Centerview Partners investment banker Emlen Fischer has departed the investment bank to join solid-state battery startup Factorial Energy.
(Bloomberg) — Centerview Partners investment banker Emlen Fischer has departed the investment bank to join solid-state battery startup Factorial Energy.
Fischer, who had been a partner at Centerview, will be Factorial’s chief financial officer and chief business officer.
“He will be responsible for scaling operations as the company expands its footprint and progresses toward commercializing its solid-state battery technology,” a Factorial spokesperson said in a statement.
A representative for Centerview declined to comment.
Woburn, Massachusetts-based Factorial focuses on solid-state batteries that have the potential to power electric cars for longer driving ranges than possible with conventional lithium-ion batteries. Mercedes-Benz Group AG, Hyundai Motor Co., and Stellantis NV are backers of the company.
Factorial raised $200 million in a funding round in January 2022, which Centerview advised on. It was valued at $1 billion, at the time, according to data provider PitchBook.
The company is one of dozens trying to reach the “holy grail” of battery innovation: a solid-state battery that can deliver longer range, faster charging times, reduced fire risk and lower cost.
Fischer joined Centerview in 2010 and was a founding member of the firm’s tech practice in Palo Alto, California, according to the bank’s website. Earlier in his career, he worked at JPMorgan Chase & Co.
Throughout his career, he’s been involved in more than $250 billion worth of deals, including assignments advising companies such as Qualcomm Inc., Seagate Technology Holdings Plc and Cognizant Technology Solutions Corp., the website shows.
–With assistance from Gabrielle Coppola.
More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com
©2023 Bloomberg L.P.