Antares Ventures participated in Ayrton Energy’s $6.8 million seed funding round, supporting its innovative approach to hydrogen storage and transport. The round was led by Clean Energy Ventures and BDC Capital, with participation from EPS Ventures, SOSV, the51, UCeed Investment Funds, and Antares Ventures. This investment will help Ayrton Energy scale its proprietary liquid organic hydrogen carrier (LOHC) technology, expand its team, and grow its operations into key energy hubs in the U.S.

Hydrogen is expected to play a crucial role in decarbonizing industries such as aviation, shipping, and heavy manufacturing. However, its widespread adoption is hindered by high transportation costs and the lack of dedicated storage infrastructure. Ayrton Energy addresses these challenges with a novel LOHC system that enables safe, efficient, and cost-effective hydrogen storage and transportation using existing liquid fuel infrastructure.

The funding will enable Ayrton Energy to advance its hydrogen storage solution, which operates at low temperatures and pressures, offering a scalable and energy-efficient alternative to existing methods. The company is also deploying a pilot program in Alberta, Canada, with ATCO Gas to explore real-world applications, including integration with fuel cells and other energy systems.

A spokesperson from Antares Ventures said:
“Hydrogen is a key pillar in the transition to a net-zero world, given its ability to decarbonize ‘hard-to-abate’ industries like steel, cement, fertiliser, marine transport, and applications in many other sectors. One of the main barriers to scaling its impact has been the challenges of storing and transporting hydrogen, particularly in a future world where production will be decentralized.

As part of our comprehensive research, we were excited to discover the efficient, scaleable, and innovative LOHC solutions from Ayrton Energy. Ayrton Energy fits perfectly in our strategy of identifying promising deeptech ventures that address a clear gap in the energy transition of Asia’s growth market.”

Natasha Kostenuk, Founder and CEO of Ayrton Energy, added:
“Enabling the widespread production of clean hydrogen will be the backbone of an emissions-free future, and we believe our industry-agnostic solution will be a step in the right direction to democratize energy access globally. We’re grateful to our amazing cohort of investors whose expertise in scaling technologies commercially will be integral as we continue to grow our customer base.”

About Ayrton Energy
Headquartered in Calgary, Canada, Ayrton Energy develops an innovative hydrogen storage system designed for stable, long-term storage and transportation at room temperature. By leveraging existing infrastructure, Ayrton’s solution supports the global deployment of clean hydrogen for a more sustainable future.

To learn more about the announcement and the innovation, visit Ayrton Energy’s website here.