Dallas-based hydrogen technology company DirectH2 has closed its seed round funding from HL Energy Ventures, marking “a significant milestone” in the company’s mission to revolutionize modular hydrogen production.

With this new funding, DirectH2 said it will accelerate the development and commercialization of its cutting-edge hydrogen solutions in collaboration with Houston-based Rice University, addressing critical challenges in the clean energy sector. DirectH2 has exclusively licensed the intellectual property (IP) from Rice University that underpins its innovative technology.

The amount of the funding was not disclosed.

“HL Energy Ventures is an excellent partner in bringing our breakthrough hydrogen technology to market,” Michael Irwin, co-founder and interim CEO of DirectH2, said in a statement. “This investment validates our vision and will enable us to further develop efficient PV-based hydrogen solutions that drive the transition to sustainable energy. Rice will continue to be a critical collaborator in the technology development and commercialization journey.”

‘Commercializing game-changing hydrogen technology’

HL Energy Ventures, the spin-out of Hunt Energy’s technology venture business known for backing transformative energy technologies, said it sees DirectH2 as a key player in advancing next-generation hydrogen solutions.

“DirectH2’s innovation to integrate renewable energy with hydrogen production opens up how green hydrogen can be produced, and we are excited to support their journey,” HL Energy Ventures CEO Victor Liu said in a statement.

“I’m so excited by the launch of DirectH2, a product of years of perseverance, research and creativity of brilliant graduate students at Rice and dedicated collaborators at the Department of Energy laboratories,” said Aditya Mohite, professor of chemical engineering at Rice University. “I’m particularly grateful for the support of the DOE Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technologies Office. My deepest gratitude to my research team, Materials Physics and Energy Management, and the Office of Technology Transfer and Rice Innovation, and the unwavering support of my family.”

Mohite is co-founder of DirectH2 and will serve as its chief science officer.

“As Rice University continues to strengthen its role in driving innovation from the lab to the marketplace, DirectH2 represents exactly the kind of transformative impact we aim to achieve. This company is a testament to the power of university breakthroughs in solving global energy challenges, and we are proud to support its journey toward commercializing game-changing hydrogen technology,” said Paul Cherukuri, chief innovation officer of Rice University.

DirectH2 said that with this funding, it aims to expand its team with additional leadership and technical resources, refine its technology, and establish key industry partnerships to bring its innovations to market.

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