Indian and Singaporean start-up Hydgen has raised $1.5m to scale its decentralised AEM green hydrogen production technology to meet demand in small and mid-sized industries.
The seed round, led by Cloudberry Pioneer Investments, saw participation from the National University of Singapore (NUS), TK & Partners, and angel investors.
The funding will support the development of a 2MW manufacturing facility in India to scale production of its AEM electrolysers, develop a 25kW single-stack system, and begin expanding across India and Southeast Asia.
By focusing on decentralised, on-site production for small- to mid-size industries, the start-up says it can eliminate transportation costs, storage risks and emissions, “offering industries a resilient, self-sufficient alternative” to traditional hydrogen sourcing.
Hydgen Chairman, Michael Gryseels, said, “Our technology makes hydrogen production local, cost-effective and scalable – empowering industries to take control of their energy needs.
“This funding marks a crucial step in our journey to scale production and make green hydrogen an everyday reality for more industries worldwide.”
The AEM technology is based on “triple proprietary innovations,” which Hydgen says delivers increased current density, increased stability and lower CAPEX.
AEM is being looked at as the next key electrolysis technology, taking the advantages of alkaline and PEM to offer a safer and cheaper alternative. However, still in infancy, the technology faces durability challenges before becoming widespread.
Having spun out of an NUS programme, Hydgen says its catalyst and coating designs increase hydrogen production by a factor of 2.5 and reduce electricity consumption by up to 20%, compared to “other AEM electrolyser systems currently on the market.”
Mahir Sahin, Managing Partner of Cloudberry Pioneer Investments, described the technology as a “game-changer.”
“[The] technology has the potential to drive cost-effective adoption in high-demand regions.”
As larger green hydrogen projects have stalled amid high costs and demand uncertainty, more established electrolyser makers are expecting smaller-scale projects to make up the majority of their near-term demand.
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