Ecolectro, founded by Cornell PhD chemists Dr. Kristina M. Hugar and Dr. Gabriel G. Rodríguez-Calero, has developed a breakthrough AEM electrolyzer. At the core of this technology is a proprietary membrane chemistry that eliminates the need for rare earth materials like iridium and harmful chemicals such as PFAS, instead utilizing readily available, recyclable and eco-friendly materials. This membrane is highly durable, operating efficiently in high-temperature and alkaline conditions, and achieves over 70% efficiency (<47.5 kWh/kg) in typical operating environments, significantly outperforming comparable PEM and alkaline systems.
Additionally, Ecolectro's AEM electrolyzers provide reliable performance even with variable energy inputs, making them ideal for integration with solar, wind, and other intermittent renewable energy sources, as well as for industries where continuous hydrogen production is not always needed.
Ecolectro's fully integrated, plug-and-play electrolyzers are designed with flexibility in mind to meet specific customer needs. Their modular design allows customers to adopt hydrogen without large upfront investments, and expand their system requirements over time.
By enabling on-site hydrogen production, Ecolectro significantly lowers the overall cost of hydrogen by eliminating the need for expensive transportation and storage infrastructure. This also reduces environmental impacts by cutting carbon emissions from transport trucks and preventing hydrogen losses that typically occur during storage and handling. Customers who adopt Ecolectro's electrolyzers to produce their own hydrogen are also eligible to receive federal and state green hydrogen tax credits, further enhancing the economic appeal of the solution.
The round was led by Toyota Ventures with participation from Starshot Capital, DNX Ventures, Energy Revolution Ventures, New Climate Ventures, Banco Popular Impact Fund, and Techstars, among others.
These funds will be used to accelerate the development and deployment of Ecolectro's groundbreaking Anion Exchange Membrane (AEM) electrolyzers, offering an affordable and scalable path to reducing carbon emissions through true green hydrogen.
"Hydrogen is key to decarbonizing heavy industry and other hard-to-abate sectors, but cost-prohibitive barriers have delayed its widespread adoption," said Dr. Rodríguez-Calero, Co-Founder and CEO of Ecolectro. "With our innovative AEM technology, we're breaking down those barriers today—not years from now. Thanks to our investors, including Toyota Ventures, we're well-positioned to bring affordable green hydrogen to market at scale next year."
