Updated
Oorja Protonics, a secretive Menlo Park developer of alcohol-based fuel cells, has raised around $5.52 million in Series A funding, led by Sequoia Capital, according to a regulatory filing (scroll down). The company is run by Sanjiv Malhotra. It is significant because it is the first sign that Sequoia is pursuing alternative power/energy companies. Sequoia has been mum on green tech, despite the loud drum-beating by its cross-town rival, Kleiner Perkins. (Compare their priorities, as stated on their Web sites, here and here).
Update: Mark Wendman says he’s found links to the three patents by the inventor.
Update II: Rob Day suggests it may focus on battery replacement.
Tags: co:Oorja, deal, inv:Sequoia-CapitalOne Comment
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Mark Wendman said:
I found links to the patent applications. The inventor is Sanjiv Malhotra of Castro Valley, and there are 3 published patent applications, which represent advances in DMFC technology by Oorja Protonics. Check it out at my blog post here -
http://mark-nano.blogspot.com/2006/05/sequoia-capitals-oorja-protonics-dmfc.html