ZincFive raises USD $30m to scale AI data centre power

ZincFive has raised USD $30 million in an oversubscribed Series F round as demand for power systems behind AI data centres intensifies, taking the Oregon-based company's total funding to USD $254 million since 2016.

The company develops nickel-zinc battery systems for immediate power applications. It said the fresh capital would support a rapid scale-up of manufacturing and an expanded commercial push into the global data centre market.

Investors in ZincFive since inception include Helios Climate Ventures, Climate Investment, Japan Energy Fund, General Ventures and Clear Creek Investments, alongside other climate and industrial backers.

ZincFive focuses on backup power for mission-critical infrastructure. It reported that nearly 2GW of its nickel-zinc battery backup cabinets are already deployed or contracted across the global data centre industry.

The company plans to increase production levels in response to what it described as a growing commercial pipeline for data centre power systems. It targets operators who need consistent and rapid-response power support for AI workloads.

The completion of the round marks a shift in the company's development stage from validating its technology towards large-scale deployment in live environments.

"This funding milestone underscores both our commercial maturity and the massive market opportunity ahead," said Tod Higinbotham, CEO, ZincFive. "We've moved beyond proving our technology - we're scaling to meet contracted demand from the world's leading hyperscalers and data center operators. This investment accelerates our commercial and manufacturing expansion and strengthens our ability to deliver on the significant commitments our customers have made to deploy ZincFive's battery technology at scale. As we expand, so does our commitment to continuous improvement - a philosophy that strengthens every layer of our technology, from core chemistry to system-level architecture."

The fundraiser follows the recent launch of ZincFive's BC 2 AI product. This is a nickel-zinc uninterruptible power supply (UPS) battery cabinet designed for AI data centres. The company said the system provides AI load support. It said the design eliminates thermal runaway risk. It said 96% of the cabinet is recyclable.

The scaling of AI infrastructure has increased scrutiny on data centre power supplies and backup systems. Operators are facing higher power densities and more volatile load patterns as they deploy specialised chips and servers for AI training and inference.

Climate Investment, which has backed ZincFive, said the market is entering a significant investment phase.

"The AI infrastructure buildout represents one of the largest technology investment cycles in history, and power systems are emerging as a critical bottleneck," said Hannah-Mei Andrews, Investment Director, Climate Investment. "ZincFive has demonstrated both the technical strength and commercial track record needed to capture meaningful market share in this rapidly expanding sector. Their ability to deliver safe, sustainable, high-performance batteries uniquely suited to AI's demanding power profile positions them as a clear leader in the industry's next phase of growth."

ZincFive said its patented nickel-zinc technology offers higher power density, safety benefits and stronger sustainability metrics than lead-acid and lithium-ion systems. It said the chemistry maintains conductivity even in weak or depleted cells. It said the batteries need limited maintenance. It described the systems as compact with a lower environmental footprint than incumbent technologies.

The company has pursued commercial agreements with original equipment manufacturers that supply data centre and industrial power systems. It views these OEM relationships as an essential route into large-scale projects for next-generation AI-ready infrastructure.

The latest funding round comes amid heightened attention to energy consumption and emissions from digital infrastructure. Investors and customers are pushing for power solutions that can support rapid load changes while aligning with sustainability targets.

ZincFive has received external recognition from industry and media organisations. It was included in TIME's 2025 World's and America's Top GreenTech Companies lists. It received a 2024 Edison Award and CleanTech Breakthrough's 2024 Overall Innovation of the Year award.

The company is privately held and based in Tualatin, Oregon. It intends to use the new funding to expand manufacturing and fulfil existing contracts for its nickel-zinc battery cabinets across data centres supporting AI applications.