US developer raises $20m for ‘magnet-agnostic’ axial-flux motors
15 April 2025 
A US motor developer called Conifer has raised $20m in seed funding to commercialise its “magnet-agnostic” axial-flux motor and powertrain technologies, including a proprietary tool-free, software-driven method of manufacturing. Founded by former Apple, Google and Lucid Motors engineers, the San Francisco company has spent the past two years developing and validating its technologies.
Conifer has invented a compact axial-flux motor with a proprietary stator technology that uses widely-available ferrite magnets to achieve high efficiencies and power densities said to be comparable to those of rare-earth-magnet-based motors. This cuts costs and reduces dependence on foreign supply chains.
If an application calls for it, Conifer’s motors can use neodymium-based magnets to double their power densities. This can reduce stator core sizes by 95% and eliminate the production of scrap steel.
The motors can be used either to power vehicles, or for stationary applications. Conifer says that its vision is to power 10 billion new applications by 2040.
The company reports that it is attracting significant interest for stationary applications in sectors such as HVAC, industrial automation and pumps. The IE5-efficient motors are said to be half the length and weight of induction machines of a similar rating, and can act as a drop-in replacement for motors of the same Nema/IEC frame size. Prices of the electronically commutated motors are similar to those of induction motors.
Conifer is launching a pilot program for partners with stationary applications. It is offering the stackable motors in three ratings: 1.5hp/1.1kW, 5hp/3.7kW and 10hp/7.5kW. Their torque ratings range from 3-19.8Nm, their weights range from 10-51kg, and their rated speed is 3,600 rpm (5,000 peak).
The $20m funding will be used both to expand the stationary product lines, and to deliver production versions of the company’s first commercial product – a geared in-wheel powertrain for smaller on-road and off-road vehicles, such as two-wheelers, small four-wheelers, lawnmowers and tractors.
Conifer says it is rethinking powertrains “from the ground up”. Powertrains – comprising motors, inverters, gearboxes and control software – are fundamental to electric and hybrid mobility, as well as to industrial automation, robotics and drone applications. They can account for up to 30% of total system costs.
Current vehicle powertrain technologies rely heavily on rare-earth elements and tool-heavy manufacturing processes, where design changes can cause months of delay and add significant costs.
“We took inspiration from battery cell design and manufacturing,” says Conifer co-founder, Yateendra Deshpande. “Given our modular motor design, for the first time, motors can be manufactured at scale without expensive tooling, using a fully parameterised software-driven process. Our process allows a single production line to create motors of various sizes under 25hp (18.6kW), while reducing manufacturing costs for the key winding step by over 90%. Integrating with our modular inverter, gearbox and flexible software layers, helps us deliver customer requirements cost-effectively and rapidly.”
Conifer is targeting applications such as lawnmowers, tractors and power tools currently served by more than a billion petrol-powered engines. Manufacturers of these products wanting to create electric versions are often limited to inefficient and failure-prone hub motors.
Conifer’s first commercial product addresses this problem. It is a drop-in, geared in-wheel powertrain for various wheel sizes, said to deliver high efficiency and continuous power density. Users who have tested the system in real-world conditions have reported increased ranges, lower parts costs, and the ability to rely on local supply chains. Conifer plans to start shipping production versions of these in-wheel systems later this year.
“Our mission is to make electrification and automation both exciting and practical at scale,” says co-founder, Ankit Somani, who previously worked on R&D at Google. “It’s difficult for customers to get their ideal powertrain, which simultaneously solves for longer range, meets specifications in the smallest volume possible, and is cost-effective. They also don’t want to be stuck managing multiple vendors and an unreliable supply chain.”
Conifer: LinkedIn
