PASADENA, Calif--Superprotonic, Inc., a developer of Solid Acid Fuel Cells, the first new fuel cell technology in 40 years, has announced the closing of the first tranche of its $16.2M second institutional financing round.

The round was led by US Venture Partners and included Dow Venture Capital and all existing Superprotonic investors: CMEA Ventures, Nth Power Technologies, Hydro Technology Ventures, Battelle Ventures, Innovation Valley Partners and OnPoint Technologies.

“USVP is delighted to be working with the Superprotonic team. We are excited about this technology’s ability to create the performance levels and compelling economics needed to address large existing markets and to enable new applications,” said Winston Fu, General Partner at US Venture Partners.

“We are looking forward to Dr. Fu’s contributions to Superprotonic’s board, given his entrepreneurial expertise and focus on alternative energy investments,” said Superprotonic CEO Thomas Jahn. “We are also very pleased that Dow Venture Capital has joined the round and appreciate the continued support of our existing investors. Superprotonic’s fundamental solution to the technical and economic challenges facing fuel cells commercialization is the foundation of this strong support.”

The new funding will be used to accelerate the development and commercialization of Superprotonic’s low cost and durable solid acid fuel cell (SAFC) stacks. Superprotonic is initially targeting the portable military, premium and back up power, and auxiliary power unit (APU) markets.

About Superprotonic

Superprotonic was founded in 2003 based on its founders’ work at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech). Superprotonic is pioneering the use of solid acids as fuel cell electrolytes. Solid acids are solid-state materials exhibiting liquid level conductivities at intermediate temperatures (150° C to 300° C). Solid Acid Fuel Cells (SAFC) constitute a fundamental and radically different solution that overcomes the barriers to mass adoption of fuel cells.