Sila raises $300 million to scale battery anode production as AI and defense replace EV as growth engine

Sila raised $300 million for its Moses Lake silicon anode plant on July 21, 2026. The money is notable. What's more notable is who else now sits beside EVs in the battery story: AI, defense, space, and robotics.

Battery materials startup Sila didn't need the EV market to behave. On July 21, the company announced a $300 million private equity round to expand its Moses Lake, Washington manufacturing campus, even as automakers are cutting EV programs and the old battery startup story has become harder to sell.