Newtrace VoltaGen Electrodes and Alkaline Electrolyser

Newtrace Private Limited is a climate-tech startup based in Bengaluru, India, that develops and commercialises electrode and stack technology for hydrogen electrolysers. It targets the high energy use and cost of green hydrogen production by improving the core component of alkaline electrolysers.

Its flagship VoltaGen product is a coated cathode developed by screening more than 1,000 catalyst-substrate combinations. It is free of platinum-group and critical raw materials, is manufactured in India and drops into existing alkaline stacks as a direct cathode replacement without changes to cell geometry, balance of plant or controls. Newtrace also builds modular alkaline electrolysers around VoltaGen, rated at 44.4 kWh/kg with more than 99.9% hydrogen purity, and a vertically integrated balance-of-plant platform. Named users include BPCL and ONGC.

• VoltaGen coated cathode: rated at 0.5 A/cm2 for alkaline electrolysers.
• Drop-in replacement: no changes to cell geometry, balance of plant or control systems.
• PGM-free and CRM-free: avoids platinum-group and critical raw materials.
• Alkaline electrolyser: modular stacks rated at 44.4 kWh/kg with more than 99.9% purity.
• Integrated balance of plant: power electronics, fluid management and real-time control.
• Domestic manufacturing: produced in a 30,000 sq ft technology facility in Bengaluru.

Refineries and fertiliser plants in Vietnam piloting alkaline electrolysers could retrofit VoltaGen cathodes to lower power consumption. Electrolyser assemblers in the region could source PGM-free electrodes as a component. Industrial parks with rooftop solar could evaluate small modular electrolysers for on-site hydrogen.

Operators of alkaline electrolysers can cut specific energy consumption by up to 9.5 kWh per kg of hydrogen and reduce levelised cost by up to INR 60 per kg, according to the company. The incremental cost is typically recovered within 12 months of continuous operation. Because VoltaGen is dimensionally compatible, upgrades need no redesign of stacks or plant.

Alkaline electrolysers dominate early green hydrogen deployments in Asia because of their mature supply chains, so component upgrades that cut power use without new stacks are attractive. Vietnam's 2024 hydrogen strategy and refinery and fertiliser decarbonisation plans in Southeast Asia point to demand for affordable, platinum-free electrolysis technology.

Headquartered in Doddanekundi Industrial Area, Bengaluru, with a team of more than 40 including four PhD researchers. Recognitions listed on its website include the LEAP Shooting Star Award in Riyadh, Cleantech Group Top 25 APAC Energy and Power Companies and Nasscom Top 50 Deep Tech Startups 2024. Its pre-Series A round of USD 6.3 million was covered in March 2026. Founding year is not stated on the website.