Funding accelerates commercialization of solid-state lithium-air batteries targeting energy densities beyond 1,000 Wh/kg following DOE validation.
CHICAGO, IL, UNITED STATES, July 1, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Air Energy Closes Seed Round to Scale DOE-Validated Solid-State Lithium-Air Battery for Aviation, Defense, and Autonomous Systems
CHICAGO, IL — June 26, 2026 — Air Energy Inc., a pioneer in high-density energy storage, today announced the closing of its oversubscribed seed financing round. The investment provides critical capital to accelerate the development and scale-up of its proprietary solid-state lithium-air battery platform following recent federal government validation.
Air Energy is developing rechargeable solid-state lithium-air batteries designed to enable larger electric aircraft, dramatically extend drone endurance, and unlock new mission capabilities for autonomous systems. The financing supports execution across critical engineering and manufacturing milestones, including advanced cell development and manufacturing readiness activities aligned with Air Energy’s government programs and commercialization.
Recent industry developments have highlighted growing interest in lithium-air technology as a pathway beyond the limits of conventional lithium-ion batteries. Air Energy’s seed financing positions the company to capitalize on this momentum by advancing one of the industry’s leading solid-state lithium-air battery platforms from laboratory validation toward manufacturing and commercialization. The financing follows Air Energy’s selection as a partner to Illinois Institute Technology for the U.S. Department of Energy ARPA-E JOULES-1K program. Recent coverage by Aviation Week highlights the potential for lithium-air batteries to enable larger electric aircraft.
These efforts are focused on delivering rechargeable solid-state lithium-air batteries capable of achieving energy densities beyond 1,000 Wh/kg—nearly four times the current state-of-the-art.
Mohammad Asadi, Co-Founder and Chief Technology Officer said, “Lithium-ion technology is nearing its ceiling. Incremental gains can no longer unlock the step-change performance required for long-range drones, electric aviation, and mission-critical power systems operating far from the grid. Air Energy exists to break through that ceiling and enable transformational improvements in endurance and payload for aerial and autonomous platforms.”
“We are developing the highest projected energy density battery of any next generation battery,” said Larry Curtiss, Co-Founder and Chief Science Officer. “With this funding we will move forward into execution, producing ultra-high density batteries with dramatically reduced weight, an inherently safer design, and four times the range and mission.”
The oversubscribed seed round includes participation from strategic and institutional investors, led by Resolute Venture Partners—early investors in Tesla and SpaceX—along with Illinois INVENT, Illinois Tech, Evergreen Climate Innovations, Leslie Ventures, LLC, and strategic angel investors. The round was initiated by Leslie Ventures, led by Mark Leslie, Founder and former CEO of Veritas Technologies, which reached $64 billion in value during his tenure as Chairman.
“Our investors understand that breakthroughs in energy storage are achieved through execution—not announcements,” said Benjamin Drake, Co-Founder and CEO of Air Energy. “This capital is aligned with validated technical progress and positions us to deliver on the milestones that matter: engineering, manufacturability, and real-world performance. This round enables us to move decisively from validation to disciplined execution.”
The seed round includes participation from strategic and institutional investors specializing in advanced manufacturing, national security, and next-generation energy storage. Air Energy will utilize the proceeds to:
* Expand its engineering team with top-tier talent in materials science and battery chemistry.
* Advance solid-state manufacturing processes to transition from lab-scale to R&D pilot production.
* Support prototype integration with key government and commercial partners.
About Air Energy, Inc.
Air Energy is a Chicago-based energy storage platform company developing solid-state lithium-air batteries to deliver transformational improvements in energy density, safety, and mission capability for aviation, defense, autonomous systems, and resilient energy infrastructure.
Media Contact: tlgd@airenergy.io
TD Strategies
Air Energy, Inc.
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