Arcturus has developed a materials technology that uses lasers to inject carbon nanomaterials into copper and aluminum, reducing energy lost as heat in electrical conductors, with the potential to halve power transmission losses. The company’s founder and CEO, Amir Mashal, stated that as an alternative amid the aging US power grid, this technology can increase current-carrying capacity without changing the size of power lines, releasing up to 10% additional power during peak grid congestion periods, with an average release of around 3%.
Arcturus has secured $8 million in seed funding led by Initialized Capital, with participation from Toyota Ventures, Breakthrough Energy Discovery, 1517, and Wireframe Ventures. The startup currently produces wires several centimeters long as a proof of concept in a garage in Malibu, California. The new funds will be used to scale production to tens of meters, enabling the application of nano-injected materials in test scenarios such as motor windings and power distribution busbars.
Mashal noted that the material is designed as a “plug-and-play replacement” for existing copper and aluminum applications, requiring no system redesign or additional operator training. Beyond the long-term goal of the power grid, Arcturus is targeting applications in drones, robotics, and data centers, where reducing heat loss can lead to benefits such as extended flight times, improved efficiency, and reduced cooling requirements for data centers.