Copenhagen-based PhaseTree raises €3 million from Heartcore Capital to transform material discovery for industries worldwide using a unique physics-first, AI-on-top approach.
“Our technology gives companies a smarter way to develop sustainable materials without years of trial and error. By combining AI with fundamental science and automation, we help industries find the right materials faster, reducing costs and making green innovation more accessible,” says Amit Luthra, CEO of PhaseTree.
Initially founded in 2021 as a startup from the Technical University of Denmark (DTU) by Amit Luthra, Jin Chang, and Jenna Kang, PhaseTree transforms material discovery through advanced computer simulations and multi-scale modelling techniques bridging from the atomic to the millimeter scale.
This helps researchers and companies save time and money, supporting the development of next-generation materials for a greener and more resource-efficient future.
The company is currently working with battery, automobile, and steel producers.
With China controlling most of the rare earth supply chain and restricting rare earth processing exports, industries worldwide face risks of shortages, rising costs, and environmental concerns, making alternative materials more critical than ever.
However, developing new materials for batteries, solar panels, and wind turbines typically takes up to 20 years due to time-consuming trial-and-error lab testing.
This is where PhaseTree looks to come in with their platform that integrates multi-scale simulations, lab automation, and AI to reportedly shorten this process to two years.
Rather than relying on AI guesswork, PhaseTree uses proven scientific methods and enhances them with AI to make more accurate predictions. This approach allows researchers to forecast real-world performance before lab testing.
PhaseTree actively identifies new chemical combinations and efficient ways to synthesise them, developing greener, more efficient, and durable materials while minimising waste and reliance on scarce resources like fossil fuels and rare earth metals.
“This investment allows us to advance our technology, grow our research team, and bring sustainable materials to market faster, helping industries adopt sustainable materials faster than ever before,” says Jin Hyun Chang, CTO and Co-founder of PhaseTree.
“Materials play a crucial role in developing clean energy and sustainable technologies. PhaseTree makes it easier and faster to find better alternatives that can help reduce environmental impact and improve efficiency,” says Christian Lindegaard Jepsen, Partner at Heartcore Capital.
The funds will help expand the team, strengthen research, and make material development faster and more accessible to industries ranging from energy to transportation and construction, electronics, and healthcare, ultimately accelerating the transition to greener technologies.