Paris‑based Lithosquare has closed a $25 million equity seed round, led by German VC World Fund and UK investor Kindred Capital, with French backers Daphni, Omnes Capital and Ovni Capital. The startup claims its AI platform can pinpoint critical‑metal deposits faster than traditional methods, targeting copper, lithium and nickel.

Critical metals fuel electric‑vehicle batteries and grid storage, yet supply remains concentrated—China supplies 95 % of rare earths. EU policy now pushes for 10 % domestic production by 2030. Lithosquare’s model uses multimodal data, from satellite imagery to geophysical readings, to spot previously unseen sites.

Last year the company partnered with UK miner Aterian on eight Moroccan and Botswanan projects, receiving a €500 k upfront payment that counts as revenue. Lithosquare typically charges a baseline fee and shares future mine profits, positioning itself as a low‑risk, high‑return partner for exploration firms.

With the new capital, Lithosquare plans to double staff to 40 and open a North American office, aiming to outpace rivals like Kobold Metals, which raised $537 m in 2023. The firm’s AI could reshape critical‑metal sourcing, reducing analysis time from months to days and tightening supply chains for green‑tech investors.