Is it real yet?

Question 1

What is proven today, and what is still to come?

Accepted Answer

Vega, the first prototype, proved the rotor design, bearings, vacuum and controls. Pulsar, the full-size prototype, is assembled and has completed 100 fault-free charge and discharge cycles at low speed on a steel setup rotor. Still to come are the carbon-fiber rotor, high-speed testing in the test cell and measured round-trip efficiency. After that, beta units go to a utility pilot with independent data.

Question 2

When will it be commercially available?

Accepted Answer

The plan is to build early prototype units through 2026 and 2027, finalize the production design during testing, and ramp production from late 2027 into 2028. These are targets that depend on test and pilot results and on capital. Near-term milestones are the carbon-fiber rotor, high-speed testing, safety validation with a US certification body, and beta units at a utility pilot.

Question 3

Are any units in service yet?

Accepted Answer

Not yet. There are no commercial units in the field. The first units on a live grid will be beta units at a utility pilot, after high-speed testing.

Question 4

What has to happen to bring costs down at scale?

Accepted Answer

Carbon fiber is the largest single material cost. Qnetic uses a standard grade whose global production capacity is growing, and expects lower material prices and manufacturing scale to bring costs down as volumes rise. Sourcing carbon fiber in the US adds some cost, which the updated cost model will reflect.

Question 5

Who has backed Qnetic?

Accepted Answer

SOSV, a leading climate-tech investor, backed Qnetic early, and a strategic investor has also invested. Thousands of individual investors have joined through earlier crowdfunding rounds.

Question 6

Why aren&#8217;t venture capital firms funding this yet?

Accepted Answer

The team has spoken with many venture firms. Hardware investors typically want pilot results first, which is what this stage of development is building towards.

Question 7

Are you applying for government grants or loans?

Accepted Answer

Qnetic monitors federal and state programs, including loans and grants. Many are tied to specific objectives, so it is a matter of the right program at the right time. Defense-adjacent uses such as microgrid resilience are on the radar.

Question 8

I&#8217;m an engineer or supplier. Can I help?

Accepted Answer

Thank you. Email invest@qnetic.energy with a short note on your background or what you supply, and it will reach the right person.

Question 9

Where will it be manufactured?

Accepted Answer

In the United States. Qnetic's production center is in Sacramento, California, where the beta units will be assembled. Production is planned to ramp from late 2027 into 2028, depending on test results and capital.

Question 10

Why does a US company do R&#038;D in Shanghai?

Accepted Answer

Qnetic is a US company headquartered in New York, with its production center in Sacramento and its go-to-market in the US. It has subsidiaries in Germany, Singapore and Shanghai. The founders were already working in Shanghai, which is exceptionally fast for building and iterating prototypes, so R&D started there.

Question 11

What did earlier investment pay for?

Accepted Answer

The first crowdfunding round in 2023 paid for Vega, the proof-of-concept prototype that validated the rotor, bearings, motor-generator and controls. The next raise brought Qnetic to Pulsar, the full-size prototype. How this round's money will be used is set out in the Form C.

Question 12

What patents do you hold?

Accepted Answer

Qnetic has filed patents covering key parts of the Pulsar architecture, including the rotor and the magnetic-bearing design, with four PCT filings so far. Some applications are granted and others are in examination.

Question 13

Who is the team?

Accepted Answer

Michael Pratt (CEO) and Loïc Bastard (CTO) lead the company with Malcolm Mathews (CFO) and Hugh McDermott (Chief Commercial Officer and President, Americas). The wider team covers design and engineering, strategy and finance, and supply chain and manufacturing, with decades of experience in energy storage, wind energy and rotating machinery. The investor brief has the full leadership team.