Aepnus

Aepnus develops a modular electrochemical platform to produce essential chemicals more efficiently using clean, chlorine-free processes.

Founded

2021

First Invested

2026

Headquarter

Oakland, USA

Founders

Investment Manager

Caglar Urcan

Company web page

Aepnus’s electrochemical platform converts sodium sulfate and other low-value salt streams into high-purity reagents such as caustic soda and sulfuric acid. The modular architecture eliminates hazardous chlorine by-products, reduces carbon intensity, and removes the strict siting constraints associated with traditional chlor-alkali systems. Designed for scalability, the technology targets large-scale applications across the chemicals industry, heavy manufacturing, and critical mineral processing.

Lukas Hackl

Lukas Hackl holds a PhD in Environmental Engineering from UC Berkeley, with extensive experience in electrochemical process design, system integration, and techno-economic modelling. His work focuses on translating laboratory-scale electrochemical innovations into scalable industrial systems, optimizing performance, efficiency, and cost structures for real-world deployment.

Bilen Akuzum

Bilen Akuzum holds a PhD in Materials Science & Engineering and has conducted research at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. He brings deep expertise in membrane technologies, advanced electrode materials, and electrochemical system architecture, with a strong track record in developing high-performance materials that enhance durability, efficiency, and scalability in industrial electrochemical applications.