Byterat Secures $4 Million Seed Funding to Collect and Analyze Data for Battery Labs

Byterat: Revolutionizing Battery R&D with Automation

A Conversation with Penelope Jones, CEO and Co-Founder

Penelope Jones, CEO and co-founder of Byterat, has a story that’s both familiar and remarkable. As a graduate student studying electrolytes, she thought she was suffering alone, grappling with the challenges of programming specialized lab equipment. However, after speaking with industry scientists, she realized she wasn’t alone in her struggles.

The Birth of an Idea

Jones and her collaborator Alpha Lee soon recognized that these challenges were, in fact, a business opportunity. They founded Byterat, a SaaS company aimed at streamlining battery R&D by automating data collection and analysis. "We realized that the big bottleneck preventing lots of companies from deploying best-in-class models for next-generation battery designs is the lack of data infrastructure supporting this process," Jones explained.

The Problem with Proprietary Software

In most battery labs, equipment is connected to PCs running proprietary software for control and data collection. This creates a disjointed ecosystem where disparate pieces don’t talk to each other, forcing scientists and engineers to manually transfer data between machines and convert it into a common format before analysis can begin.

Jones shared an anecdote about engineers who spend 20% of their working week simply making plots, rather than engaging in in-depth modeling. "I’ve spoken to engineers who tell me that they are spending 20% of their working week just making plots, not even doing in-depth modeling," she said.

Byterat’s Solution

Byterat addresses this issue by placing a helper app on each PC, which monitors specific folders for new data files. Once these files appear, the app syncs them to the cloud, where Byterat’s software translates them into a common format and runs standard analyses across battery labs. The company also collaborates with customers to generate custom plots and reports, while maintaining data privacy.

Maintaining a Single Data Repository

Jones emphasized that maintaining a single data repository is crucial for companies to avoid duplicate experiments, cut short those that don’t appear to be working as planned, and make decisions in almost real-time. "This testing data underlies a lot of the decisions that are being made, even in a business context," she said.

Pilot with BMW and Expansion Plans

Byterat was part of Y Combinator’s winter 2023 cohort and has since raised a $4 million seed round via SAFE notes. The company is currently working on a pilot project with BMW and collaborating with other companies to expand its reach.

A Word from the CEO

When asked about Byterat’s vision for the future, Jones emphasized the importance of streamlining battery R&D and making it more efficient. "We want to make it easier for companies to develop better batteries, so we can all enjoy cleaner energy and a healthier environment," she said.

Byterat’s Impact on the Industry

The impact of Byterat on the industry is already being felt. As companies begin to adopt their technology, the pace of innovation in battery development will likely accelerate. With more efficient data management and analysis, researchers can focus on what truly matters: developing better batteries for a sustainable future.

A New Era for Battery R&D

Byterat’s innovative approach has the potential to revolutionize the way companies develop new batteries. By automating data collection and analysis, they’re removing a significant bottleneck in the process, allowing researchers to concentrate on more complex challenges.

As Jones and her team continue to push the boundaries of what’s possible, one thing is clear: the future of battery R&D has never looked brighter.