Investing in public graphene stocks - Page 16

Directa Plus and Italian clothing group Alfredo Grassi have expanded their partnership in military and public sector workwear after a new public sector contract. To meet the contract, Grassi has ordered tens of thousands of linear meters of graphene-treated lining worth more than €700,000, which is to be delivered in 2023.

The two companies have been working in partnership since 2017 and Directa Plus said this latest deal would add to the recurring revenue stream from its patented Graphene Plus PTC technology.

HydroGraph Clean Power has announced that its patented Hyperion System, designed for scaled-up production of high-purity graphene, achieved a key technology milestone to produce commercial scale quantities graphene. 

The Hyperion System will produce fractal graphene to serve various markets including lubricants, energy storage, resins, specialty chemicals, coatings and other markets. The validation process reportedly confirmed the capex cost per metric ton of graphene produced will be one of the lowest in the industry. The system can produce over 10 metric tons per year using readily available commodity acetylene and oxygen.

Versarien has announced a placing to raise £531,624 (before expenses) through a placing on the AIM market. This follows recent difficulties and statements by the Company, that it will require further funding to support its activities as it continues to face a number of challenges. 

The net proceeds of the placing will be used for general operational and working capital purposes and for commercialization activities primarily in the construction and leisure sectors, in line with the Company's new strategic roadmap which is being finalized.

Sparc Technologies has received a AUD$934,000 (around USD$610,000) R&D tax refund from the Australian Government for the 2022 financial year, which provides continued support for the company’s work on projects involving graphene, green hydrogen, and sustainable batteries.

The R&D Tax Incentive scheme is a program jointly administered by the Australian Taxation Office and AusIndustry, under which companies can receive up to a 48.5% refundable tax offset of eligible expenses on research and development activities.

Haydale has announced that it has been awarded SMART Flexible Innovation Support ("SMART FIS") from The Welsh Government to accelerate the development of its graphene underfloor heating product and range of biomedical sensor inks.

As part of a new innovation strategy for Wales, aimed at supporting Welsh industry by increased investment in research, development, and innovation, SMART FIS will provide Haydale with funding totaling £182,843 over a two-year period. Part of this funding will enable Haydale to accelerate the development of its prototype graphene underfloor heating ("UFH") towards a market-ready CE product that can be tested in a home environment. It will support continued engagement with partners such as City Energy Network Ltd and Plumbase.

German specialty chemicals company, Evonik, has invested (through its venture capital unit, Evonik Venture Capital (EVC)) in Chinese battery specialist SuperC. The Chinese company develops and produces graphene materials that improve the range, robustness, charging speed, and service life of lithium-ion batteries, aiming to solve key limitations of electric vehicles and accelerate the shift to climate-friendly mobility.

"By investing in SuperC, we are supporting a cutting-edge technology with a promising future. High-performance batteries are a crucial factor in accelerating the electrification of road transport and permanently reducing CO₂ emissions," says Bernhard Mohr, head of Evonik's venture capital unit. The investment was made by the Sustainability Tech Fund launched in 2022, which has a total investment volume of €150 million. The Group is thus also strengthening its sustainability goals by investing in an innovative technology and business model. The focus of the fund is on new technologies to reduce emissions as well as innovations that complement Evonik's Next Generation Solutions.

France-based start-up Carbon Waters, specializing in the development and production of lines of high-performance industrial additives, has announced it has raised 2 million euros to industrialize its graphene-based high-performance additives production process. Carbon Waters will be ramping up its industrial production with a new pilot factory.

Carbon Waters’ unique dispersed graphene production process is at the heart of its innovation. The process allows the company to provide industrialists with “ready to use” product lines. Four years of R&D and €3 million of investment in the process have already produced two patents, with a third one on the way.

The Chinese Graphene Industry Association (CGIA) was established in 2013, to help promote the graphene industry in China, and has grown to over 150 members today. Recently we talked with Minyang Lu, Deputy Secretary-General of the CGIA. Major in charge of international cooperation, some domestic projects cooperation and organizing of the GRAPCHINA conference.

Q: Hello Minyang. The CGIA has grown to be the leading graphene trade organization in China, with over 150 members. Can you describe the CGIA's main activities and work?

China Innovation Alliance of the Graphene Industry – CGIA - was established on 13th of July 2013 in Beijing. It is a consortium of industrialized enterprises, academic institutions, and research organizations that are devoted to the research and development of graphene and graphene based products. The CGIA was established in order fulfill the needs of its members and their common interests, improve industrial technology innovation, and assist with legal contracts.

HydroGraph Clean Power has announced the completion of a non-brokered private placement, with gross proceeds of approximately CAD$2.31 million (over USD$1,700,000).

“It is quite an exciting time where we close another oversubscribed successful funding round with strong support from our shareholders, management and new investors,” said Stuart Jara, CEO of HydroGraph. “Funding will allow us to accelerate the commercialization of our graphene including business development and customer acquisition activities. The Board and I are appreciative of the continued support of the Company, our strategy and our focus on creating shareholder value.”