Prime Movers Lab Launches Mineral Extraction and Electric Grid Squads

Choosing good investments requires a strong understanding of the latest technological breakthroughs and being able to identify the potential risks and opportunities in emerging sectors. Prime Movers Lab’s deep technical and scientific diligence process helps us understand these risks and separates us from other venture capital firms.

One of the ways that we fine-tuned our investment methodology was by launching a systematic targeting and diligence process. Every quarter, we select two specific innovation categories that we think need a breakthrough or are on the verge of one. We then assemble “squads,” which are internal teams that consist of technical, deal, and portfolio support partners as well as research fellows who have real-life experience in the field. Squads are highly collaborative and all Prime Movers Lab partners are encouraged to join one. The squads dive deep and review the latest advances, landscape existing startups, and meet with leading experts in the sector. At the end of each quarter, squads report back to the broader team and the decision is made to extend, expand, or conclude a specific topic.

The process has led to amazing thought leadership pieces, blog content, and webinars on topics like regenerative medicine and the future of seafood. We have also generated immense deal flow (we have reviewed more than 8,000 deals since inception) for our team to consider in cellular agriculture, cultivated protein, brain-computer interfaces, neuromodulation, orbital debris, and more.

This quarter, Prime Movers Lab launched two new squads to focus on breakthroughs in mineral extraction and electric grid technology. To keep up with the growing demand for electric vehicles and replace the nation’s aging electric infrastructure, we believe that breakthrough technologies will be developed in the coming years to extract metals like lithium and magnesium from seawater for batteries, and technologies like high-temperature superconductors will be needed to modernize the electric grid. In the weeks ahead, we will host a webinar and publish thought papers on these topics so stay tuned for those.

If there are emerging technologies that you think we should explore, reach out to us here and let us know.

Prime Movers Lab invests in breakthrough scientific startups founded by Prime Movers, the inventors who transform billions of lives. We invest in companies reinventing energy, transportation, infrastructure, manufacturing, human augmentation, and agriculture.

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