Alexander Girau

Alexander Girau Email and Phone Number

CEO and Co-Founder at Group1 | Energy Transition Fellow, Energy Institute at UT-Austin @ Group1
Alexander Girau's Location
Austin, Texas, United States, United States
Alexander Girau's Contact Details
About Alexander Girau

“The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly… who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly.”I’m Alexander Girau, an autodidact and visionary CEO who turns bold ideas into real-world solutions. Throughout my career, I’ve worked closely on two Nobel Prize-winning technologies—quantum dots and lithium-ion batteries—leveraging first-principles thinking to navigate complex scientific areas.As the founding CEO of two tech companies, I’m redefining the future using advanced solutions and strong IP. These companies are built on technologies I identified and nurtured from institutions such as Tulane, UT Austin, and Sharp Corporation Japan. Over the course of my career, I’ve raised more than $40M in VC, turning visions into tangible impact.One of my proudest achievements is introducing the world’s first commercial potassium-ion battery, a critical-mineral-free alternative to lithium-ion tech. From cutting-edge tech to large-scale engineering, I’m passionate about delivering transformative solutions.My VisionI envision a future with clearer air, cleaner water, and bluer skies. Growing up in New Orleans and experiencing the devastation of Hurricane Katrina fueled my commitment to building resilient, decarbonization-focused solutions. This vision drives everything I do, combining breakthrough tech with strategic leadership to create lasting, positive change.My ApproachAs Founder/CEO, I value the synergy between strategy, technology, and operational excellence—driving solutions from a 1,000-foot view down to the nanoscale.--Strategist: I integrate insights across technology, economics, geopolitics, and human nature to create forward-thinking plans. From high-level vision to fine details, I connect ideas with action to uncover opportunities and align resources.--Technologist: With over 16 patents, I bridge research with scalable solutions using first principles. This approach enables me to time innovations, identify gaps, and strategically create or acquire solutions.--Operator: I’m hands-on in turning strategies into measurable results. From planning to execution, I ensure every step leads to meaningful outcomes.Through this blend of skills, I’m obsessed with executing highly technical concepts into reality, pushing the boundaries of innovation far beyond energy. Let’s connect if you’re passionate about turning ambitious ideas into groundbreaking solutions.

Alexander Girau's Current Company Details
Group1

Group1

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CEO and Co-Founder at Group1 | Energy Transition Fellow, Energy Institute at UT-Austin
Alexander Girau Work Experience Details
  • Group1
    Ceo, Executive Director, And Co-Founder
    Group1 Jun 2021 - Present
    Austin, Texas, Us
    The world's 1st battery material and technology company focused on the rapid commercialization of critical mineral-free Potassium-ion batteries. Continuing the lineage of innovation from the pioneering co-inventor of the lithium-ion battery and 2019 Chemistry Nobel laureate UT-Austin Professor JB Goodenough.
  • Energy Institute, The University Of Texas At Austin
    Energy Transition Fellow
    Energy Institute, The University Of Texas At Austin Jun 2022 - Present
    Senior Research Fellow at the Energy Institute, University of Texas at Austin.
  • Pioneer Fund
    Senior Venture Partner
    Pioneer Fund Nov 2017 - Jan 2024
    San Francisco, California, Us
    Funding the next batch of YC alumni.
  • Advano
    Executive Chairman, Ceo, & Founder
    Advano Apr 2017 - Mar 2021
    New Orleans, Louisiana, Us
    "Practical and scalable solutions to accelerate the renewable revolution."The first coin-cell was made in April 2017.Highlights:-Successfully, guided the company during COVID-19 global pandemic; turning into period of most rapid, measurable growth in company's history.-Established company from concept and grew Operations from a 2,000 sqft facility to a 40,000 sqft facility which included pilot-scale material production, R&D laboratories, and cell assembly and testing.-Raised over $21M in VC financings -Key contributor in the development of initial material platform technology (SiC nanofiber reinforced nanoSi composites) solely owned by Advano. Resulting in 10+ patents.-Established all back-office operations (accounting, HR, onboarding, legal, financial, etc) and built a hyper-growth operations team.-Manage all investor relations as well as corporate governance and board integration-Recruited initial 40 employees, including sponsored 3 internationals for work visa (HB-1), and 2 green card (EB-1).-Portfolio of 30+ patents in various stages of prosecution-Principle architect responsible for the repositioning Advano for future of data/Ai integration into core operations (via "Project Save Money").-Strategically led vertical integration, going from raw material to anode material + battery technology company.-Established international supply-chain spanning 3 continents of vendors to produce high-performing battery materials-Established partnerships with 10+ non-profit contract manufacturers, federal funded national laboratories, and multinational conglomerates
  • Advano
    Founder
    Advano Mar 2013 - Mar 2021
    New Orleans, Louisiana, Us
    Big things start from humble beginnings.From one person start-up spinning out my Ph.D. tech from Tulane University into a shell company, "AG-TU Technologies" (Alex Girau, Tulane University). Then changed from AG-TU Technologies to Advano (Advancing Nanotechnology).
  • Tulane University
    Visiting Research Scientist
    Tulane University Dec 2016 - Mar 2021
    New Orleans, La, Us
    The beginning of battery operations at Advano was here. After a year of market discovery, I joined Tulane University as a Visiting Research Scientist. I built Advano's first prototypes/materials and led a pre-seed funded new interdisciplinary effort focused on battery material technology in the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering (Dr. Brian Mitchell), Department of Chemistry (Dr. Mark Fink), and Department of Physics and Engineering Physics (Dr. Doug Chrisey) as a Visiting Research Scientist and built Advano's first prototypes. This is also where my Co-Founder/CTO (Dr. Shiva Adireddy) and I began working in unison.Specifically, I focused on the manufacturing and optimization of functional carbon & silicon-based nanomaterials as well as novel processing technologies (photonic curing) that dramatically boost the performance of advanced energy storage systems. The effort is streamlined to commercialize novel technologies through Advano, and is the genesis of a university-wide collaboration on lithium-ion battery technology between research groups in the Departments of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Department of Physics and Engineering Physics, and Department of Chemistry. I also led/wrote and submitted three grants, two of which were funded for a total ~$500K: U.S. D.O.E. Small Business Voucher, and Louisiana Board of Regents Industrial Ties Research Program.•
  • Keystone Engineering Inc
    Chemical Engineer Iii
    Keystone Engineering Inc May 2012 - Dec 2013
    Mandeville, Louisiana, Us
    Engineering consultant for the oil/gas and chemical manufacturing industry on assets valued over $1B for Fortune 500 companies (Shell Exploration and Production Company, Marathon Oil Company, Valero Energy, etc.) and also an early-stage venture backed by Bill Gates and Khosla Ventures (KiOR). Managed client relationships and delivered 100% of projects on time and under budget. •
  • Tulane University
    Phd Candidate & Graduate Researcher, Department Of Chemical And Biomolecular Engineering
    Tulane University May 2010 - May 2012
    New Orleans, La, Us
    Specialized in the manufacturing, processing and characterization of nanostructure materials, specifically silicon nanoparticles. I passed the PhD Qualifying Examination and left early to found startup company based on silicon nanotechnology manufacturing process developed at Tulane during doctoral research. I acquired $70,000 in grant funding to go towards silicon quantum dot based thin-film technology. I also developed non-viral transfection agents using surface functionalized silicon quantum dots for gene therapy applications.
  • Sodi-Can  (Start-Up)
    Founder, Ceo
    Sodi-Can (Start-Up) Oct 2011 - Apr 2012
    A collaborative with medical students at Tulane School of Medicine, SODI-CAN is a jerry can with a unique nanoparticle enhanced polymer that promoted the disinfection of fouled water utilizing solar energy. Highlights include: 1 patent pending, 1st Place at Tulane Medical Science Innovation Business Plan Competition 2011, Finalist at $50K Tulane Business Plan Competition 2012
  • Loyola University New Orleans
    Undergraduate Researcher, Department Of Chemistry
    Loyola University New Orleans Aug 2006 - Aug 2010
    New Orleans, La, Us
    I specialized in analytical chemistry and chemical thermodynamics. Specifically, I investigated the physical chemistry of aerosolized nanostructures by designing and constructing tailored apparatus, designing analytical programming, and optimizing computer-instrument interface to establish real-time analysis. I lead several projects (1): Developed and constructed a mobile condensed particle counter with data acquisition software to analyze atmospheric aerosols from Deep Horizon Oil Spill (required LabView, R, and Igor); (2) Analysis of the deliquescence of various salt nanoparticles via condensed particle counter (required LabView and Igor). This work resulted in an honors thesis, two posters and a publication.

Alexander Girau Skills

Nanotechnology Start Ups Chemistry Materials Science Entrepreneurship Process Engineering Engineering Chemical Engineering R&d Strategy Nanoparticles Research And Development Data Analysis Research Matlab Leadership Product Design Licensing Intellectual Property Polymers Characterization Microsoft Office Business Strategy Business Development Materials Technology Transfer Product Development Strategic Planning Management Business Planning Team Leadership Negotiation Commercialization Product Management Strategic Partnerships Energy

Alexander Girau Education Details

  • Tulane University
    Tulane University
    Chemical And Biomolecular Engineering
  • Y Combinator
    Y Combinator
    S17
  • Loyola University New Orleans
    Loyola University New Orleans
    Chemistry (American Chemical Society) And Mathematics/Computational Science

Frequently Asked Questions about Alexander Girau

What company does Alexander Girau work for?

Alexander Girau works for Group1

What is Alexander Girau's role at the current company?

Alexander Girau's current role is CEO and Co-Founder at Group1 | Energy Transition Fellow, Energy Institute at UT-Austin.

What is Alexander Girau's email address?

Alexander Girau's email address is al****@****ail.com

What is Alexander Girau's direct phone number?

Alexander Girau's direct phone number is +141563*****

What schools did Alexander Girau attend?

Alexander Girau attended Tulane University, Y Combinator, Loyola University New Orleans.

What skills is Alexander Girau known for?

Alexander Girau has skills like Nanotechnology, Start Ups, Chemistry, Materials Science, Entrepreneurship, Process Engineering, Engineering, Chemical Engineering, R&d, Strategy, Nanoparticles, Research And Development.

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