South 8 Technologies Raises $11 Million to Scale LiGas Battery Production for Defense and Aerospace
South 8 Technologies, a San Diego-based battery technology company developing liquefied gas electrolyte solutions for lithium-ion batteries, has secured $11 million in additional financing to accelerate production of its LiGas® battery technology for defense and aerospace applications. The follow-on investment will enable the company to expand manufacturing capacity, complete product qualification with customers, and support commercial deployment of batteries designed to operate in some of the world’s harshest environments.
The funding round was co-led by Gore Ventures, the venture investment arm of W. L. Gore & Associates, and Lockheed Martin Ventures. Additional participation came from existing and new investors, including Anzu Partners, IQT, LG Technology Ventures, Porsche Ventures, Foothill Ventures, Alumni Ventures, and Galvion, a strategic business partner focused on intelligent soldier power and integrated data systems.
Founded in 2015, South 8 Technologies has developed LiGas®, a proprietary liquefied gas electrolyte designed to replace conventional liquid electrolytes used in lithium-ion batteries. The technology enables batteries to operate across an exceptionally wide temperature range, from -60°C to +60°C, while maintaining high performance in environments where traditional lithium-ion batteries typically suffer substantial performance degradation or fail altogether.
The company said the newly raised capital will be used to expand manufacturing operations at its San Diego facility, where it is producing LiGas-based cylindrical battery cells. The additional production capacity is expected to support qualification programs with leading defense and aerospace customers while fulfilling multi-year supply agreements already secured by the company.
South 8’s LiGas technology addresses one of the longstanding limitations of conventional lithium-ion batteries: poor performance in extremely cold environments. Traditional liquid electrolytes can freeze or experience significant reductions in conductivity at low temperatures, limiting battery capacity and charging capability. By using a patented blend of liquefied, non-toxic gases as the electrolyte, South 8 enables reliable charging and discharging even in subzero conditions.
Beyond cold-weather performance, the company says its technology also offers enhanced battery safety. LiGas incorporates a thermal fuse mechanism that rapidly removes electrolyte from a battery during abusive operating conditions, reducing the likelihood of larger battery fires. The electrolyte formulation also supports faster charging and extended battery life while remaining compatible with existing lithium-ion battery manufacturing processes.
Chief Executive Officer and co-founder Jungwoo Lee said the latest financing represents another important step toward commercializing a battery technology capable of delivering reliable performance where conventional lithium-ion systems cannot. According to the company, defense and aerospace organizations increasingly require batteries capable of operating in freezing temperatures, high-altitude environments, and other demanding conditions without sacrificing energy density or reliability.
The company’s batteries are being evaluated for applications including soldier power systems, unmanned aerial systems, aerospace platforms, and other mission-critical technologies that depend on dependable energy storage under extreme environmental conditions. South 8 has already shipped thousands of LiGas-based battery cells to defense contractors, system integrators, and battery manufacturers for testing and validation across multiple commercial and government applications.
The latest financing builds on several years of strategic investment and public-sector support. In 2022, South 8 completed a $12 million Series A financing led by Anzu Partners, with participation from LG Technology Ventures, Shell Ventures, Foothill Ventures, and Taiyo Nippon Sanso Corporation. The company later secured a strategic investment from Lockheed Martin Ventures in 2023, followed by an investment from Porsche Ventures in 2024 as interest in its electrolyte technology continued to grow.
In addition to private investment, South 8 has secured more than $32 million in non-dilutive funding and joint development agreements from organizations including the U.S. Army, the U.S. Department of Energy, the California Energy Commission, and multiple industrial partners. These programs have supported continued product development and manufacturing expansion as the company advances commercialization.
With fresh capital from a combination of strategic corporate investors and venture capital firms, South 8 Technologies is positioned to accelerate production of its LiGas battery platform while expanding its presence in defense, aerospace, and other markets that require reliable energy storage under extreme operating conditions. The financing reinforces investor confidence in next-generation battery technologies capable of improving safety, extending operating ranges, and enabling applications where conventional lithium-ion batteries have historically faced significant limitations.
