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RadianX promises solar-powered devices that never need charging

ChipsNovember 5, 20262 min read

RadianX is a startup that wants to power small devices with solar panels so they never need charging or battery swaps. Its new panels use a material called perovskite and work especially well indoors.

What happened

RadianX has built a new kind of solar panel using perovskite, a family of materials. The company says its panels work as well as normal solar panels outdoors and about twice as well indoors. The goal is to power devices like e-readers and sensors so they run for a very long time, or even forever. The startup raised $5 million in seed funding to build a factory production line.

Key numbers and facts

Seed round: $5 million, led by SOSV and Twynam
Other investors include One Small Planet, Sachsen Ventures, Avila VC, California Innovation Fund, quantumEDGE, Riceberg Ventures, and Alumni Ventures
Pacific Union Technology Precision Manufacturing is adding $4 million in non-dilutive investment (money that does not give up company ownership) for a dedicated production line
A 1.2 meter by 0.6 meter panel reaches 22.33% efficiency, which the company says is the best on record
Panels can be as thin as 0.7 millimeters

Why solar for small devices?

Batteries power most gadgets today, but they eventually run out. Solar-powered calculators have existed for decades. Solar lost interest for newer devices because modern gadgets need more power than traditional solar panels can give. Perovskites are not new, but they have been hard to use. They cost more than common silicon solar panels and are less durable, though they have improved in recent years.

Why it matters

If devices can charge from ordinary room light, gadgets like sensors and e-readers could skip battery changes and chargers. This could also help longer-running robots and wearables, which have been limited by battery life. RadianX plans to sell its power packages to device makers, so those makers do not have to design the power system themselves.

What to watch

Whether RadianX can build its production line at commercial volume
Whether perovskite panels can stay durable over many years of use
Which device makers adopt RadianX power packages
Whether the company can lower the cost compared with silicon panels

Glossary

RadianX: A startup that makes solar power packages for small electronic devices.
Perovskites: A family of materials that can turn light into electricity and may work well indoors.
Seed round: An early funding round where a startup raises money to grow its first product.

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