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Impossible Metals

YC W22

Los Angeles, US · Founded 2020 · 20 employees · 4 known investors

Impossible Metals builds underwater robotic vehicles to collect critical metals from the seabed for clean energy applications, with a focus on sustainable and environmentally responsible extraction practices.

Also known as Impossible Mining

Advanced ManufacturingAI & Machine LearningCircular EconomyCleantechClimate TechDeep TechEnergyNew MaterialsRoboticsArtificial IntelligenceHard TechMiningClimateTechUnited States of AmericaAmerica / CanadaPartly Remote

Founders & leadership· Y Combinator alumni (W22)

Impossible Metals was founded in 2020 by Oliver Gunasekara, Jason Gillham, and Renee Grogan.

OGOliver Gunasekara
Oliver Gunasekarain𝕏CEO / Co-FounderOliver Gunasekara was an early employee at Arm, serving as VP of Global Corporate Development, and co-sponsored the company's 2006 acquisition of Falanx. He founded the non-profit MIPI Alliance and served as CEO of NGCodec for seven years before its 2019 acquisition by Xilinx. Gunasekara is now CEO and co-founder of Impossible Metals.
JGJason Gillham
Jason GillhaminFounderJason Gillham founded 2G Robotics (acquired as Voyis in January 2020), which developed underwater laser scanning and imaging products for offshore energy, military, and infrastructure applications. He now leads Impossible Metals in subsea technology.
RGRenee Grogan
Renee GroganinFounderRenee Grogan has spent 16 years in the extractive resources and sustainability sector, specializing in due diligence, feasibility assessment, permitting, and stakeholder engagement across Australasia, the Pacific, North America, Africa, and Europe. Her background includes advisory roles with financial institutions, mining companies, government bodies, NGOs, and research organizations.

Investors · 4

futureland venturesWashington, D.C.via Mitchell Kominsky · inferred
JuniperClarksville · $100K – $1.5M
Y CombinatorSan Francisco · $500K
Starlight VenturesreportedMiami · $100K – $3M

Competitors · 1

by search overlap
Wri90 shared keywordsThe World Resources Institute (WRI) is a global research organization whose experts and staff work on food and land use, energy, cities, climate, economics, finance, and governance. It operates with over 2,000 staff across more than a dozen focus countries and partners in over 50 nations.

Companies competing with Impossible Metals for the same Google search keywords, organic and paid, via search-intersection analysis.

In the news

Sell or Invest in Impossible Metals Stock Pre-IPOnasdaqprivatemarket.com · Jul 2025Impossible Metals plans $1 billion raise to grow deep-sea mining operationsaxios.com · Jul 2025This massive robot is designed to harvest EV metals from the ocean | FastCompanyfastcompany.com · Dec 2022Impossible Metals demonstrates its super-careful seabed mining robotnewatlas.com · Dec 2022Roundtable Discussion Plants Flag to Support Responsible Technology for DSM — Impossible Miningimpossiblemining.com · Jul 2022Impossible Metals – Closes $10.1M in Seed funding and announces its key advisors – Impossible Metalsimpossiblemetals.com · Jun 2022Impossible Mining is combing the seafloor for battery metals – TechCrunchtechcrunch.com · Jun 2022Impossible Mining announces its plans to develop the world's first sustainable and responsible deep-sea mining technology — Impossible Miningimpossiblemining.com · Mar 2022

Frequently asked questions

What does Impossible Metals do?
Impossible Metals builds underwater robotic vehicles to collect critical metals from the seabed for clean energy applications, with a focus on sustainable and environmentally responsible extraction practices.
Who founded Impossible Metals?
Impossible Metals was founded by Oliver Gunasekara, Jason Gillham, Renee Grogan in 2020.
Who are Impossible Metals's investors?
Impossible Metals's investors include futureland ventures, Juniper, Y Combinator, Starlight Ventures.
Where is Impossible Metals headquartered?
Impossible Metals is headquartered in Los Angeles, US.