Sakuu to go public via SPAC merger with Plum Acquisition in push to scale sustainable battery tech

In a bold move to commercialize its next-generation battery technology and redefine additive manufacturing, Sakuu Corporation, a Silicon Valley-based sustainable battery technology developer, has signed a definitive business combination agreement with Plum Acquisition Corp. I, a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) founded by seasoned executives Ursula Burns, Kanishka Roy, and Mike Dinsdale.

The merger, once completed, will result in the formation of a new publicly traded entity called Sakuu Holdings Inc., expected to be listed on a U.S. national stock exchange. The transaction assigns Sakuu an enterprise value of approximately $705 million, marking a major milestone in the evolution of solid-state battery development and 3D-printing-enabled manufacturing.

What makes Sakuu’s additive manufacturing approach unique in the battery industry?

At the heart of Sakuu Corporation’s pitch is its proprietary Kavian platform, an industrial-scale additive manufacturing solution that is engineered to print functional devices—including lithium-metal batteries—at high volume. Unlike traditional roll-to-roll or stacking-based production processes, Kavian leverages multi-material 3D printing capabilities to simplify manufacturing complexity and reduce cost per unit.

This next-generation production system enables SwiftPrint™ batteries, Sakuu’s branded energy storage products, which are tailored for sectors such as e-mobility, aerospace, electric vehicles (EVs), and grid-scale energy storage. The platform is designed to print batteries with custom geometries and energy densities, a feature that could address longstanding issues around form factor flexibility and supply chain limitations in battery design.

Founder and CEO Robert Bagheri believes the technology could transform the landscape of industrial manufacturing. “Our high-volume Kavian solution for printing batteries can potentially leap-frog decades of manufacturing stagnation,” said Bagheri. “With this proposed merger, the strong support of the exceptional leadership team at Plum, and our dedicated investors, we feel Sakuu is well-positioned to create a paradigm shift in complex manufacturing, starting first with batteries.”

How is Sakuu planning to use capital from the SPAC deal?

As part of the business combination process, Sakuu Corporation expects to raise approximately $100 million from a mix of private investment and public capital markets. The company intends to channel these proceeds into the commercialization of its proprietary battery technologies and further expansion of its manufacturing capacity.

At present, Sakuu operates two specialized facilities in Silicon Valley, California: a solid-state battery pilot line and an additive manufacturing engineering center. These hubs serve as the proving grounds for the Kavian platform and the SwiftPrint battery architecture, providing a foundation for scaling production to meet growing demand.

Sakuu claims to already hold purchase orders exceeding $300 million through 2025, indicating strong early interest from industrial customers seeking scalable, customizable, and high-performance battery solutions.

Why are investors like Plum Acquisition Corp. I betting on Sakuu’s platform?

The backing from Plum Acquisition Corp. I—a SPAC launched by high-profile executives with deep experience in innovation, finance, and operations—underscores the broader investor belief in Sakuu’s potential to catalyze disruption in a sector that has traditionally evolved incrementally.

Ursula Burns, Chairwoman of Plum Acquisition and former CEO of Xerox Corporation, emphasized the transformative nature of Sakuu’s offering. “I’ve always been fascinated by fundamental step changes in approach that unlock significant value in otherwise incrementally evolving industries,” said Burns. “Sakuu represents an opportunity for such a fundamental step change in manufacturing through its high-volume, multi-material, additive manufacturing Kavian platform—something that has impressed even a printing industry veteran like me.”

Alongside Burns, co-founders Kanishka Roy and Mike Dinsdale bring domain expertise in financial structuring, early-stage technology investment, and operational scaling—capabilities that could prove critical in shepherding Sakuu through the transition to a public entity and beyond.

What regulatory and shareholder hurdles remain for the SPAC transaction?

The transaction is slated to close in the third quarter of 2023, subject to regulatory approvals, customary closing conditions, and shareholder consent. Upon completion, Sakuu Holdings Inc. will be structured such that existing equity holders of Sakuu Corporation are expected to retain approximately 80% ownership in the combined entity, giving them majority control and upside exposure in the publicly listed business.

SPAC deals have increasingly come under regulatory scrutiny following the 2021 boom in blank-check company mergers, particularly regarding financial projections and post-deal performance. However, Sakuu’s existing purchase commitments, dual-facility infrastructure, and clear commercialization plan could help mitigate typical execution risks associated with early-stage tech-focused SPAC transactions.

What is the broader market opportunity for Sakuu’s solid-state battery technologies?

Sakuu is entering a battery market projected to surpass $400 billion globally by 2030, driven by the electrification of transportation, growing demand for energy storage systems, and tightening emissions targets. However, most batteries in use today are lithium-ion based, with graphite anodes and liquid electrolytes—designs that are nearing their theoretical energy density and thermal safety limits.

In contrast, solid-state lithium-metal batteries, like those Sakuu is developing, promise higher energy density, better safety profiles, and longer cycle lives. Yet challenges in scalability, material cost, and manufacturing complexity have slowed mainstream adoption.

Sakuu’s additive manufacturing approach attempts to overcome these barriers by integrating materials and layer processing in a digitally controlled, multi-material print process—effectively reducing waste, space, and costs while improving output efficiency. The SwiftPrint solution could enable custom energy storage modules for drones, aircraft, and electric motorcycles that would otherwise be impossible or uneconomical using conventional fabrication techniques.

If successful, the Kavian platform could also be extended to print micro-reactors, biomedical sensors, and other multi-material devices, expanding the addressable market far beyond batteries.

Could Sakuu become a platform company for advanced functional device manufacturing?

In strategic terms, Sakuu Corporation is positioning itself not just as a battery manufacturer but as a platform developer for functional device printing. By perfecting additive manufacturing of complex, high-performance devices at commercial scale, Sakuu aims to carve out a niche in digitally driven, vertically integrated production ecosystems.

This orientation aligns with broader trends in Industry 4.0, where flexibility, speed-to-market, and distributed manufacturing are seen as critical competitive advantages. If Kavian can scale, the model could prove particularly attractive to OEMs (original equipment manufacturers) and Tier 1 suppliers seeking to diversify supply chains and improve component-level customization.

With major automakers and aerospace giants under pressure to innovate battery architecture for next-generation platforms, Sakuu’s technology stack could become an enabler for proprietary, on-demand component manufacturing within these ecosystems.

Why Sakuu’s SPAC path could accelerate commercialization

Sakuu Corporation’s decision to go public through a SPAC merger comes at a pivotal moment for the battery and manufacturing industries. As clean energy technologies move from lab-scale to gigafactory-scale deployment, the need for cost-effective, scalable, and customizable manufacturing systems is becoming mission-critical.

If the merger proceeds as planned and funding targets are met, Sakuu Holdings Inc. could be uniquely positioned to commercialize the first high-volume, additively manufactured solid-state battery. Investor appetite will depend not just on technological validation but also on execution in scaling, quality assurance, and customer delivery.

The months ahead will test Sakuu’s ability to convert promise into performance—and if it succeeds, it could emerge as a foundational player in the next generation of sustainable, digitally integrated manufacturing.