UK startup Mater-AI has secured £1.5 million in pre-seed funding to advance its AI platform for discovering new thermoelectric materials that convert waste heat into electricity. Founded by Dr. Nickel Blankevoort, Gatleen Bhambra, and Chelsea Williams, the company is tackling one of the energy sector’s most persistent challenges: more than 70% of global energy is lost as heat across industrial systems, transportation, and digital infrastructure.
Mater-AI’s technology combines artificial intelligence with physics-based modeling to compress what has historically taken decades of research into weeks, rapidly evaluating material structures for efficiency and scalability. Early market targets include defense, automotive, and industrial IoT applications where durable, maintenance-free power generation is critical.
The investment — led by Twin Path Ventures with participation from Mishcon de Reya, One Planet Capital, XTX Ventures, and the Conception X Angel Syndicate — will support laboratory validation and continued platform development alongside partners at leading UK research institutions.
Featured image: Credit: Mater-AI
