Mater-AI

Mater-AI is a London-based deep-tech startup founded by Dr Nickel Blankevoort (CEO), Gatleen Bhambra (COO), and Chelsea Williams (CTO). The company has built a computational discovery platform that combines machine learning with physics-based modelling to design novel thermoelectric materials — materials capable of converting heat directly into electricity or providing refrigerant-free cooling. The founding team came together through Y Combinator's Co-Founder Matching platform and accelerator programmes including Conception X's Deep Tech Accelerator.

The last major breakthrough in thermoelectric materials dates to the 1950s, when bismuth telluride became the dominant semiconductor for applications such as heated car seats and portable coolers. Mater-AI is targeting the next step change. Its platform can evaluate up to 100 candidate material structures every hour and accelerates the entire design cycle by up to 438 times compared with traditional R&D methods, simultaneously optimising for thermal and electrical conductivity. The company has established validation partnerships with Cambridge University, Imperial College London, and the Henry Royce Institute. Initial commercial targets include defence, automotive, and industrial IoT applications, where improved thermoelectric performance could unlock between £3.4 billion and £4.6 billion in new market value — spanning silent solid-state power sources for defence systems, extended EV battery range through thermal energy recovery, and self-powered industrial sensors. Mater-AI raised £1.5 million in pre-seed funding in December 2025, led by Twin Path Ventures, with participation from Mishcon de Reya, One Planet Capital, XTX Ventures, and the Conception X Angel Syndicate.