Website: [materialimpact.com](https://www.materialimpact.com) ### Introduction Material Impact is a venture capital firm founded in 2015 by Adam Sharkawy and Carmichael Roberts. Headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts, at 131 Dartmouth Street, the firm focuses on building deep tech companies powered by material science innovations. Their mission is to invest in and support startups that translate breakthrough materials technologies into transformative products addressing significant global challenges, including energy, sustainability, and infrastructure. While specific employee count data is not publicly available, Material Impact operates as a relatively small, specialized team typical of boutique venture capital firms, emphasizing high-impact investments over large-scale operations. As a private entity, Material Impact does not have a publicly traded ticker symbol and operates within the venture capital ecosystem, providing early-stage funding and strategic guidance to portfolio companies. Their investment approach targets sectors where material science can drive disruptive change, including energy infrastructure, advanced computing, and resource efficiency, positioning them as a key player in the deep tech investment landscape. ### Key Products and Technology As a venture capital firm, Material Impact does not develop products or technologies directly but invests in companies that do. Their portfolio includes startups working on innovative solutions in energy, compute infrastructure, and materials science. Below are examples of key focus areas and representative technologies from their investments, based on publicly available information from their website and related sources: - **Energy Storage and Grid Solutions (e.g., Portfolio Company: [[Form Energy]])** - **Type**: Long-duration energy storage systems - **Technical Specifications**: Multi-day storage capacity using iron-air battery technology, designed for grid-scale applications (specific MW output varies by deployment) - **Fuel Type or Energy Source**: Renewable energy integration (solar, wind) with iron-air chemistry - **Key Differentiators**: Cost-effective, scalable storage for renewable energy reliability; uses abundant, low-cost materials - **Development Stage**: Operational pilot projects with commercial deployments underway - **Target Customers**: Utilities, grid operators, and renewable energy developers - **Advanced Materials for Compute Infrastructure (e.g., Portfolio Company: 6K)** - **Type**: Sustainable materials for battery and electronics manufacturing - **Technical Specifications**: High-purity materials for lithium-ion batteries and advanced computing components (specific efficiency metrics proprietary) - **Fuel Type or Energy Source**: Not applicable (focus on material production for energy storage and compute hardware) - **Key Differentiators**: Proprietary plasma technology reduces carbon footprint and production costs - **Development Stage**: Commercial production with active customer engagements - **Target Customers**: Battery manufacturers, semiconductor firms, and data center hardware suppliers - **Resource Efficiency and Industrial Tech (e.g., Portfolio Company: Via Separations)** - **Type**: Filtration technology for industrial processes - **Technical Specifications**: Energy-efficient separation reducing up to 90% of energy use in industrial processing - **Fuel Type or Energy Source**: Not applicable (focus on process efficiency) - **Key Differentiators**: Reduces energy and water use in manufacturing, supporting sustainable infrastructure - **Development Stage**: Early commercial adoption with pilot projects - **Target Customers**: Industrial manufacturers, energy-intensive sectors Note: Specific technical details and development stages may vary and are based on portfolio company announcements rather than direct Material Impact products. ### Regulatory and Licensing Status As a venture capital firm, Material Impact itself is not subject to direct regulatory oversight in the same way as operational energy or tech companies (e.g., nuclear regulatory processes with the NRC). Instead, their regulatory involvement is indirect, tied to the compliance needs of their portfolio companies. For instance, investments in energy storage or grid technologies may involve regulatory considerations with agencies like the [[Federal]] Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) or state-level public utility commissions for grid integration. However, no specific regulatory filings or milestones for Material Impact as an entity are publicly documented in relation to energy or compute infrastructure. For portfolio companies in regulated sectors (e.g., energy storage or industrial tech), Material Impact likely supports navigating permitting, environmental compliance, and safety standards, but detailed timelines or application statuses are specific to individual startups and not centralized under Material Impact. There are no public records of direct regulatory challenges or milestones tied to the firm itself as of the latest available data. ### Team and Leadership Material Impact’s leadership team comprises experienced professionals with backgrounds in materials science, entrepreneurship, and venture capital. Key members include: - **Adam Sharkawy, Co-Founder and Managing Partner**: A materials scientist and entrepreneur with prior experience at Abbott Laboratories and Smith & Nephew, Sharkawy focuses on identifying transformative technologies and guiding portfolio growth. - **Carmichael Roberts, Co-Founder and Managing Partner**: A seasoned investor and entrepreneur, Roberts also serves as a Business Development Lead at Harvard’s Wyss Institute and has a track record of founding and scaling tech companies, bringing deep expertise to Material Impact’s investment strategy. Note: Specific X handles or LinkedIn profiles for the leadership team are not verified or publicly listed in the available data, so they are omitted here. Additional team members may exist but are not detailed in public sources beyond the founders. ### Funding and Financial Position Material Impact operates as a venture capital firm and does not disclose its own funding rounds or financial position in the same manner as operating companies. Instead, their financial activity centers on raising funds to invest in portfolio companies. According to their website and industry reports, Material Impact has raised multiple funds since its inception, though exact figures for total capital under management are not publicly specified in the latest data. - **Latest Fund Information**: Material Impact closed its third fund, Material Impact Fund III, in 2021, with $352 million in commitments, as reported by various news outlets at the time. No newer fund announcements are available as of the current data cutoff. - **Key Investors**: Institutional backers and limited partners are not publicly detailed, though the firm likely collaborates with university endowments, family offices, and corporate venture arms given its deep tech focus. - **Revenue Status**: As a VC firm, Material Impact does not generate traditional revenue but earns returns through successful exits (IPOs, acquisitions) of portfolio companies and management fees from its funds. Note: Financial data is limited as Material Impact is a private entity without mandated public disclosures like SEC filings for public companies. ### Recent News and Developments | Date | Event | Details | |---------------|---------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------| | Dec, 2025 | No specific events reported | Limited updates specific to Material Impact in late 2025 data. | | Nov, 2025 | Portfolio Company Milestone | 6K (portfolio company) announced expanded partnerships for sustainable materials in battery tech. | | Sep, 2025 | Industry Focus on Energy | General VC trends highlight energy infrastructure investments, aligning with Material Impact’s focus (indirect mention). | | Jun, 2025 | No specific events reported | Limited updates specific to Material Impact in mid-2025 data. | | Jan, 2025 | Portfolio Company Progress | [[Form Energy]] (portfolio company) reported progress on grid-scale storage deployments. | Note: Due to limited direct news on Material Impact in 2025 from available sources, the table includes general industry trends and portfolio company updates. More recent events may exist but are not captured in the current data. ### Partnerships and Collaborations Material Impact does not form operational partnerships in the traditional sense but collaborates strategically through its portfolio companies. Key examples include: - **Form Energy and Utility Partners**: Form Energy, a portfolio company, has secured agreements with utilities like Great River Energy for long-duration storage pilots, providing strategic value by proving grid-scale applications of Material Impact’s investment thesis in energy infrastructure. - **6K and Industrial Manufacturers**: 6K partners with major battery and electronics manufacturers to supply sustainable materials, aligning with Material Impact’s focus on compute infrastructure and energy storage supply chains. No direct partnerships between Material Impact and government programs or specific offtake contracts are documented in public data. Their role is primarily as a financial and strategic backer rather than an operational partner. ### New Hampshire Relevance Material Impact’s potential fit for [[New Hampshire]] (NH) lies in its investment focus on energy storage and sustainable infrastructure, which could align with NH’s energy goals and infrastructure needs. Specific considerations include: - **Proximity to Infrastructure**: NH hosts [[Seabrook Station]], a nuclear power plant, and is part of the ISO-NE grid, which faces challenges with renewable integration and peak demand. Material Impact’s portfolio companies like Form Energy could support grid stability through long-duration storage, relevant to ISO-NE’s needs. - **Technology Readiness**: Portfolio technologies (e.g., Form Energy’s storage systems) are in early commercial stages, potentially fitting NH’s deployment timeline for grid modernization over the next 5-10 years. - **Legislative Alignment**: NH’s legislative initiatives, such as HB 710, emphasize clean energy and grid reliability. Material Impact’s investments in energy storage and efficiency tech align with these priorities, though not specifically tied to SMR provisions. - **Potential Applications**: Grid power stabilization for ISO-NE, data center energy solutions (given NH’s growing tech sector), and industrial heat/process efficiency for local manufacturers are viable use cases. - **NH Connections**: No direct connections or expressed interest in NH or the Northeast US are documented, though their Boston headquarters suggests regional familiarity and potential for engagement. Material Impact could indirectly contribute to NH’s energy landscape by funding scalable solutions for grid and industrial needs, though direct involvement would depend on portfolio company expansion into the region. ### Competitive Position Material Impact competes with other deep tech and climate-focused venture capital firms. Comparisons include: - **[[Breakthrough Energy Ventures]] ([[Breakthrough Energy Ventures|BEV]])**: Backed by Bill Gates, BEV focuses on climate tech with a broader portfolio and larger fund size. Material Impact differentiates through a narrower focus on material science as a core innovation driver. - **[[Energy Impact Partners]] (EIP)**: EIP specializes in energy transition investments with utility partnerships ([energyimpactpartners.com](https://www.energyimpactpartners.com)). Material Impact’s emphasis on materials over direct energy systems offers a unique angle but may limit direct utility engagement. - **[[Khosla Ventures]]**: Known for early-stage tech investments, Khosla overlaps in energy and compute infrastructure but with a wider sectoral scope. Material Impact’s specialized materials focus could be an advantage in niche markets but risks over-concentration. A key risk for Material Impact is the long development timelines of deep tech, which may delay returns compared to broader VC strategies. Their advantage lies in expertise in translating complex science into market-ready solutions. ### Closing Note Material Impact is a specialized venture capital firm at a mature stage of operation, with a promising trajectory focused on material science-driven deep tech innovations and a positive outlook for impactful energy and compute infrastructure investments. **RSS_FEED**: none Note: Despite a thorough search on Material Impact’s official website and related investor relations pages, no specific RSS feed for press releases or news was identified. If one exists, it may not be publicly accessible or prominently featured. *Report generated December 24, 2025*