August's Top Crowdfunding Deals and Investment Leaders

CHART OF THE WEEK 📈

By Teddy Lyons | Read

In today’s Chart of the Week, we look back at August to highlight the top offerings in the equity crowdfunding landscape. First, we highlight the top-rated deals on the Kingscrowd platform. Additionally, we look at the companies that drew in the most capital investment from retail investors. 

• IoT software startup AtomBeam led the way with a strong 4.9 rating on its fourth crowdfunding campaign.

• LiquidPiston, who is creating the next generation of hybrid engines, also rated a 4.9.

• BlindTiger, an equity crowdfunding newcomer selling spirit-free cocktails, rated a 4.9. 

• Finally, NPCx and LEXI scored 4.8 and 4.7, respectively.

• In terms of dollars raised, AI-powered Biotech platform Syntensor led the way with a whopping $4.1 million raised in the month of August.

• Fathom, LiquidPiston, and AtomBeam all raised between $1.44 million to $1.51 million.

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PITCH REVIEW 💸

By Léa Bouhelier-Gautreau \ Deal Report

Brief: EnergyX addresses the inefficiencies of traditional lithium extraction methods, which recover only 30% of lithium and are time-consuming and costly. EnergyX’s proprietary LiTAS™ technology can recover up to 90% of lithium in just a few days, offering a more efficient and cost-effective solution. The company has secured agreements with four of the top ten lithium producers, demonstrating strong market demand for its innovations. By lowering lithium extraction costs, EnergyX makes electric vehicles (EVs) more affordable, supporting the shift to cleaner energy sources.

Key People: EnergyX is led by founder and CEO Teague Egan, a climate activist with experience in energy assets and technology startups, who drives the company's strategic vision. Juan Carlos Barrera, President of Lithium, South America, brings over 32 years of mining industry experience, including 28 years at SQM, one of the largest lithium producers globally, crucial for optimizing lithium extraction processes. Dr. Amit Patwardhan, the Chief Technology Officer, has 12 years of experience as Director of Global Research at Rio Tinto, a global Fortune 500 mining and metals company. He co-invented lithium recovery processes and managed international teams across multiple continents.

Summary

Here's what we like: EnergyX has strong growth potential in the booming lithium extraction and battery technology sectors. With global demand for electric vehicle (EV) batteries rising, the North American lithium-ion battery market alone is valued at $12.08 billion, growing at a 13.8% CAGR. This presents a lucrative opportunity for EnergyX’s advanced solutions.

The company’s proprietary LiTAS™ technology significantly outperforms traditional lithium extraction methods, recovering up to 90% of lithium in days, compared to the 30% recovery rate of conventional techniques. This efficiency gives EnergyX a compelling advantage, attracting major lithium producers and battery manufacturers.

EnergyX’s extensive patent portfolio, with over 120 patents across 19 families, strengthens its competitive position. The company has also secured 107,500 acres of lithium mining rights in Chile and launched Project Lonestar, aiming to build the largest lithium production facility in the U.S. With $123.5 million in backing from investors such as General Motors and POSCO and a $5 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy, EnergyX is well-positioned to advance its technology and scale its operations amid growing demand for critical metals like lithium. If it were to IPO, EnergyX would receive a $450 million investment from Global Emerging Markets.

Here's what we don't: A major concern is the competitive landscape. Established players like Albemarle, Ganfeng Lithium, and Lithium Americas have significant resources, market presence, and vertically integrated operations. This makes it difficult for EnergyX to gain and sustain market share, as these competitors can leverage economies of scale and established customer relationships to capitalize on the growing lithium demand.

Technological and regulatory hurdles also pose risks. Though promising, EnergyX’s advanced direct lithium extraction (DLE) technology needs to be integrated into existing operations and tested at scale. This process could face unforeseen technical or logistical challenges, slowing progress. Additionally, regulatory scrutiny and environmental concerns in the energy sector could impact operations, requiring costly adaptations to EnergyX’s technology and processes.

The company's current valuation of $475 million is steep. To achieve a 10x return, it would need to reach a $4.75 billion valuation at exit, excluding dilution. While not impossible, EnergyX is in its early stages, and there is a significant risk that it may never reach this target.

LAST WEEK’S POLL RESULTS

Would you invest in Elemeno Health?

🟨🟨🟨🟨🟨⬜️ 👍 (15)

🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 👎 (16)

31 Votes

STAFF PICKS 🌶️

EDDSON Dental

EDDSON Dental offers a subscription-based platform to simplify dental practice management and enhance performance with tools for patient engagement and treatment success. EDDSON Dental is expanding its distributor network, currently working with five dealers representing over 15,000 dental practices.

• Valuation Cap: $4 million

• Minimum Investment: $100

Mr. Meat Master

Mr. Meat Master provides high-quality, hormone-free, and antibiotic-free beef to five-star restaurants, chefs, and consumers through its e-commerce platform. Mr. Meat Master has exclusive partnerships with Hard Rock, Miami Hurricanes, and Miami Dolphins, underscoring its commitment to ethics and quality.

• Pre-Money Valuation: $45 million

• Minimum Investment: $250

Pivotal Health

Pivotal Health provides a healthcare platform that delivers primary and urgent care directly to patients through house calls. Since its founding in October 2020, Pivotal Health has completed over 13,000 house call visits, earning an average Google review of 4.99. The company aims to simplify healthcare access by automating the visit process.

• Valuation Cap: $9 million

• Minimum Investment: $100