Conifer Featured in The Wall Street Journal on Breakthrough Rare-Earth-Free Motor Technology

Fresh off a $20 million seed round for its magnet-agnostic electric motor and powertrain technology, Conifer co-founders Ankit Somani and Yateendra Deshpande spoke with columnist Christopher Mims of The Wall Street to exploring their innovations, which offer rare-earth-free electric motors and promise for the future of EV innovation.

The article, “These Electric Motors Could Help Break the World’s Dependence on China”, spotlights how Conifer’s axial-flux motors eliminate the need for rare-earth materials by using iron-based magnets – a leap forward in supply chain flexibility, affordability, and sustainability.

The compact, efficient motors will be tested in everything from e-scooters to HVAC systems, with potential applications across EVs, robotics, and beyond. “We wanted to rethink it from the ground up to see if we can come up with something far better,” said Somani, Conifer’s CEO.

The announcement comes at a time when heightened trade tensions and a fractured supply chain of rare earth materials – a requirement for many motor manufacturers – is impacting the industry.

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