Empowering clean
energy solutions.
California Catalysts, formerly H2U Technologies, is the world’s premier developer of advanced materials for electrolysis. Our company was founded to commercialize the $122M of DOE grants to Caltech and other research institutions that made up the ambitious JCAP program. In exclusively licensing the high-throughput catalyst discovery engine (CDE) from Caltech, our founder Prof. Nate Lewis sought to bring next-generation catalysts from the lab to the field. Over the past four years we’ve accomplished that goal by entering joint development agreements with leading electrolyzer manufacturers, growing IP through AI and experimentation, and bringing novel non-iridium OER catalysts and PTL coatings to market under our own brand.
AI-driven hydrogen solutions.
Calicat uses AI alongside proprietary physical testing methods (CDE) to discover and test low-cost electrocatalysts, accelerating the material development process by orders of magnitude vs incumbent approaches.
What started at Caltech as a purely physical system with a bias towards activity is now a sophisticated multivariate process that starts and ends with our proprietary AI model. By feeding years of hard-earned data into our model, we’ve grown its effectiveness and integrated its insights into our practice. Calicat’s AI is now 70% accurate at predicting not only activity but durability and permanence as well. From guiding the elemental thrust of joint development agreements with our commercial partners to directing promising internal research, our AI isn’t window dressing – it’s core to how we do business.
LEARN MORE ABOUT HOW WE DISCOVER AND TEST NEW CATALYSTS HERE
The catalysts that are predicted by our AI, tested in our CDE, and synthesized by our chemistry team are having real impact downrange. We partner with industry leaders to apply these novel catalysts to hydrogen electrolyzer systems – enhancing their performance, durability, safety, and inherent economics. With our unique intellectual property and extensive electrocatalyst activity database, we are breaking down fundamental barriers to low-cost green hydrogen production.
Meet our team.
Diverse technical talent and industry veterans working out of our 6,000 sqft research facility in LA.
Jourdan Urbach
CEO
Jourdan came to Calicat's board via an investment in their very first financing, later becoming interim CEO in January of 2024. Before focusing his career on seed-stage energy technology VC @ Levelized Capital & Capella Partners, Jourdan was part of a small team that created McKinsey & Co.’s “New Ventures” group. A scientist by training, Jourdan's peer-reviewed neuroscience research from the Hafler Lab at MIT’s Broad Institute has been broadly cited, and he was granted 4 patents while R&D Director at cloud storage firm MiMedia. Jourdan holds a B.A. from Yale, where he received Clay Christensen’s 3rd annual Disruptive Innovation Award alongside Jack Dorsey and Daniel Kahneman.
Nathan Lewis, PhD
Chief Scientific Advisor
Prof. Lewis has been active in the solar fuels/solar chemical field for over 40 years, and has published over 500 papers, presented hundreds of public and technical plenary and invited lectures in the area and is responsible for training a preeminent cohort of globally leading researchers in the solar fuels field.
Michael Mazza, PhD
Director of Catalyst ENGINEERING
Michael has been at Calicat since 2021, leading the construction and operation of the catalyst discovery engine, as well as the catalyst development efforts. Prior to this position, Michael earned his Ph.D in Chemistry at the California Institute of Technology, focusing on surface science and defect-driven reactivity. A dedicated science communicator, Michael was a founding member of Caltech’s Visiting Scientists program which organizes teams of Caltech staff to develop and teach hands-on science curriculum in Pasadena elementary schools.
Thomas Werner
Board Chairman
An investor, environmentalist, social justice advocate, and Advisor to the CEO of SunPower, Tom has more than 25 years of experience in leadership roles at disruptive technology and energy organizations. Before joining SunPower, where he spent 18 years as CEO, Tom was CEO at Silicon Light Machines, Inc.
Steve Wollenberg
Chief Commercial Officer
The first employee at Calicat, Steve is a serial entrepreneur and seasoned manager with emphasis on hybrid renewable energy management industries, connected, and autonomous vehicles, location-based services, and automation and robotics. He brings a founder's mindset to customer success, commercial outreach, and government program management at Calicat.
David R Martin
Chief Product Officer
David's engineering career encompasses 30+ years of innovation delivered across the globe building better products and services, with a focus on commercializing early-stage water and energy technologies. He has extensive hydrogen Product Development and Technology leadership experience. Along the way David has built markets and products with Unilever, GE, Ford, AT&T, DTE Energy, and Mitsubishi.
Jim DiSanto
Director of Business Development
Jim has 25 years experience as a silicon valley tech executive and veteran entrepreneur, mainly in enterprise software, mobile applications, location based services, sensors, and automotive systems. During the past decade, Jim co-founded and lead KonaWare, a pioneer in mobile applications for transportation/logistics, which he sold to Yamei Electronics of Beijing in 2009. Jim joined Yamei as a board director/GM and formed strategic partnerships with auto OEMs and Tier1s. Yamei was acquired by Trimble Navigation in 2011. Prior to this, Jim co-founded Simplexity Wireless, a leading MNVO with revenue in excess of $400M annually, and Vicinity (VCNT), one of the first web location based services, which went public in 2000, and was purchased by Microsoft (for MapPoint) in 2002.
Steven Jaffe-Lewis
systems engineering MANAGER
Since joining Calicat in 2021, Steven has led the development of our Catalyst Testing Stations, which assess catalyst performance under real-world electrolyzer conditions. His expertise extends to designing and constructing electrolyzer balance of plant systems, ranging from 20W to 200kW. Before assuming his current role, Steven spent a decade as a Manufacturing Engineer, gaining experience across diverse industries such as clean room production lines, machine shops, embedded systems programming, and facilities construction management. He holds a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Southern California.
Odin Achorn, PhD
Senior Nanoparticle Synthesis EngINEER
Odin joined Calicat in 2022, focusing his work on the nanoparticle synthesis and scale-up of novel electrocatalysts. He also characterizes the electrochemical performance of these catalysts in electrolytic cells that he and the rest of the team build in-house. Odin earned his Ph.D in Chemistry from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where he worked with Professor Moungi Bawendi on the size-controlled synthesis of indium phosphide quantum dots.
Catherine Earl, PhD
Nanoparticle Synthesis EngINEER
Catherine has been with Calicat since December 2023. Her main goals include developing large scale syntheses for catalyst powders, both PGM and non- PGM, discovered on the catalyst discovery engine and integrating them for cell testing. Dr. Earl earned her Ph.D at the University of Wisconsin-Madison where she studied how nanomaterials transform under environmentally relevant conditions. While in Madison, she became an expert on nanomaterial characterization using scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. She brings this synthesis and characterization expertise as well as her passion for the environment to the Calicat team.
Zachary Ifkovits, PhD
Electrochemical engineer
Zachary Ifkovits has been working as an Electrochemical Engineer at Calicat since 2023, heading efforts to integrate new catalysts and materials into bench-top and pilot-scale electrolysis systems. He earned his Ph.D in Chemical Engineering at the California Institute of Technology, studying earth-abundant catalysts for water electrolysis and protective coatings for photoelectrochemical devices. During his time at Caltech, Zach was a member of the Solar Energy Activity Lab, which leads academic-style clean- energy-research projects at Los Angeles area high schools.
Maureen Morla, PhD
Catalyst AI ENGINEER
Since 2023, Dr. Morla has spearheaded the development of Calicat's predictive AI/ML models. As a catalyst screening engineer, she worked on non-PGM catalyst discovery, as well as catalyst ink formulation and application for cell testing. Additionally, she manages Calicat’s diverse IP portfolio and organizes efforts to protect new technologies developed internally. Dr. Morla earned her Ph.D in chemistry at the California Institute of Technology, where she studied semiconducting nanomaterials and redox-activated surface reactions. During her time at Caltech, she demonstrated her keen interest in startup technologies through her leadership of the Caltech Entrepreneurship Club, where she organized panels with industry professionals and performed due diligence in the technical advisory committee of Caltech’s Rocket Fund Grant for cleantech startups.
Roberto Pavez Diaz
Catalyst screening and modelling engineer
Roberto started working at Calicat as an intern in 2023 as part of the Master’s Degree in Electrochemistry program at the University of Oregon. He has built advanced data processing software for rapidly quantifying the activity and durability of materials on the catalyst discovery engine. He also led the creation of Calicat’s Levelized Cost of Hydrogen model. Always an environmentalist, for his thesis he designed an electrolysis plant for the treatment of Chilean mining waste, and created a cleaning competition at his University, resulting in 2.5 tons of trash removed.
Charlie Lin, CPA
Controller & HR
Since 1992, following Big-4 CPA experience with Arthur Andersen, Charlie has held key roles as CFO or controller of public (Acorn Energy, Deyu Agriculture, Wabtec, etc.) and private heavy manufacturing / high-tech (MicroFabrica, Foxconn, ProAction, etc.) ventures. He helped raise $22.5M for Microfabrica (miniature non-invasive medical device), Wabtec (NYSE: WAB) acquiring Ricon Corporation for $73.5M and Deyu’s IPO for $16.6M of preferred shares and warrants and raising $10.8M from Maxim. Holding a CPA and CMA, Charlie is well versed in start-ups of all stages, joint ventures, SEC regulation compliance, M&A valuation & due diligence, originating and closing private equity, and IPOs.
Samuel Stephen
Mechanical Technician
A graduate of the Fab School in Rancho Cucamonga, Sam's diverse mechanical skillset is evident throughout Calicat's lab and warehouse. Certified as a TIG welder, he engineers and executes solutions for testing, safety, and products. Whether building test cells or operating the ultrasonic spray coater, Sam brings scrappy solutions to supercharge Calicat every day. In his spare time Sam enjoys modifying cars, playing guitar, and long walks on the beach.
Jourdan Urbach
CEO
Jourdan came to Calicat's board via an investment in their very first financing, later becoming interim CEO in January of 2024. Before focusing his career on seed-stage energy technology VC @ Levelized Capital & Capella Partners, Jourdan was part of a small team that created McKinsey & Co.’s “New Ventures” group. A scientist by training, Jourdan's peer-reviewed neuroscience research from the Hafler Lab at MIT’s Broad Institute has been broadly cited, and he was granted 4 patents while R&D Director at cloud storage firm MiMedia. Jourdan holds a B.A. from Yale, where he received Clay Christensen’s 3rd annual Disruptive Innovation Award alongside Jack Dorsey and Daniel Kahneman.
Nathan Lewis, PhD
Chief Scientific Advisor
Prof. Lewis has been active in the solar fuels/solar chemical field for over 40 years, and has published over 500 papers, presented hundreds of public and technical plenary and invited lectures in the area and is responsible for training a preeminent cohort of globally leading researchers in the solar fuels field.
Michael Mazza, PhD
Director of Catalyst ENGINEERING
Michael has been at Calicat since 2021, leading the construction and operation of the catalyst discovery engine, as well as the catalyst development efforts. Prior to this position, Michael earned his Ph.D in Chemistry at the California Institute of Technology, focusing on surface science and defect-driven reactivity. A dedicated science communicator, Michael was a founding member of Caltech’s Visiting Scientists program which organizes teams of Caltech staff to develop and teach hands-on science curriculum in Pasadena elementary schools.
Thomas Werner
Board Chairman
An investor, environmentalist, social justice advocate, and Advisor to the CEO of SunPower, Tom has more than 25 years of experience in leadership roles at disruptive technology and energy organizations. Before joining SunPower, where he spent 18 years as CEO, Tom was CEO at Silicon Light Machines, Inc.
Steve Wollenberg
Chief Commercial Officer
The first employee at Calicat, Steve is a serial entrepreneur and seasoned manager with emphasis on hybrid renewable energy management industries, connected, and autonomous vehicles, location-based services, and automation and robotics. He brings a founder's mindset to customer success, commercial outreach, and government program management at Calicat.
David R Martin
Chief Product Officer
David's engineering career encompasses 30+ years of innovation delivered across the globe building better products and services, with a focus on commercializing early-stage water and energy technologies. He has extensive hydrogen Product Development and Technology leadership experience. Along the way David has built markets and products with Unilever, GE, Ford, AT&T, DTE Energy, and Mitsubishi.
Jim DiSanto
Director of Business Development
Jim has 25 years experience as a silicon valley tech executive and veteran entrepreneur, mainly in enterprise software, mobile applications, location based services, sensors, and automotive systems. During the past decade, Jim co-founded and lead KonaWare, a pioneer in mobile applications for transportation/logistics, which he sold to Yamei Electronics of Beijing in 2009. Jim joined Yamei as a board director/GM and formed strategic partnerships with auto OEMs and Tier1s. Yamei was acquired by Trimble Navigation in 2011. Prior to this, Jim co-founded Simplexity Wireless, a leading MNVO with revenue in excess of $400M annually, and Vicinity (VCNT), one of the first web location based services, which went public in 2000, and was purchased by Microsoft (for MapPoint) in 2002.
Steven Jaffe-Lewis
systems engineering MANAGER
Since joining Calicat in 2021, Steven has led the development of our Catalyst Testing Stations, which assess catalyst performance under real-world electrolyzer conditions. His expertise extends to designing and constructing electrolyzer balance of plant systems, ranging from 20W to 200kW. Before assuming his current role, Steven spent a decade as a Manufacturing Engineer, gaining experience across diverse industries such as clean room production lines, machine shops, embedded systems programming, and facilities construction management. He holds a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Southern California.
Odin Achorn, PhD
Senior Nanoparticle Synthesis EngINEER
Odin joined Calicat in 2022, focusing his work on the nanoparticle synthesis and scale-up of novel electrocatalysts. He also characterizes the electrochemical performance of these catalysts in electrolytic cells that he and the rest of the team build in-house. Odin earned his Ph.D in Chemistry from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where he worked with Professor Moungi Bawendi on the size-controlled synthesis of indium phosphide quantum dots.
Catherine Earl, PhD
Nanoparticle Synthesis EngINEER
Catherine has been with Calicat since December 2023. Her main goals include developing large scale syntheses for catalyst powders, both PGM and non- PGM, discovered on the catalyst discovery engine and integrating them for cell testing. Dr. Earl earned her Ph.D at the University of Wisconsin-Madison where she studied how nanomaterials transform under environmentally relevant conditions. While in Madison, she became an expert on nanomaterial characterization using scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. She brings this synthesis and characterization expertise as well as her passion for the environment to the Calicat team.
Zachary Ifkovits, PhD
Electrochemical engineer
Zachary Ifkovits has been working as an Electrochemical Engineer at Calicat since 2023, heading efforts to integrate new catalysts and materials into bench-top and pilot-scale electrolysis systems. He earned his Ph.D in Chemical Engineering at the California Institute of Technology, studying earth-abundant catalysts for water electrolysis and protective coatings for photoelectrochemical devices. During his time at Caltech, Zach was a member of the Solar Energy Activity Lab, which leads academic-style clean- energy-research projects at Los Angeles area high schools.
Maureen Morla, PhD
Catalyst AI ENGINEER
Since 2023, Dr. Morla has spearheaded the development of Calicat's predictive AI/ML models. As a catalyst screening engineer, she worked on non-PGM catalyst discovery, as well as catalyst ink formulation and application for cell testing. Additionally, she manages Calicat’s diverse IP portfolio and organizes efforts to protect new technologies developed internally. Dr. Morla earned her Ph.D in chemistry at the California Institute of Technology, where she studied semiconducting nanomaterials and redox-activated surface reactions. During her time at Caltech, she demonstrated her keen interest in startup technologies through her leadership of the Caltech Entrepreneurship Club, where she organized panels with industry professionals and performed due diligence in the technical advisory committee of Caltech’s Rocket Fund Grant for cleantech startups.
Roberto Pavez Diaz
Catalyst screening and modelling engineer
Roberto started working at Calicat as an intern in 2023 as part of the Master’s Degree in Electrochemistry program at the University of Oregon. He has built advanced data processing software for rapidly quantifying the activity and durability of materials on the catalyst discovery engine. He also led the creation of Calicat’s Levelized Cost of Hydrogen model. Always an environmentalist, for his thesis he designed an electrolysis plant for the treatment of Chilean mining waste, and created a cleaning competition at his University, resulting in 2.5 tons of trash removed.
Charlie Lin, CPA
Controller & HR
Since 1992, following Big-4 CPA experience with Arthur Andersen, Charlie has held key roles as CFO or controller of public (Acorn Energy, Deyu Agriculture, Wabtec, etc.) and private heavy manufacturing / high-tech (MicroFabrica, Foxconn, ProAction, etc.) ventures. He helped raise $22.5M for Microfabrica (miniature non-invasive medical device), Wabtec (NYSE: WAB) acquiring Ricon Corporation for $73.5M and Deyu’s IPO for $16.6M of preferred shares and warrants and raising $10.8M from Maxim. Holding a CPA and CMA, Charlie is well versed in start-ups of all stages, joint ventures, SEC regulation compliance, M&A valuation & due diligence, originating and closing private equity, and IPOs.
Samuel Stephen
Mechanical Technician
A graduate of the Fab School in Rancho Cucamonga, Sam's diverse mechanical skillset is evident throughout Calicat's lab and warehouse. Certified as a TIG welder, he engineers and executes solutions for testing, safety, and products. Whether building test cells or operating the ultrasonic spray coater, Sam brings scrappy solutions to supercharge Calicat every day. In his spare time Sam enjoys modifying cars, playing guitar, and long walks on the beach.
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