Alexander L. Girau

Alexander Girau is the CEO and Co-founder of Group1, the first company commercializing potassium-ion battery technology, a critical-mineral-free alternative to traditional lithium-ion batteries. Girau has worked on two Nobel Prize-winning technologies—quantum dots and lithium-ion batteries—both enabled by material innovation. He now leads the commercialization of a breakthrough battery material from the lab of Professor John Goodenough, Nobel Laureate and co-inventor of the lithium-ion battery.

Girau has raised over $40 million in venture capital throughout his career, driving the growth of advanced material startups. He is named inventor on 17 granted patents and holds exclusive IP rights for his companies to over 25 patents from institutions like Tulane University, the University of Texas at Austin, and Sharp Corporation Japan. As the CEO of two high-tech companies, Girau has built strong, durable business models around cutting-edge battery technologies, positioning his companies as leaders in the energy transition. His leadership is marked by a commitment to decarbonization and sustainability.

Growing up in New Orleans, Girau's resilience as a leader was shaped by his experience rebuilding the city after Hurricane Katrina, which drives his passion for addressing climate challenges. He holds an M.S. in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering from Tulane University, where he was pursuing his Ph.D. but left to spin the core technology into what became Advano, a silicon battery material startup. He also holds a B.S. from Loyola University New Orleans in Chemistry (Honors) and Mathematics. Girau is an alumnus of Y Combinator, the famed Silicon Valley accelerator, a Venture Partner at Pioneer Fund, and an Energy Transition Fellow at the University of Texas Energy Institute.