Quantum energy startup Casimir has raised $12 million in an oversubscribed seed round.

The Houston, Texas-based company said it would use the funding to accelerate the commercialization of its first-generation quantum vacuum energy chip, dubbed MicroSparc.

According to Casimir, the chip generates “continuous electrical power” by harvesting energy from quantum vacuum fields, removing the need for batteries, cords, or charging equipment. Measuring 5mm sq and producing 1.5 volts at 25 microamps, Casimir said MicroSparc’s performance is comparable to a small rechargeable battery, but with no degradation or replacement cycle.

At present, the startup is targeting ultra-low-power electronics, specifically devices where battery replacement is costly or impractical, with the chip expected to be available by 2028.

Led by Scout Ventures, the oversubscribed round exceeded the company’s investment target of $8m, with additional investors including Lavrock Ventures, Cottonwood Technology, Capital Factory, American Deep Tech, and Tim Draper of Draper Associates.

“Millions of devices will operate for years without a battery ever needing to be replaced or recharged because we have engineered a customized Casimir cavity into hardware capable of producing persistent electrical power,” said Dr. Harold “Sonny” White, founder and CEO of Casimir.

“I spent nearly two decades at NASA studying how we power humanity’s future. That work led me to the Casimir effect and the quantum vacuum, where new tools have allowed us to build on a century of scientific knowledge and bring abundant power to the world.”