 patents granted
Production scaled up
Blend strategy
2021
8 patents granted
Over 54 patent filings
24 tons per annum pilot plant online
NASA iTech Challenge finalist
OCAST Grant for TENIX™ blends with LMO and LNMO
Top 10 Nano Material Solutions Providers 2021 from Manufacturing Technology Insights
2022
Series A1 funding
6 new patents granted (4 US, 1 Chinese, 1 Japanese), 14 total
JDA and/or evaluation contracts with 2 major primary battery manufacturers, 1 luxury automotive manufacturer, 1 major power tool company
Built internal cell development laboratories
Team doubled in size
2023
Anticipated Outcomes
Series B funding
Automotive evaluation trials
Power tool evaluation trials
Primary battery market entry
2024
Anticipated Outcomes
1,800 tons production capacity
2025
Anticipated Outcomes
Rechargeable market entry
5,000 tons production capacity