Approximately 90 percent of global magnet production currently relies on supply chains originating in China, and the startup Alqem AI is launching a project to identify new magnetic materials that do not contain rare earth elements, lessening that dependence. The company’s approach combines artificial intelligence synthesis, turning digital predictions into tangible materials, and is supported by Claudia Felser, director at the Max Planck Institute for Chemical Physics of Solids. This connection is strengthened by Alqem AI VP of Operations Julia Krez, who earned her Ph.D. from Claudia Felser and is also a member of the Board of Trustees of the MPI for Chemical Physics of Solids. Despite the defining role materials like bronze and silicon have played in past technological eras, hundreds of millions of theoretically possible crystalline compounds remain undiscovered. “We’re starting where the need is greatest: with rare-earth-free magnets—a product the world urgently needs, since rare earths have remained irreplaceable for decades,” says Hanh Nguyen, CEO of Alqem AI.
Alqem AI Platform Combines Prediction Databases with Synthesis
The DEEPtech startup is leveraging an artificial intelligence platform that combines extensive databases of predicted materials with high-quality training data and in-house laboratory synthesis capabilities, bridging the gap between computational prediction and tangible material creation. This approach builds upon Alexandria, a leading open materials database already utilized by numerous universities and companies engaged in materials research. Julia Krez, Alqem AI’s VP of Operations, earned her Ph.D. from Claudia Felser and is also a member of the Board of Trustees of the MPI for Chemical Physics of Solids, establishing a strong connection between the startup and leading materials science research; this collaboration currently focuses on identifying new magnetic materials that do not require rare earth elements.
Felser emphasizes the difficulty of materials discovery, stating, “Discovering a truly new permanent magnet is one of the most difficult problems in materials science. The last real breakthrough was over forty years ago.” Alqem AI’s platform distinguishes itself by not only predicting promising candidates but also subjecting them to rigorous experimental testing, a process Felser believes “is the combination of large-scale computer-aided screening and systematic synthesis that convinces me this can work.”
We’re starting where the need is greatest: with rare-earth-free magnets, a product the world urgently needs, since rare earths have remained irreplaceable for decades. But the AI platform we’re building isn’t limited to a single class of materials.
The demand for high-performance permanent magnets, critical components in electric vehicles, wind turbines, and defense systems, currently relies heavily on a precarious supply chain; approximately 90 percent of these magnets originate in China, creating a significant geopolitical vulnerability. This partnership leverages Alqem AI’s artificial intelligence platform built upon the foundation of the Alexandria open materials database and the MPI CPfS’s expertise in solid-state research. Julia Krez, Alqem AI’s VP of Operations, earned her Ph.D. from Claudia Felser and is also a member of the Board of Trustees of the MPI for Chemical Physics of Solids.
