Chief Executive Officer & Co-Founder

Alexander Girau is a visionary leader in sustainable energy storage, co-founding Group1 to advance potassium-ion battery technology as a critical-mineral-free alternative to traditional lithium-ion systems. With a career marked by contributions to two Nobel Prize-winning fields—quantum dots and lithium-ion batteries—Girau has over 15 years of experience in materials science, energy storage, and technology commercialization, showcasing his ability to identify and scale groundbreaking innovations.

Girau began his career in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering research, focusing on silicon quantum dots for non-viral transfection at Tulane University. Recognizing the broader potential of his research, he pivoted the technology toward battery applications, founding Advano to develop silicon anodes for lithium-ion batteries. This adaptability reflects his forward-thinking approach and skill in applying material science fundamentals across diverse fields.

In addition to his work in battery materials, Girau has extensive experience consulting for the oil and gas sector’s Big 5, including Shell, where he played a role in designing over $2 billion in assets. This background in large-scale energy infrastructure allows him to bridge legacy energy solutions with next-generation sustainability.

Currently, Girau serves as an Energy Transition Fellow at the University of Texas at Austin’s Energy Institute and was previously a Visiting Scientist at Tulane University’s Department of Physics and Engineering Physics. As a named inventor on 16 granted patents, he has built intellectual property portfolios spanning over 30 patents and has licensed over 25 patents from prestigious institutions, including UT-Austin, Tulane University, and Sharp Corporation (Japan). An alumnus of Y Combinator, Girau combines technical expertise with entrepreneurial agility, positioning Group1 at the forefront of sustainable energy innovation.

Girau’s financial and technical acumen are further reflected in his role as a Senior Venture Partner at Pioneer Fund, a position that highlights his skill in supporting early-stage ventures. Over his career, Girau has raised more than $40 million in venture capital to support the commercialization of groundbreaking energy storage and material science technologies. His track record in venture development, combined with his deep technical expertise, positions Group1 as a transformative player in the energy storage industry.

Girau’s academic credentials include a B.S. in Chemistry (Honors) and Mathematics from Loyola University New Orleans and an M.S. in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering from Tulane University, where he matriculated as a Ph.D. candidate before leaving early to embark on his journey in scientific entrepreneurship. Known for his integrity and principled leadership, Girau is committed to delivering impactful, responsible solutions for sectors such as automotive and grid storage. His dedication to meaningful, transformative technology underscores Group1’s mission to reshape the future of energy storage.

Chief Science Officer & Co-Founder

Yakov Kutsovsky is a globally recognized expert in materials development, having taken materials from gram-scale to thousands of ton-scale across multiple sites. At Group1 he leads the company’s efforts in material development, manufacturing/process development, intellectual property management, and corporate governance.

Yakov is also Founder of MateriaX, an advisory firm that provides guidance to material companies on topics such as material R&D, scale-up, application of Material Informatics, and commercialization strategy. Prior to founding Group1, Yakov spent 15 years at Cabot Corporation, a global specialty chemicals and materials company, where he served as CTO and Chief Scientific Officer. During his tenure, he advanced Cabot’s technology platforms, including elastomeric composites, inkjet colorants, graphenes, carbon nanostructures, and materials for next-generation tires, adhesives, and batteries. Yakov also spearheaded the development of multiple products and manufacturing innovations, commercializing new materials across established and emerging businesses.

In addition, Yakov is an Expert-in-Residence at Harvard University, where he supports faculty in assessing technology fit for different markets and evaluating and addressing open technical and business issues for the best path to market. He has published more than 20 papers and has been granted 17 patents covering a broad range of technical areas. Yakov is a member of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers, Material Research Society, and American Chemical Society, and has served on the advisory boards of the Department of Energy, Environmental, and Chemical Engineering at Washington University in St. Louis, the Nanomanufacturing Center at UMass Lowell, and the Department of Chemistry at MIT.

Yakov earned his Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from the University of Minnesota and an M.S. in Chemical Physics from Novosibirsk State University in Russia

Chief Product Officer & Co-Founder

Leigang Xue is the Chief Product Officer and Co-Founder of Group1 where he is responsible for cell design/development and application design/development with significant contributions to material development and technical operations. With over 10+ years of experience in batteries, he is credited with inventing the 4V Potassium Prussian White (K2MnFe(CN)6) cathode and the dendrite-free room-temperature liquid Na-K anode technology, both of which have made sustainable, safe, and fast-charging K-ion batteries possible. He has authored over 70 journal papers (with +5800 citations, h-index of 39) and holds 12 granted battery material patents.

Prior to co-founding Group1, Leigang served as the Principal Battery Scientist at Nanotech Energy, where he led cylindrical/pouch cell design, assembly, and test for the desired safety, voltage, capacity, resistance, cycling life, rate capability, etc. His work resulted in a product that made a $64M funding raise. At Advano, he was a Senior Scientist, where he led the development of initial material platform technology (SiC nanofiber reinforced nanoSi composites) solely owned by Advano, resulting in 10+ patents. This product helped Advano finish an $18.5M VC fundraise.

Leigang has valuable postdoctoral experience working with renowned scientists such as Dr. John B. Goodenough (inventor of LiCoO2 and LiFePO4, 2019 Nobel Laureate) and Dr. C. Austen Angell (inventor of LiBOB). He obtained his PhD in Electrochemistry from Fudan University, where his thesis focused on the energy storage behavior of Sn-based anode for Li-ion batteries