Exclusive: Hyperdrives raises €3M to bring motorsport-level performance to mass-market electric motors — TFN
As the EV market heats up, automakers and mobility companies face a tricky balancing act: deliver high-performance electric drives without breaking the bank or requiring costly new production lines. Hyperdrives, a Munich-based deep-tech startup, has an answer. Its hollow-conductor cooling is an innovation that channels dielectric coolant directly inside the copper windings of the motor, boosting continuous current density up to three times higher than conventional motors.
Today, Hyperdrives just closed an oversubscribed EUR3 million pre-seed round to push its electric motor cooling technology into industrial-scale production. Led by Rethink Ventures[1] and joined by First Momentum Ventures, SDAC[2], Acequia Capital[3], 2100 Ventures[4], Prototype Capital, and angel investors, the funding will be used to validate long-term durability, accelerate go-to-market efforts, and ramp up manufacturing capabilities. Founded in 2021 by Michael Numberger[5], Benjamin Hengstler[6], and Robin Renz[7], Hyperdrives combines a racing pedigree with deep knowledge of automotive OEMs.
The company has bootstrapped through three product generations, tested its tech under harsh conditions, and already generated over EUR1 million in revenue in 2024 without outside funding. "Our breakthrough is making hollow-conductor cooling work for mass production. By cooling directly inside the copper conductor, we achieve up to three times higher current density than today's motors: more power in the same space, or the same power in a smaller, lighter package," explains Numberger.
The result is a motor platform that outperforms its rivals in terms of power density, efficiency, and cost-effectiveness, opening up opportunities for applications across the automotive, aviation (eVTOLs), and marine sectors. Their product suite includes the Hyperdrives One automotive power unit with a SiC inverter, as well as a high-performance aviation power unit for electric aircraft. Matthias Schanze, General Partner at Rethink Ventures, adds, "Hyperdrives solves one of the toughest challenges in e-mobility: combining record performance with true scalability.
Their hollow-conductor platform is the first I've seen that delivers motorsport-level performance with automotive-level manufacturability and cost.
That's why we are excited to support the Hyperdrives team and lead this oversubscribed round."
Looking ahead, the fresh capital will fund critical lifetime durability testing to automotive standards, expand commercial projects from a growing customer pipeline, and prepare for industrial-scale manufacturing through licensing deals with OEMs and Tier-1 suppliers.
References
- ^ Rethink Ventures (techfundingnews.com)
- ^ SDAC (techfundingnews.com)
- ^ Acequia Capital (techfundingnews.com)
- ^ 2100 Ventures (techfundingnews.com)
- ^ Michael Numberger (de.linkedin.com)
- ^ Benjamin Hengstler (de.linkedin.com)
- ^ Robin Renz (de.linkedin.com)