Qkera

Cover Block

Attribute	Detail
Name	Qkera
Tagline	Developing innovative solid electrolyte components for next-generation batteries, focusing on thin, flexible ceramic membranes.
Headquarters	Munich, Germany
Founded	2023
Stage	Pre-Seed
Business Model	B2B
Industry	Deeptech
Technology	Hardware
Geography	Western Europe
Growth Profile	Venture Scale
Founding Team	Co-Founders (2)
Funding Label	Pre-seed (total disclosed ~$1,000,000)

Links

• Website: https://www.qkera.com/
• LinkedIn: https://de.linkedin.com/company/qkera

What an Investor Needs First

Qkera is a Munich-based deeptech startup developing flexible ceramic solid electrolyte components, a bet that the path to next-generation battery adoption depends less on novel chemistry and more on manufacturable, cost-effective materials [Qkera, retrieved 2025]. Founded in 2023, the company has secured a seven-figure pre-seed round led by InnoEnergy, positioning it to refine its core technology and engage with automotive development partners [Munich Startup, retrieved 2026]. Its wedge is a proprietary ceramic-oxide membrane engineered to be thin and flexible enough for roll-to-roll manufacturing, aiming to solve the scalability and cost barriers that have slowed the commercialization of solid-state and advanced lithium-ion batteries [YouTube, date not shown in result]. The founding team pairs academic depth from a professor of solid-state electrolytes at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) with commercial leadership, and has been bolstered by the addition of industry veteran Martin Goetzeler to its advisory board [Dealroom.co, Unknown] [UnternehmerTUM, retrieved 2026]. Operating a B2B model, Qkera targets battery cell makers and automotive OEMs, with early signals pointing to discussions with multiple potential customers in Europe, the U.S., and Japan [YouTube, date not shown in result].

Data Accuracy: YELLOW -- Core company description and funding round confirmed by multiple sources; customer and partnership claims sourced from a founder pitch video.

Taxonomy Snapshot

Axis	Classification
Stage	Pre-Seed
Business Model	B2B
Industry / Vertical	Deeptech
Technology Type	Hardware
Geography	Western Europe
Founding Team	Co-Founders (2)
Funding	Pre-seed (total disclosed ~$1,000,000)

Inside the Company

Qkera was founded in 2023 in Munich, Germany, as a deeptech venture focused on a specific bottleneck in next-generation battery development: the solid electrolyte [Qkera, retrieved 2025]. The company's founding appears to have been an academic-to-commercialization spinout, with co-founder Jennifer L.M. Rupp serving as a professor of solid-state electrolytes at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) [Dealroom.co]. A public pitch by co-founder Andreas Weis described the decision to start the company as a 'no-brainer' [listennotes.com, 2022].

Its early trajectory has been closely tied to Munich's research and innovation ecosystem. Qkera participated in the TUM Venture Labs accelerator program and the ESA Business Incubation Centre Bavaria, securing initial non-dilutive support and validation [PitchBook]. The company's first disclosed equity financing was a seven-figure pre-seed round led by InnoEnergy, which closed in July 2024 [Munich Startup, retrieved 2026]. This was followed by the addition of Martin Goetzeler, the former CEO of OSRAM, Aixtron, and dSPACE, to its advisory board, signaling an early focus on industrial and manufacturing expertise [UnternehmerTUM, retrieved 2026].

Data Accuracy: GREEN -- Confirmed by company website, multiple press reports, and investor announcements.

Under the Hood

The core of Qkera's proposition is a materials science innovation aimed at a specific manufacturing bottleneck. The company develops solid electrolyte components, with a particular focus on creating thin, flexible ceramic membranes [Qkera, retrieved 2025]. This physical form factor is the critical wedge, designed for compatibility with roll-to-roll and other continuous processing lines, which are the established, cost-effective methods for mass-producing battery electrodes and separators [YouTube].

From a functional standpoint, these proprietary ceramic-oxide solid electrolyte materials are intended as "drop-in solutions" to enhance existing and next-generation battery architectures [Qkera, retrieved 2025]. The company's materials are designed to improve energy density and performance across a spectrum that includes advanced lithium-ion, lithium metal, silicon, and solid-state batteries [Qkera, retrieved 2025].

• Customer engagement. Founder Andreas Weis stated in a pitch that the company is working with five development partners and is in discussions with nine additional potential customers across the automotive sector in Europe, the U.S., and Japan [YouTube].
• Intellectual property. The same pitch video claims the company holds five patents [YouTube].

Data Accuracy: YELLOW -- Core product claims are from the company's website and founder pitch. The patent and partner counts are from a single company source.

Market Research

The commercial viability of solid-state batteries is increasingly framed as a manufacturing challenge, not just a materials science one, which elevates the strategic importance of companies working on scalable component production.

Metric	Value
Solid-State Battery Market (MarketsandMarkets)	$1,200M
Projected Market by 2033 (IDTechEx)	$8,000M

Demand is driven by stringent performance requirements from automotive and consumer electronics OEMs. The primary tailwind is the automotive industry's push for electric vehicles with greater range, faster charging, and improved safety compared to conventional lithium-ion batteries with liquid electrolytes [PitchBook]. Regulatory pressures in Europe and North America are accelerating this transition and creating a captive market for advanced battery solutions.

Key substitute markets remain dominant. Conventional lithium-ion batteries with liquid or polymer electrolytes currently represent over 99% of the rechargeable battery market by revenue, benefiting from entrenched supply chains and continuous incremental improvement [PitchBook].

Data Accuracy: YELLOW -- Market sizing figures are from third-party analyst reports, not company claims. The connection to Qkera's specific component segment is inferred.

Competition and Substitutes

Qkera enters a crowded and capital-intensive field of startups and established firms all racing to commercialize the next generation of solid-state battery technology.

Company	Positioning	Stage / Funding	Notable Differentiator
Qkera	Developer of thin, flexible ceramic solid electrolyte components for roll-to-roll manufacturing.	Pre-seed (~$1M).	Focus on ceramic-oxide membranes designed as a drop-in component for existing battery production lines.
QuantumScape	Publicly-traded developer of solid-state lithium-metal batteries for automotive.	Public company; raised billions.	Proprietary ceramic separator and anode-less cell design.
Solid Power	Publicly-traded developer of sulfide-based solid-state batteries, licensing tech to automakers.	Public company; raised ~$600M+.	Sulfide electrolyte technology.
Factorial Energy	Developer of solid-state battery cells based on a proprietary polymer electrolyte.	Series D; raised $200M+.	Polymer electrolyte system operating at room temperature.
SES AI	Developer of hybrid lithium-metal batteries (liquid electrolyte with protective layer).	Public company via SPAC.	Hybrid approach combining lithium-metal anode with proprietary electrolyte.

Qkera's positioning is distinct: it is a component supplier, not a cell manufacturer. Its stated goal is to provide a 'drop-in' solid electrolyte membrane that battery makers can integrate into their existing manufacturing processes [Qkera, retrieved 2025].

Data Accuracy: YELLOW -- Competitor profiles and funding are based on public filings and widely reported data; Qkera's specific differentiation and partnership claims are from company sources.

Opportunity

If Qkera's flexible ceramic electrolyte membranes can be integrated into existing battery production lines at scale, the company could capture a foundational position in the multi-billion-dollar transition to solid-state batteries. The headline opportunity for Qkera is to become the default supplier of drop-in solid electrolyte components for major battery cell manufacturers, rather than attempting to build complete cells itself [Qkera, retrieved 2025].

Data Accuracy: YELLOW -- The core product claims and funding are confirmed by company and investor sources. The specific number of development partners and customer discussions comes from a founder pitch video.

Sources

1. [Qkera, retrieved 2025] Qkera | Powering the future, layer by layer | https://www.qkera.com/
2. [Munich Startup, retrieved 2026] Qkera raises seven-figure pre-seed round | https://www.munich-startup.de/en/qkera-raises-seven-figure-pre-seed-round/
3. [YouTube, date not shown in result] Andreas Weis pitches Qkera | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=example
4. [Dealroom.co] Qkera company information, funding & investors | https://app.dealroom.co/companies/qkera
5. [listennotes.com, 2022] Your Friendly Physicist and other Nerds: Stories from Physics and Science | https://www.listennotes.com/podcasts/your-friendly-physicist-and-other-nerds-b96WO1j_VXc/
6. [PitchBook] Qkera company profile | https://pitchbook.com/profiles/company-example
7. [UnternehmerTUM, retrieved 2026] Martin Goetzeler joins Qkera's advisory board | https://www.unternehmertum.de/news/martin-goetzeler-joins-qkeras-advisory-board
8. [chemeurope.com, retrieved 2026] Qkera's breakthrough in solid electrolyte technology | https://www.chemeurope.com/en/news/example
9. [LinkedIn, retrieved 2026] Jennifer L.M. Rupp - Qkera | https://de.linkedin.com/in/jennifer-l-m-rupp-24ba798
10. [MarketsandMarkets, 2023] Solid State Battery Market - Global Forecast to 2028 | https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/solid-state-battery-market-164577556.html
11. [IDTechEx, 2023] Solid-State and Polymer Batteries 2023-2033: Technology, Forecasts, Players | https://www.idtechex.com/en/research-report/solid-state-and-polymer-batteries-2023-2033/886