Louisville, January 14, 2026
Sofab Inks, a Louisville startup specializing in advanced materials for perovskite solar cells, has raised $5 million in seed funding to expand its market reach and enhance solar technology. The investment aims to advance their innovative products and global growth. Founded in 2022, Sofab Inks has achieved significant efficiency breakthroughs and partnered with academic institutions for further development. This funding positions the company to play a critical role in the evolving solar energy landscape.
Sofab Inks Secures Funding to Propel Solar Innovation in Louisville
Louisville startup aims to enhance global solar technology with new investment
Louisville, Kentucky – Sofab Inks, a Louisville-based startup specializing in functionalized metal oxide materials for perovskite solar cells, has successfully raised $5 million in a seed funding round. This investment is set to accelerate the company’s expansion into international markets and enhance its solar technology offerings.
The seed funding round was led by Fulgur Ventures, with participation from Grupo Salinas, Tether, East Ventures, and NYDIG. The capital will be utilized to advance Sofab Inks’ innovative perovskite solar cell solutions and support its global growth initiatives.
Founded in 2022 as a spin-off from the University of Louisville’s Conn Center for Renewable Energy Research, Sofab Inks has made significant strides in the solar industry. In October 2025, the company achieved a 22.2% efficiency in a mini inverted perovskite solar panel, marking a notable milestone in solar technology development. This achievement was accomplished using their proprietary tin oxide electron transport layer material, Tinfab, produced through a sheet-to-sheet slot die coating process. The perovskite manufacturing equipment partner for this project was Alpha Precision Systems, a U.S.-based unit of China-based Suzhou Precision Systems (SPS). The use of Tinfab enables a fullerene-free design, offering benefits such as improved stability, manufacturability, and cost-effectiveness. The team employed an inverted cell architecture, also known as a “p-i-n” architecture, with solar cell illumination through the hole-transport layer (HTL). The stack was deposited using physical vapor deposition (PVD), slot-die coating (SDC), and atomic layer deposition (ALD) techniques. The electrode layer was fabricated by PVD, the buffer layer by ALD, the electron transport layer (ETL) and perovskite layer by SDC, and the hole transport layer (HTL) by PVD. In other company news, Sofab Inks partnered with Italy’s Solertix and the Centre for Hybrid and Organic Solar Energy (CHOSE) of Tor Vergata University to conduct stability testing of perovskite devices made with Tinfab. The 2,500-hour results “exceeded expectations,” according to the company, with details presented at the Perovskite Connect industry conference in Berlin. The scaling up to 30 cm x 30 cm comes just a few months after the company reported a 20.4%-efficient triple cation solar cell device made with its material. The Sofab Inks team is currently working with customers located in Australia, China, and the United States, as it moves into pilot production and on its own R&D. Over the coming months, the company aims to achieve similar efficiencies on 60 × 60 cm modules and begin accelerated stability testing. In the medium term, Sofab Inks will continue optimizing its ink formulations to enhance performance and scalability.
The recent funding and technological advancements position Sofab Inks to play a pivotal role in the global solar energy sector, contributing to the widespread adoption of efficient and sustainable solar technologies worldwide.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What is Sofab Inks?
Sofab Inks is a Louisville-based startup specializing in functionalized metal oxide materials for perovskite solar cells. The company focuses on developing innovative materials to enhance the efficiency and stability of solar technologies.
How much funding did Sofab Inks raise?
Sofab Inks successfully raised $5 million in a seed funding round led by Fulgur Ventures, with participation from Grupo Salinas, Tether, East Ventures, and NYDIG. The capital will be used to advance the company’s perovskite solar cell solutions and support its global expansion.
What is Tinfab?
Tinfab is Sofab Inks’ proprietary tin oxide electron transport layer material used in perovskite solar cells. It enables a fullerene-free design, offering benefits such as improved stability, manufacturability, and cost-effectiveness in solar cell production.
What recent technological achievement has Sofab Inks accomplished?
In October 2025, Sofab Inks achieved a 22.2% efficiency in a mini inverted perovskite solar panel, marking a significant milestone in solar technology development. This was accomplished using their Tinfab material and industrially compatible processes.
What are Sofab Inks’ future plans?
The company plans to achieve similar efficiencies on 60 × 60 cm modules, begin accelerated stability testing, and continue optimizing its ink formulations to enhance performance and scalability in the medium term.
Key Features of Sofab Inks’ Recent Developments
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Seed Funding | Sofab Inks raised $5 million in a seed funding round led by Fulgur Ventures, with participation from Grupo Salinas, Tether, East Ventures, and NYDIG. The capital will be used to advance the company’s perovskite solar cell solutions and support its global expansion. |
| Tinfab Material | Tinfab is Sofab Inks’ proprietary tin oxide electron transport layer material used in perovskite solar cells. It enables a fullerene-free design, offering benefits such as improved stability, manufacturability, and cost-effectiveness in solar cell production. |
| Technological Achievement | In October 2025, Sofab Inks achieved a 22.2% efficiency in a mini inverted perovskite solar panel, marking a significant milestone in solar technology development. This was accomplished using their Tinfab material and industrially compatible processes. |
| Future Plans | The company plans to achieve similar efficiencies on 60 × 60 cm modules, begin accelerated stability testing, and continue optimizing its ink formulations to enhance performance and scalability in the medium term. |
Deeper Dive: News & Info About This Topic
HERE Resources
