Oorja Protonics, alcohol-based fuel cell company, gets $15M

March 14, 2007 | Editor | Comments | |

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Oorja Protonics, alcohol-based fuel cell company, gets $15M

March 14, 2007 | Matt Marshall | Comments | |

oorja.bmpOorja Protonics, a secretive Fremont, Calif. start-up developing fuel cell systems that run on alcohols like methanold and ethanol, has just raised $15 million in a second round of funding, according to a regulatory filing cited by PE Week.

Alcohol-based fuel cells are still in the early stage of development, but they’ve already been introduced for commercial use in laptops, camcorders, MP3 players, mobile phones, and other devices. There’s an overview in the Space Review, which among other things, mentions potential application of these fuel cells in space.

The company raised $5.52 million from Sequoia Capital last year, which we mentioned was a first sign that Sequoia is turning attention to the alternative energy sector. This time, it brings in two of its “coat-tail” investors, DAG Ventures and Artis Capital.

DAG has made a business of partnering with other high profile investors, and investing alongside them even if DAG has to invest a little later. Artis is a hedge funds with close (family) ties with Sequoia. McKenna Capital also invested.

Update: Sunil Paul is also an investor.

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Matt Marshall is editor and CEO of VentureBeat. Follow him on Twitter at @mmarshall, and follow VentureBeat on Twitter at @venturebeat.

  • Savanh Prasasouk
    Since Oorja is such a new company, what are Oorja's competitors in the US?
  • We don't know what kind of alcohol they're using so that makes it hard to determine exact competitors. Several companies are developing direct methanol fuel cells including MTI, Smart Fuel Cells, Manhattan Scientific, and most of the Japanese consumer electronics firm. Medis Technologies has an ethanol fuel cell
  • In September 2006, I visited Crown Battery, who has an exclusive agreement with Oorja. I brought customer representatives from GM and the US Army to observe the demonstration of an Oorja 1 kW methanol fuel cell. Oorja President, Sanjeev made the initial presentation. The demonstration developed only 300 W. Sanjeev offered assurance that a properly working demonstration unit would be available in 2 months, however, we have not yet received it.

    Dennis Morrow
    Director of Engineering
    EAGLE TUGS
  • Frank Cardaropoli
    Have you seen the new unit and if so have you had the opportunity to test?
  • Frank Cardaropoli
    My understanding that none of the above mentioned companies have a on-board system similar to this unit. Am I incorrect?
  • Frank Cardaropoli
    It is my understanding that none of the above mentioned companies have a on-board system. Am I incorrect?
  • Secretive Oorja seems to have signed an agreement with a forklift company yesterday. The other MHV fuel cell players are Ballard (through Plug Power's Cellex & General Hydrogen), fellow canuck Hydrogenics, Nuvera, and German Proton Power. All are pure hydrogen fueled which makes them cost-effective, particularly with over 100 or so vehicles justifying the H2 fueling station cost. German SFC Smart is the only 'commercial' methanol FC, but their mobility apps are limited to RVs. The small Medis charger is disposable, therefore is not a fuel cell. Getting a higher power (500W+) FC to run on hydrated methanol is not easy, and therefore much more costly than hydrogen fueled systems. So, does it float? Only the VCs can guess for sure.
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  • Jim
    Startup, like Oorja, always played game like that.
  • Jim
    Exactly! Those major fuel cell players have proved that it is not easier to get a higher power (500W+) FC to run on methanol. If Oorja does not have a strong IP to ensure people it can do the job, yes, only the VCs can GUESS!
  • I visited Oorja Protronics at the NA08 Material Handling Show in Cleveland on April 22. The Oorja Pak product on
    display was the culmination of the development which I viewed originally in 2006. I also viewed the Orja Pak installed on and operating in an FMC AGV at the show. This positive experience has encouraged me to proceed with Oorja.

    Dennis Morrow
    Director of Engineering
    Eagle Tugs