January 28 – Pajarito Powder, through its license with STC.UNM, the University of New Mexico’s technology-transfer and economic-development organization, was formally granted the European patent for “Non-PGM catalysts for ORR based on charge transfer organic complexes” by the European Patent Office, another significant step toward securing Pajarito Powder’s intellectual property position, globally, for fuel cell catalyst products. Non-PGM refers to the catalysts’ activity without the use of Platinum Group Metals.

The patent was granted by the European Patent Office on November 8, shortly after Pajarito Powder received notice for the patent grants in both Japan and China.

Pajarito Powder Chief Scientist Dr. Alexey Serov and former UNM Distinguished Professor Plamen Atanassov, who is currently the University of California, Irvine, Chancellor’s Professor of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, are the inventors on the patent. The patent was originally filed in the United States and granted on June 6, 2017.

Pajarito Powder President and Chief Technology Officer Dr. Barr Zulevi stated, “The issuance of the European patent consolidates our intellectual property control in most every major market.”

Chief Scientist Alexey Serov added, “Taking into account how rapidly the European fuel cell market is expanding and especially EU interest and investment into the PGM-free electrocatalysts for fuel cells applications, securing our patent is critically important. The technology we secured is well proven by two EU projects: PEGASUS and CRESCENDO which opens the way to supply these catalysts into the EU market”

Pajarito Powder, LLC, is a venture-backed startup, funded by the Verge Fund and other investors, and focused on developing next-generation fuel cell catalysts and advanced catalyst support materials for the automotive and electrolyzer industries. Working with automotive OEMs and other major manufacturers, Pajarito Powder is well poised to lead in the development of advanced catalyst and catalyst-support materials in the rapidly developing industries of hydrogen fuel cells and electrolyzers.