Lithosquare Raises $25 Million to Speed AI‑Powered Critical Mineral Discovery

TL;DR: Lithosquare closed a $25 million round led by World Fund and Kindred Capital to expand its AI platform that could avoid 140 million tonnes of CO₂‑equivalent emissions annually by 2040.

Lithosquare, a Paris‑based startup founded in 2024, uses artificial intelligence to automate the search for critical minerals such as copper, rare earth elements and lithium. The company’s platform blends large language‑style AI models with field data and geological expertise to pinpoint promising deposits ten times faster than traditional methods.

The new funding will double Lithosquare’s staff to about 40 people and fund a U.S. office to serve partners across North America, Europe, Africa and Latin America. Investors include World Fund, Kindred Capital, Daphni, Omnes Capital and Ovni Capital. The round also features a previously undisclosed pre‑seed tranche.

Founder and mining engineer Aymeric Préveral‑Etcheverry argues that the world’s reliance on oil and gas creates a “massive opportunity” for electrification. Faster discovery of critical minerals, he says, is essential for battery production, grid storage and electric‑vehicle rollout.

World Fund’s analysis estimates the platform could prevent roughly 140 million tonnes of CO₂‑equivalent emissions each year by 2040. The savings stem from quicker delivery of metals needed for clean‑energy technologies and reduced speculative drilling, which lowers local environmental impact.

Lithosquare’s business model ties revenue to successful discoveries, sharing profits with mining partners when a site becomes a producing mine. This outcome‑based approach aligns incentives and reduces upfront costs for explorers.

The funding arrives as governments tighten critical‑material policies. The EU’s Critical Raw Materials Act and the UK’s similar targets aim to secure at least 10 % of annual consumption domestically, emphasizing the strategic importance of new supply sources.

What to watch next: Lithosquare’s expansion into the United States and its ability to deliver commercial discoveries will test whether AI can materially accelerate the supply chain for the energy transition.