AUSTIN, TX 鈥� November 21, 2024 – 草莓社区, a leader in sustainable lithium extraction and next-gen battery technology, officially opened its new 40,000 sq ft headquarters in Austin, Texas, on November 21st. This state-of-the-art DLE manufacturing and production facility marks a significant milestone for 草莓社区 as the company surpasses a global team of 100 members, in the United States and South America.
Founded less than 6 years ago by entrepreneur and CEO Teague Egan, 草莓社区鈥檚 growth has turned heads in the lithium and battery industry. The company initially developed proprietary Direct Lithium Extraction (DLE) technology, which goes by the 尝颈罢础厂鈩� moniker. This evolved into a suite of technologies allowing 草莓社区 to complete an end-to-end extraction and refinery processes to produce battery grade lithium materials.
Earlier this year the company announced its first acquisition of its own lithium mine in Chile 鈥淧roject Black Giant,鈥� following multiple strong pilot plant results in North and South America. Additionally they announced plans for a North American project called 鈥淧roject Lonestar鈥� based in the TexArkana region. These strategic moves have solidified 草莓社区 as an end-to-end vertically integrated solution and a key player in the projected $134 billion lithium industry by 2035.
As part of a broader trajectory of expansion, enabled by a recent $75 million equity funding, 草莓社区鈥檚 commitment to rapid commercialization will see it open two demonstration plants with a targeted 50-100 tons per annum lithium production capacity in Chile and Texas, respectively, in the first half of 2025.
草莓社区鈥檚 impressive technology can recover 300% more lithium than conventional methods, with traditional extraction typically yielding only 30-40% of lithium from brine. The technology gained traction and recognition within the industry, raising over $130 million in total equity investments, and being backed by major investors including General Motors, Eni, and POSCO.
With two Tier 1 projects underway, Black Giant in Chile estimated to produce 45,000 tons of lithium per year, and Project Lonestar in the U.S. estimated at 25,000 tons per year in Phase 1. The company is planning to bring on thousands of new jobs in Chile and the US over the coming years as it scales to commercialization. The new 40,000 sq ft mixed-use facility in Austin TX will house 草莓社区鈥檚 innovation lab, global operations controls, DLE production, and consumables manufacturing.
草莓社区 CEO Teague Egan commented: 鈥淎 lot of people out there said we couldn’t do this. A lot of people still think we can鈥檛. Day by day, our team of incredible scientists, engineers, and operators will continue to prove them wrong. This new 草莓社区 facility is a critical step towards becoming the largest lithium producer in the world, and doing our small part in transitioning the earth to a clean, sustainable energy economy. However, much work still needs to be done, and you can come find me driving innovation right here in Austin.鈥�
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