"Steel is the foundation of modern life - but its production is one of the planet’s dirtiest processes, responsible for 7–10% of global CO₂ emissions. As industries race toward net zero, the demand for green steel is set to surge, growing 2.5x over the next five years. Yet, the path forward is blocked by structural challenges: high-grade iron ore is running scarce, while vast reserves of low-grade ore remain untapped due to the massive capital required for traditional upgrading. At the same time, 71% of the world’s coal-fired blast furnaces—over 1,000 Mt of capacity - will need to be replaced by 2030.
Electra is rewriting the playbook. Using a breakthrough low-temperature, renewable-powered process, Electra produces 99% pure clean iron from abundant low-grade ores—without the carbon. It’s a bold bet in a massive market: 437.3 million tonnes of iron ore-based metallics were produced globally in 2023 (excluding China), representing a ~$19.7 billion opportunity."
We started Electra to fundamentally reinvent the way the world makes iron and tackle one of the biggest sources of industrial emissions. We are proving that pure iron can be made resourcefully and scaled quickly to meet global demand.
Sandeep Nijhawan
CEO and Co-Founder
HOW IT WORK
The Science
Electra is solving a critical question: how do we produce the iron the world relies on - without harming the planet? Electra is rewriting ironmaking from the ground up, slashing emissions at the source and cutting the climate cost of steel across global supply chains:
- Flexible inputs: Runs on abundant renewable energy and taps into a wide range of iron ores, including low-grade and previously mined, uncommercialized feedstocks.
- Valuable outputs: Refines iron ore into 99% pure iron while capturing high-value mineral co-products and releasing oxygen into the air.
- Modular design: Built as scalable building blocks, Electra’s system enables seamless scaling and integration into existing steel infrastructure.
EARTH FIRST VISION
The Future
Electra is on a mission to make clean iron through a low-carbon process that uses chemistry and renewable energy to transform iron ore into 99% pure iron.
Today, 98% of iron ore goes into steelmaking, accounting for 35–45% of steel’s operating costs. As steel demand grows—from 1,764 million tons in 2023 to an estimated 1,950 million tons by 2035 (McKinsey)—so does the urgency to decarbonize its supply chain. And the clock is ticking: demand for green steel is set to grow 2.5x over the next five years. Electra is building the upstream solution by delivering cost-competitive, ultra-pure, low-carbon iron at scale, without compromise.
people
Their DNA
Sandeep Nijhawan (Co-founder & CEO) has over 20 years of experience leading international companies and early-stage start-ups, turning bold ideas into breakthrough technologies. Before founding Electra in 2020, he was an operating partner at True North Venture Partners and led two electrochemistry-focused startups: AquaHydrex and Staq Energy. He also held senior roles at Intermolecular, Applied Materials, and founded LED startup Siorah. Sandeep holds a Bachelor of Technology from the Indian Institute of Technology, a PhD in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Minnesota, and an MBA from IMD Switzerland.
Quoc Pham (Co-founder & CTO) brings nearly 30 years of experience building world-class teams and leading R&D and demonstrations for breakthrough climate and energy technologies. Prior to co-founding Electra, he led R&D at AquaHydrex, Staq Energy, and EnerVault, and co-founded Evogy, a solid oxide fuel cell company. Quoc holds a Bachelor of Science from ENSC Toulouse and a PhD in Solid State Chemistry from the University of Caen, France.