
California Catalysts, formerly H2U Technologies, is a leading developer of advanced materials and components for hydrogen electrolyzers, focusing on non-iridium catalysts to reduce the levelized cost of hydrogen (LCOH). The company leverages proprietary AI-driven catalyst discovery and high-throughput testing to accelerate development of durable, efficient catalysts and electrolyzer components like the Defender PTL coating and Amplifier CCM. With exclusive licensing of Caltech's catalyst discovery engine and a large electrocatalyst database, Calicat partners with industry leaders to commercialize innovative products that improve electrolyzer performance, durability, and economics, addressing critical material science constraints in green hydrogen production. Their business model includes product sales and joint development agreements, supported by a diverse technical team and backed by energy industry investors.

California Catalysts, formerly H2U Technologies, is a leading developer of advanced materials and components for hydrogen electrolyzers, focusing on non-iridium catalysts to reduce the levelized cost of hydrogen (LCOH). The company leverages proprietary AI-driven catalyst discovery and high-throughput testing to accelerate development of durable, efficient catalysts and electrolyzer components like the Defender PTL coating and Amplifier CCM. With exclusive licensing of Caltech's catalyst discovery engine and a large electrocatalyst database, Calicat partners with industry leaders to commercialize innovative products that improve electrolyzer performance, durability, and economics, addressing critical material science constraints in green hydrogen production. Their business model includes product sales and joint development agreements, supported by a diverse technical team and backed by energy industry investors.
What they do: Develop AI-driven non‑iridium electrocatalysts and electrolyzer components to lower green hydrogen cost
Tech edge: Licensed high-throughput Catalyst Discovery Engine from Caltech combined with proprietary AI
Products: Catalysts, Amplifier CCM, Defender PTL, and testing/modeling services
Team size (reported): 24 employees
Recent financing: Series A announced Oct 23, 2024; total funding reported $21,000,000
Materials and components for hydrogen electrolysis to lower LCOH
Clean energy / hydrogen electrolyzers
Series A announced Oct 23, 2024; Crunchbase lists multiple investors (8 in the round)
“Backed by industry and venture investors including Hess, MOL, Motus, Acario, VoLo Earth Ventures, Jericho Energy Ventures, Freeflow Ventures, and Dolby Family Ventures”