Deeptech startup Sthyr has secured $1 million in seed funding, marking a significant milestone in its journey to transform renewable energy storage. Speciale Invest led this round, while Antares Ventures also participated. Sthyr’s co-founders, Gunjan Kapadia, Akhil Kongara, and Muhammed Hamdan, founded the company in 2024 with a mission to tackle renewable energy curtailment through innovative, low-cost, and sustainable energy storage solutions.
Sthyr announced that it will channel these funds into accelerating its research and development, piloting its technology, and scaling its products for broader deployment. The Chennai-based startup has set its sights on addressing one of the most pressing challenges in renewable energy—how to store excess energy efficiently, safely, and affordably.
Pioneering a New Approach with Zinc-Air Battery Technology
Sthyr has chosen to develop energy storage systems that rely on zinc-air battery technology, an alternative to the widely used lithium-ion batteries. The startup focuses on creating modular 200 kWh battery systems along with 10 kW zinc regeneration units. These systems store surplus renewable energy in the form of metallic zinc. When energy demand rises or renewable generation dips, operators can tap into these reserves.
By storing excess energy as metallic zinc, Sthyr offers a practical solution for grid operators and renewable energy companies. The startup’s technology provides a safer and more sustainable alternative to conventional batteries. Its use of non-flammable, water-based electrolytes eliminates the fire risk associated with many traditional battery chemistries. This design choice enhances safety without compromising on performance or efficiency.
Sthyr’s battery architecture further strengthens its value proposition. The company has decoupled the energy and power components in its system. This separation enables grid operators and customers to deploy the technology in a modular fashion, scaling energy and power independently based on specific needs. Operators can size systems for long-duration energy storage without unnecessarily increasing power delivery capacity, or vice versa. This flexibility offers a critical advantage in managing the complexities of renewable integration into power grids.
Market Focus: Targeting Grid Operators and Remote Communities
Sthyr aims to serve a wide range of customers who struggle with energy storage challenges. Grid operators managing large-scale renewable energy assets represent a primary target. These operators frequently face curtailment of wind and solar power during periods of surplus generation because they lack cost-effective and reliable storage options. Sthyr’s solution allows them to capture that surplus and use it during peak demand or when renewable sources fall short.
The company also plans to supply its technology to asset management firms that oversee renewable energy farms. These companies require dependable long-duration storage solutions to maximize asset utilization and revenue. With Sthyr’s zinc-air batteries, they can extend the contribution of renewables to grid stability and reduce reliance on peaker plants that burn fossil fuels.
Microgrids in remote areas present another important customer segment for Sthyr. Many of these communities depend on diesel generators, which produce costly and polluting electricity. By replacing or supplementing diesel with zinc-air storage systems, Sthyr can help reduce fuel consumption, cut carbon emissions, and lower energy costs. The company sees additional applications in the defence sector and island communities, where secure, reliable, and self-sufficient energy systems are critical.
Cost Advantage and Sustainability as Key Differentiators
Sthyr positions its technology as a low-cost and sustainable alternative to lithium-ion and other advanced battery chemistries. According to the company, its batteries deliver a levelised cost of energy (LCOE) that makes them viable for long-duration storage. By offering a competitive LCOE, Sthyr gives grid operators and energy companies a clear path to reduce their dependence on fossil fuels without incurring prohibitive costs.
The use of zinc, an abundant and affordable material, underpins this cost advantage. Unlike lithium, zinc does not face the same supply chain constraints or geopolitical dependencies. Sthyr sources all materials domestically, making its solution entirely indigenously developed. This local sourcing supports the company’s sustainability mission while helping India strengthen its energy independence.
Sthyr’s innovation has resulted in the filing of multiple patents that protect its unique designs and processes. The company focuses not only on delivering performance but also on ensuring that its technology aligns with the broader goals of safety, affordability, and environmental responsibility.
Scaling Plans: From Pilot Projects to Widespread Deployment
With fresh funding in hand, Sthyr has outlined clear next steps for its growth. The startup will intensify its R&D efforts to refine and enhance its zinc-air systems. The team will focus on improving energy density, cycle life, and system integration. These improvements will help Sthyr demonstrate the commercial viability of its technology in real-world conditions.
Sthyr also plans to pilot its modular battery systems in partnership with select grid operators and renewable energy firms. These pilot projects will allow the company to validate its technology at scale and gather crucial operational data. Based on the success of these pilots, Sthyr will move to scale up production and expand its customer base across India and eventually to international markets.
Gunjan Kapadia, one of the co-founders, emphasized the transformative potential of Sthyr’s solution. He stated that grid operators, asset managers, microgrids, defence, and island communities stand to benefit significantly from zinc-air batteries. By addressing the diverse energy storage needs of these customers, Sthyr hopes to carve out a leading position in the emerging long-duration storage market.
The Broader Impact: Enabling Renewable Energy Growth
Sthyr’s work holds enormous promise for India’s energy transition. As the country pushes to increase its share of renewable power in the national grid, energy storage will play a vital role. Without reliable storage, grid operators must curtail renewables during periods of surplus generation, wasting valuable clean energy. Sthyr’s technology directly addresses this issue by capturing surplus energy and making it available when the grid needs it most.
By offering safe, affordable, and scalable storage, Sthyr helps accelerate the adoption of renewables across diverse applications. Grid operators can integrate more wind and solar without destabilizing the grid. Remote communities can reduce or eliminate diesel dependence. Even defence installations can boost energy security through reliable local storage.
Conclusion
Sthyr has taken an ambitious and much-needed step toward solving one of the key bottlenecks in the clean energy sector. By raising $1 million in seed funding, the company has secured resources to advance its technology, run pilots, and bring its innovative zinc-air battery systems closer to large-scale deployment. The startup’s focus on safety, sustainability, and cost-effectiveness positions it to make a lasting impact on the global energy landscape.
As Sthyr continues to develop and deploy its solutions, it promises to play a critical role in enabling the next phase of renewable energy growth. The company’s efforts will help ensure that clean power not only gets generated but also gets stored, distributed, and used effectively—turning today’s challenges into tomorrow’s opportunities.
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