Offgrid Energy Labs Bags $15 Million to Deliver Cost-Efficient and Safe Long Duration Energy Storage Using ZincGel® Battery Technology

Offgrid Energy Labs, an Indian DeepTech startup that brings innovation to battery storage, led by Tejas Kusurkar, Brindan Tulachan, Rishi Shrivastava, and Ankur Agrawal, has secured $15 million in Series A funding led by Archean Chemicals with participation from Ankur Capital.

Offgrid Energy Labs, born out of IIT Kanpur, developed ZincGel® — a safer, cleaner, and more affordable battery technology designed for both urban grids and rural off-grid needs. Backed by 50+ IP assets and industry partnerships, the company is turning advanced chemistry into scalable clean energy solutions for a smarter, safer future. The company will build a 10 MWh demonstration facility in the UK by early 2026, followed by the commercialization of ZincGel and a planned gigafactory in India as the next phase.

After six years of R&D, the startup holds 25+ IP families and 50+ assets across global markets. Its ZincGel battery, based on zinc-bromide chemistry with a proprietary water-based electrolyte, offers low fire risk, 6–12 hour discharges, double the lifetime of lithium-ion, and a carbon cathode enabling fast charge and discharge.

Offgrid Energy Labs’ zinc batteries can be tuned to specific applications, operating reliably even at –10°C. The company is targeting industries with net-zero goals, with use cases spanning renewable integration, peak shifting, and decentralized off-grid solutions. Early testers include Shell and Tata Power, with discussions underway with global players such as Enel.

Currently built manually in Noida, the batteries will next be showcased at a 10 MWh U.K. demo facility — designed with a 50% lower carbon footprint than a typical lithium gigafactory, thanks to simpler, cost-efficient manufacturing processes. Europe was chosen for its established battery ecosystem and local co-founders, but India remains a key market once commercialization begins in 2026.