OnTo Technology LLC, which began in 2004 after a laptop battery issue, is a small, woman-owned business located in Bend, Oregon. The company focuses on advanced recycling technologies for lithium-ion batteries. With a team of fewer than 25 employees and annual revenues below $5 million, OnTo Technology has built its expertise through consistent engagement with the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program since 2007.
The company’s mission is to improve the affordability and sustainability of advanced batteries through innovative recycling and material recovery. Guided by the philosophy “The best way to predict the future is to create it,” OnTo Technology is committed to developing technologies that support a sustainable future for battery use and contribute to global efforts to reduce carbon emissions.
Battery Technology
OnTo Technology provides specific technologies for battery recycling, holding intellectual property protected by over 19 patents. The company’s methods aim to improve safety, efficiency, and material recovery in the battery lifecycle.
OnTo offers Direct Recycling techniques designed to allow for the reuse of electrode and cathode materials from used batteries. This method is intended to increase the sustainability and economic aspects of battery recycling by requiring minimal energy. Another technology, Cathode Healing™, is a process for recovering and restoring cathode materials from old batteries, making them usable in new battery manufacturing. OnTo states that this process has been used to produce cathode materials for electric vehicle batteries made entirely from recycled sources.
OnTo also addresses battery safety through its Battery Deactivation and Inertization methods. These techniques are designed to neutralize hazards present in lithium-ion batteries, as well as other battery types, to make them safer for transport and recycling. The company also has a method for recovering materials from LFP batteries and offers pretreatment processes to improve the value of recycled materials from “black mass,” a common intermediate in battery recycling. Additionally, OnTo utilizes CO2 as part of its process to neutralize hazards during battery handling.
Recent projects
In recent months, OnTo Technology has been involved in projects that recognize its role in the battery industry. As of October 2024, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) selected OnTo as one of 13 projects aimed at strengthening the domestic battery supply chain.
The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) confirmed that OnTo’s method for treating lithium batteries makes them non-hazardous, confirming the safety aspects of their neutralization technology. OnTo also conducted a demonstration of its battery neutralization capabilities for the U.S. Department of Commerce.
Investors
OnTo Technology is primarily funded by federal government grants, particularly from the Department of Energy’s Office of Science, showing public-sector support for its recycling research. Information on private investors or venture capital involvement is limited. The company collaborates with partners across the battery industry, offering opportunities for investment, licensing, and technology transfer.
Business Details
Location: Bend, Oregon, USA
Website: https://www.onto-technology.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/4753821
