German Startup Alqem Receives €8 Million Boost for Europe’s Magnet Supply Chain Initiative

Alqem, a Munich-based DeepTech startup, has secured €8 million in pre-Seed funding to advance its mission of developing an AI-driven engine for the discovery and commercialization of next-generation materials within a European-led supply chain. The funding round was co-led by UVC Partners and Union Square Ventures.

Dr. Hanh Nguyen, CEO of alqem, expressed excitement about the breakthrough the company has achieved, stating, “For the first time, we have a map of the materials universe. Not just a few known compounds, but hundreds of millions of possibilities we can now systematically explore and bring to the world. Materials that will make electric vehicles more energy efficient, wind turbines more powerful, and critical supply chains independent from single-country control.”

The year 2026 is seeing a significant rise in funding activity for AI-enabled materials discovery, critical raw materials, advanced manufacturing, and related industrial DeepTech sectors. Notable examples include London-based Polaron’s €6.7 million raise for AI-led materials science and Paris/Boston-based Alice & Bob’s €3.4 million ARPA-E award for rare-earth-free magnet discovery using quantum computing. In Germany, Würzburg-based WeSort.AI raised €10 million to scale AI-based recovery of critical raw materials, focusing on enhancing supply-chain resilience.

With a total funding of approximately €123 million across 2026 in materials-related companies, alqem stands out as a startup with world-class scientific expertise addressing Europe’s strategic industrial challenges. Amanda Birkenholz, Principal at UVC Partners, commended alqem for its potential to become a category leader in advanced materials, crucial for shaping future technologies in clean energy, mobility, and defense.

Established in 2026, alqem was founded by Dr. Hanh Nguyen, Dr. Tiago Cerqueira, and Prof. Milan Allan. The startup is leveraging its proprietary databases and high-quality training datasets to drive material discovery, with a strong focus on synthesizing new compounds that have not been explored before. By combining predictive modeling with experimental validation, alqem aims to revolutionize the materials industry by unlocking untapped possibilities and reducing reliance on limited material sources.

One of alqem’s primary objectives is the development of rare-earth-free magnets, a critical component in various industries. The company’s discovery engine has successfully generated a pipeline of magnet candidates with predicted performance, validated through experimental data. By utilizing three key technical foundations – al-mine, al-oracle, and in-house synthesis capabilities – alqem is at the forefront of innovative materials research.

Union Square Ventures partner, Albert Wenger, highlighted the significance of alqem’s approach in leveraging AI learning loops to create proprietary datasets for materials exploration. The company’s collaboration with scientific experts and industry leaders positions it as a pioneer in advancing materials science through cutting-edge technology.

In conclusion, alqem’s commitment to driving innovation in materials discovery and commercialization underscores its potential to revolutionize the industry. With a strong foundation in scientific research and entrepreneurial drive, the company is poised to make a lasting impact on the development of next-generation materials for diverse applications.