Pentagon offers battery startup 6K $250M loan to build U.S. factory

The Pentagon has conditionally approved a $250 million loan to battery-materials startup 6K to scale up its microwave-plasma manufacturing process and build a U.S. factory. The funding, announced by the Defense Department, is intended to expand domestic output of critical battery materials and reduce reliance on foreign supply chains. 6K's plasma-based process produces materials for batteries and other applications, and the loan is structured to support construction and equipment as the company moves toward commercial-scale production. The award matters because it deepens Pentagon involvement in the U.S. battery supply chain amid rising demand for energy storage and electrification. Next, watch whether 6K satisfies the loan's conditions, finalizes a factory site and timeline, and converts the conditional commitment into a closed financing package.