March 25, 2025
Kobe Steel, Ltd.
Kobe Steel announces that it has taken a stake in Lasagna.one Inc., (LO) *1, a startup based in San Jose, California, developing all-solid-state batteries*2, which are expected to be the next generation of batteries.
LO’s all-solid-state batteries have drawn attention with features such as high-voltage battery cells with a simple structure, fast charging, and stable operation over a wide temperature range. In 2023, the company has successfully demonstrated a single-cell-structured 400 V battery. Leveraging this as a foothold to raise new funds, the company aims to accelerate the development of innovative all-solid-state batteries through increased capital investment with an eye toward future mass production.
Kobe Steel's machinery business owns a diverse range of technologies and products, including industrial machinery, compressors, and energy equipment, as well as those used in the all-solid-state battery industry, such as mixers for plastics, tires, and rubbers, and isostatic pressing (IP) equipment*3 that performs pressurizing processes essential for layering and joining materials. By combining these technologies and products, as well as the knowledge of its Technical Development Group and Group companies, the Company aims to expedite the social implementation of LO's innovative all-solid-state batteries.
The Kobe Steel Group, also known as the Kobelco Group, is working to further strengthen its efforts to address the materiality (medium- to long-term priority issues) by pursuing the Group’s uniqueness while utilizing internal capital, such as its technologies, human resources, and know-how cultivated in diverse businesses, in combination with external capital such as relationships with a wide variety of customers and business partners. Through this, the Group will strive to realize a world in which people, now and in the future, can fulfill their hopes and dreams while enjoying safe, secure, and prosperous lives.
*1: Lasagna.one Inc.
Lasagna.one Inc. is a startup that develops and manufactures all-solid-state batteries with its headquarters in Silicon Valley. The company is exploring new battery structures and properties that are difficult to achieve with conventional lithium-ion batteries, leveraging the strengths of all-solid-state batteries. The utilization of ion movement within a solid could enable quick charging in a few minutes and stable performance across a wide temperature range. To achieve this, the company is working to develop batteries that can be used in an even broader array of environments and applications beyond lithium-ion batteries. In addition, the company has demonstrated batteries with a unique structure that can generate 12 V, 48 V, and 400 V. These technologies are expected to lead to novel battery applications.
*2: All-solid-state batteries
A conventional liquid battery consists of an anode, a cathode, a separator, and an electrolyte (electrolyte solvent+ electrolyte salt), whereas an all-solid-state battery has the same components but replaces the electrolyte with a solid substance, making all of its components solid. All-solid-state batteries are expected to outperform conventional liquid electrolyte-based batteries in terms of output (driving distance in electric vehicles), lifespan, safety, and other factors, despite numerous technical challenges that must be overcome prior to their implementation in practical applications.
*3: Isostatic pressing (IP) equipment
Isostatic pressing (IP) equipment applies isostatic pressure to mold or sinter materials such as metals, ceramics, and carbon under high pressure and high temperature (or room temperature) conditions. It is widely used in the production of high-performance items such as aircraft components, power generation turbine blades, and semiconductor materials.
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