Breathe lands $21M Series B to predict battery performance
(TechCrunch) Breathe has secured $21 million in Series B funding to expand its battery software platform and help manufacturers better predict and optimise battery performance. The investment round was led by venture capital firm Kinnevik, with additional participation from Lowercarbon Capital and the Volvo Cars Tech Fund, highlighting strong investor confidence in the company’s approach to software-driven battery innovation.
The London-based startup develops physics-based battery software designed to improve how batteries are designed, tested and managed throughout their lifecycle. As electric vehicles and battery-powered devices become more widespread, manufacturers face increasing pressure to deliver better performance while reducing development time and cost. Breathe’s technology aims to address this challenge by giving engineers deeper insight into how batteries behave under real-world conditions.
The new funding will support the expansion of Breathe’s software platform and help the company push its tools earlier into the battery development process. Traditionally, battery development relies heavily on extensive physical testing, which can be slow and expensive. Breathe’s approach uses advanced modelling and simulation tools to predict how batteries will perform, allowing engineers to explore design trade-offs and optimise systems before large-scale testing begins.
As part of this strategy, the company has expanded its product portfolio into a suite of battery software tools that support the entire battery development workflow. These include Breathe Model, Breathe Map, Breathe Design, and Breathe Charge. Together, these tools enable manufacturers to simulate battery behaviour, map performance characteristics, optimise charging strategies and design more efficient battery systems.
Breathe Charge, the company’s original product, focuses on improving the charging process itself. By dynamically controlling charging behaviour in real time, the software can enable faster charging or extend battery lifespan depending on the needs of the manufacturer. The technology has already been used by companies such as Oppo, where it helped reduce smartphone charging times by around 27%.
The software is also being adopted in the automotive industry. Volvo Cars has integrated Breathe’s technology into its upcoming ES90 electric sedan, which is expected to charge from 10% to 80% in approximately 20 minutes when using compatible high-power chargers. This demonstrates how intelligent battery software can unlock significant performance improvements without requiring changes to battery chemistry or hardware design.
A key challenge in battery development is that no two battery cells behave exactly the same. Even with tightly controlled manufacturing processes, small variations can influence heat generation, charging performance and long-term durability. Breathe’s software addresses this issue by modelling the unique behaviour of individual cells and helping manufacturers optimise their systems accordingly.
The company also operates a battery testing laboratory in London where it performs detailed experiments on customer battery cells. Data collected in the lab feeds into Breathe’s modelling tools, allowing engineers to simulate future battery performance and make better decisions about design trade-offs, such as balancing charging speed against battery longevity.
Ultimately, the goal of Breathe’s software is to reduce the reliance on time-consuming “brute force” testing and enable faster, more efficient battery development. By providing predictive insights and software-driven optimisation, the company aims to help manufacturers deliver better battery performance while accelerating innovation across the electric vehicle and consumer electronics industries.