| Summary of Significant Accounting Policies | Note 2. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies Basis of Presentation The accompanying consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company and have been prepared on a going concern basis and in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“U.S. GAAP”) as determined by the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) and pursuant to the regulations of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). The Company’s fiscal year ends on December 31. Principles of Consolidation The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of SES and its wholly owned subsidiaries. All intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated upon consolidation. Reclassification of Prior Period Amounts Certain amounts have been reclassified to conform to the current year financial statement presentation. Use of Estimates The preparation of the consolidated financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make use of estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amount of assets and liabilities, the disclosure of commitments and contingencies, and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses. The Company bases its estimates on available historical experience and on various other factors that the Company believes are reasonable under the circumstances, the results of which form the basis for making judgments about the carrying values of assets and liabilities that are not apparent from other sources. Changes in estimates are reflected in reported results for the period in which they become known. Actual results may differ from those estimates. Significant estimates and assumptions include those related to the valuation of (i) certain equity awards, including common stock awards prior to the Business Combination, the Sponsor Earn-Out Shares, the Earn-Out Restricted Shares, and performance stock units, (ii) revenue from customers, (iii) deferred tax assets and uncertain income tax positions, (iv) the measurement of operating lease liabilities, and (v) the evaluation of the recoverability of long-lived assets, including intangible assets. On an ongoing basis, the Company evaluates these judgments and estimates for reasonableness. Foreign Currency Translation For the foreign subsidiaries of the Company, assets and liabilities are translated into U.S. dollars using exchange rates as of the balance sheet date, and income and expenses are translated using the average exchange rates in effect for the related month. The net effect of these translation adjustments is reported in accumulated other comprehensive (loss) income within total stockholders’ equity on the consolidated balance sheets. Net realized and unrealized gains (losses) from foreign currency transactions are included in miscellaneous income (expense), net in the consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive loss and were $0.2 million and $0.3 million for the years ended December 31 2024 and 2023, respectively. Cash and Cash Equivalents Cash and cash equivalents consist of cash on hand and highly liquid investments that have original maturity periods of 90 days or less at the time of purchase that are readily convertible to known amounts of cash. Restricted Cash Restricted cash includes cash held in checking and money market funds as collateral to secure certain insurance policies. If the date of availability or disbursement is less than one year, restricted cash is reported within prepaid expenses and other current assets on the consolidated balance sheets. If the date of availability or disbursement is longer than one year and the balances are maintained under an agreement that legally restricts the use of such funds, restricted cash is reported within other assets on the consolidated balance sheets. As of December 31, 2024 and 2023, the Company had restricted cash balances of $0.6 million and $1.3 million, respectively. Revenue from Contracts with Customers In October 2024, the Company began to generate revenue from its planned principal business activities. The Company recognizes revenue within the scope of Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) 606, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (“ASC 606”). ASC 606 requires that an entity recognize revenue to depict the transfer of promised goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration to which the Company expects to be entitled in exchange for those goods or services. To achieve this core principle, the Company applies the following five-steps: 1. identify the contract(s) with the customer; 2. identify the performance obligations in the contract; 3. determine the transaction price; 4. allocate the transaction price to the performance obligations in the contract; and 5. recognize revenue as performance obligations are satisfied. The Company only applies the five-step model to contracts when it is probable the entity will collect the consideration it is entitled to in exchange for the goods or services it transfers to the customer. The Company’s contracts do not contain significant financing components. Product Revenue The Company manufactures and sells Li-Metal battery cells and battery materials, such as electrolytes, to automotive original equipment manufacturers (“OEMs”) and other manufactures. Product revenue is recognized at a point in time upon transfer of control of the product. Transfer of control generally occurs upon delivery to the customer, which is when the customer obtains physical possession of the goods, legal title is transferred, the customer has all risks and rewards of ownership and an obligation to pay for the goods is created. The amount of revenue recognized reflects the consideration that the Company expects to be entitled to in exchange for the promised goods. Service Revenue The Company provides services for the design and development of Li-ion and Li-Metal battery materials in accordance with the customer’s specifications. Customers of the Company’s design and development services include OEM’s and other companies who use our battery technology and battery materials in their products, not limited to EV, UAM, and drones. Service revenue contracts generally have a term that extends from one Consideration for service revenue contracts generally include up-front payments as well as further payments that become payable when the Company meets specific contractual milestones. The Company has an enforceable right to payment for performance completed to date and the deliverable has no alternative use to the Company. Judgment is required in the assessment of progress toward completion of the performance obligations. Service revenue is recognized over time using costs incurred to date relative to total estimated costs at completion to measure progress toward the satisfaction of its performance obligations. Some of the Company’s service revenue contracts contain multiple performance obligations that are to be satisfied in sequential order and require customer acceptance to progress to the next performance obligation. This creates variable consideration in the context of the contract, which is included in the transaction price if it is probable that a significant future reversal of cumulative revenue under the contract will not occur; otherwise, the Company reduces transaction price by the amount of the variable consideration. Deferred Revenue Deferred revenue represents situations where the cash is collected, but the related revenue has not yet been recognized. Revenue is subsequently recognized when the revenue recognition criteria are met. Service revenue is generally invoiced based on contractual milestones and recognized based the Company’s estimated progress toward the satisfaction of the performance obligations. Costs to Fulfill a Customer Contract Certain costs, such as employee compensation for design, discovery and development services, are recognized as an asset if they relate directly to a customer contract, generate or enhance resources of the entity that will be used in satisfying future performance obligations, and are expected to be recovered. If these three criteria are not met, the costs are expensed in the period incurred. Deferred costs are recognized as cost of revenue in the period when the related revenue is recognized. As of December 31, 2024, total deferred contract costs were $0.1 million. Cost of Revenue Cost of revenue includes materials, labor, inventory, freight costs, overhead and other costs related to manufacturing our products and completing service contracts. Labor consists of personnel-related expenses such as salaries and benefits, and stock-based compensation. Overhead and other costs consist primarily of expenses incurred for outside services, utilities, rent, depreciation expense and other facilities-related costs. Costs related to battery materials and design services are recognized in the same period as the associated revenue is recognized. Investments The Company has investments in marketable debt and equity securities. Investments in marketable debt securities consist of U.S. treasury securities and are classified as available-for-sale at the time of purchase. The Company reevaluates the available-for-sale classification at each balance sheet date. These available-for-sale marketable debt securities are recorded at fair value, with any unrealized gains and losses included as a component of accumulated other comprehensive (loss) income in total stockholders’ equity on the consolidated balance sheets until realized or until a determination is made that an other-than-temporary decline in market value has occurred. The amortized cost of U.S. treasury securities is adjusted for amortization of premiums and accretion of discounts to maturity. Such amortization and accretion are reported within interest income in the consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive loss. Investments in marketable debt securities with a stated maturity date of less than one year are classified as short-term investments, while these with a stated maturity date of more than one year, and that are not expected to be used in current operations, are classified as long-term investments on the consolidated balance sheets, respectively. Investments in marketable equity securities are classified as short-term investments when the Company’s intention is to sell within a year, otherwise they will be classified as long-term investments. Investments in marketable equity securities with a readily determinable fair value, not accounted for under the equity method, are recorded at fair value with changes to fair value reported within miscellaneous income (expense), net in the consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive loss. Inventories Inventories consist of raw materials and are stated at the lower of average cost or net realizable value. Concentrations Financial instruments that potentially subject the Company to concentrations of credit risk consist of cash, cash equivalents, restricted cash and short-term investments. The Company seeks to mitigate its credit risk with respect to such concentrations by holding its deposits with large, reputable, domestic financial institutions and investing in high credit rated shorter-term instruments. The account balances at these institutions may exceed Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”) insurance coverage, and as a result, there may be a concentration of risk related to amounts invested in excess of FDIC insurance coverage. As of December 31, 2024 and 2023, the amount of cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash held by our subsidiaries in foreign bank accounts was $4.4 million and $11.1 million, respectively. The Company had one customer during the year ended December 31, 2024 that accounted for approximately 90% of the Company’s revenue and outstanding accounts receivable, respectively, for the year ended December 31, 2024 . Fair Value Measurements Fair value is defined as an exchange price that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date. When determining the fair value measurements for assets and liabilities required or permitted to be either recorded or disclosed at fair value, the Company considers the principal or most advantageous market in which it would transact, and it also considers assumptions that market participants would use when pricing the asset or liability. The Company maximizes the use of observable inputs and minimizes the use of unobservable inputs when measuring fair value. GAAP establishes a fair value hierarchy based on the level of independent, objective evidence surrounding the inputs used to measure fair value. A financial instrument’s categorization within the fair value hierarchy is based upon the lowest level of input that is significant to the fair value measurement. The fair value hierarchy is as follows: Level 1 Observable inputs such as quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities that the Company has the ability to access at the measurement date. Level 2 Inputs other than the quoted prices in active markets that are observable either directly or indirectly. Level 3 Unobservable inputs in which there are little or no market data and which require the Company to develop its own assumptions. Certain of the Company’s financial instruments, including cash and cash equivalents, accounts payable, accrued expenses and other current liabilities are carried at cost, which approximates their fair value because of their short-term nature. The following table presents information about the Company’s financial assets and liabilities that are measured at fair value on a recurring basis: (in thousands) Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Total December 31, 2024 Current assets Cash equivalents in money market funds (Note 5) $ 120,888 $ — $ — $ 120,888 U.S. treasury securities 132,782 — — 132,782 Equity securities (1) 967 — — 967 Total current assets at fair value $ 254,637 $ — $ — $ 254,637 Non-current liabilities Sponsor Earn-Out liabilities $ — $ — $ 9,472 $ 9,472 Total non-current liabilities at fair value $ — $ — $ 9,472 $ 9,472 December 31, 2023 Current assets Cash equivalents in money market funds (Note 5) $ 74,997 $ — $ — $ 74,997 U.S. treasury securities (Note 6) 246,127 — — 246,127 Equity securities (1) 648 — — 648 Total current assets at fair value $ 321,772 $ — $ — $ 321,772 Non-current assets Restricted cash in money market funds $ 614 $ — $ — $ 614 Total non-current assets at fair value $ 614 $ — $ — $ 614 Total assets at fair value $ 322,386 $ — $ — $ 322,386 Non-current liabilities Sponsor Earn-Out liabilities $ — $ — $ 4,166 $ 4,166 Total non-current liabilities at fair value $ — $ — $ 4,166 $ 4,166 (1) There were no transfers in or out of Level 3 measurements during the years ended December 31, 2024 and 2023. Property and Equipment Property and equipment are stated at cost less accumulated depreciation. Depreciation for property and equipment, other than construction in progress, is based upon the following useful lives using the straight-line method: Laboratory machinery and equipment 5 – 10 years Office and computer equipment 3 – 5 years Furniture and fixtures 5 years Leasehold improvements Shorter of useful life of asset or lease term The Company periodically assesses the useful lives of the assets to determine whether events or circumstances may indicate that a revision to the useful life is warranted. Maintenance and repairs that do not extend the life or improve the asset are expensed as incurred. Construction in progress is stated at cost, which includes the cost of construction and other direct costs attributable to placing the asset in service. Intangible Assets Intangible assets purchased are recorded at cost and stated at cost less accumulated amortization. Intangibles assets with finite useful lives are amortized based on the pattern in which the economic benefits of the assets are estimated to be consumed over the following estimated useful lives: Intellectual property 15 years Amortization expense is included in general and administrative expenses in the consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive loss. Impairment of Long-Lived Assets The Company evaluates long-lived assets, including amortizable intangible assets and ROU assets, annually or whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of an asset may not be recoverable. If such events or circumstances arise, the Company will compare the carrying amount of the asset group comprising the long-lived assets to the estimated future undiscounted cash flows expected to be generated by the asset group. If the estimated aggregate undiscounted cash flows are less than the carrying amount of the asset group, an impairment charge is recorded as the amount by which the carrying amount of the asset group exceeds the fair value of the assets, as based on the expected discounted future cash flows attributable to those assets. Long-lived assets to be disposed of are reported at the lower of carrying amount or fair value less costs to sell. There were no impairments of long-lived assets during the years ended December 31, 2024 and 2023. Leases The Company determines if an arrangement includes a lease at inception. Lease arrangements generally have lease and non-lease components, which the Company has elected to account for as a single lease component. At the lease commencement date, the Company recognizes an operating lease liability and an operating lease asset, which represents the right to use the underlying asset for the lease term (the “ROU asset”). The operating lease liability is equal to the present value of (1) fixed lease payments for the noncancelable lease term, (2) fixed lease payments for optional renewal periods where it is reasonably certain the renewal option will be exercised, and (3) variable lease payments that depend on an underlying index or rate in effect at lease commencement. Variable lease payments as the difference between underlying index and the actual index, or that do not depend on an underlying index or rate in effect at lease commencement, such as common area maintenance, insurance, and property tax, are recognized in operating expenses when incurred. The operating ROU asset is initially measured at cost, which primarily comprises the initial amount of the lease liability and lease payments made prior to lease commencement, less any lease incentives received. As the Company’s leases do not provide an implicit rate, the Company uses an incremental borrowing rate based on the information available at lease commencement in determining the present value of lease payments. The Company’s incremental borrowing rate estimates a secured rate that reflects the term of the lease, the nature of the underlying asset and the economic environment. The Company recognizes rent expense on a straight-line basis over the lease term, with any lease incentives amortized as a reduction of rent expense over the lease term. All ROU assets are periodically reviewed for impairment in accordance with standards that apply to long-lived assets. The Company excludes leases with an expected term of one year or less from recognition on the consolidated balance sheets. See “Note 12 – Leases” for additional information about the Company’s leases. Government Grants The Company occasionally receives government grants that provide financial assistance for certain eligible expenditures. Government grants are not recognized until there is reasonable assurance that the Company will comply with the conditions attached to it, and that the grant will be received. The Company records such grants either as a reduction of the related expense or as other income, depending on the nature of the grant, in the consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive loss or as a reduction of the cost of the related asset in the consolidated balance sheets. If a grant amount is received but not earned, then such amount is deferred and shown as a liability in the consolidated balance sheet. See “Note 10 – Government Grant” for additional information about a government grant awarded to the Company. Sponsor Earn-Out Liabilities On February 2, 2022, in connection with the Domestication, 6,900,000 of Ivanhoe’s Class B ordinary shares held by Ivanhoe Capital Sponsor LLC (the “Sponsor”) converted into an equal number of shares of duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable Class B common stock, par value $0.0001 per share (the “Class B common stock”), of the Company. At Closing, these 6,900,000 shares of Class B common stock converted into an equal number of shares of duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable Class A common stock, par value $0.0001 per share (the “Class A common stock,” and together with the Class B common stock, “common stock”), of the Company . ● 20% are subject to transfer restrictions until the date that is 180 days after the Closing (“Tranche 1”); ● 20% are subject to transfer restrictions until SES’s closing stock price equals or exceeds $12.00 for 20 out of 30 consecutive trading days following the date that is 150 days after the Closing (“Tranche 2”); ● 20% are subject to transfer restrictions until SES’s closing stock price equals or exceeds $14.00 for 20 out of 30 consecutive trading days following the date that is 150 days after the Closing (“Tranche 3”); ● 20% are subject to transfer restrictions until SES’s closing stock price equals or exceeds $16.00 for 20 out of 30 consecutive trading days following the date that is 150 days after the Closing (“Tranche 4”); and ● 20% are subject to transfer restrictions until SES’s closing stock price equals or exceeds $18.00 for 20 out of 30 consecutive trading days following the date that is 150 days after the Closing (“Tranche 5”). If there is a change in control of SES at a per share value of greater than $18.00 , then 100% of the Sponsor Shares will be released from these transfer restrictions; however if the per share value is less than $18.00 upon a change in control, then the Sponsor Shares will be released pro rata based on the per share value of the change in control and the stock price thresholds for release specified above. Any Sponsor Shares not released will be forfeited and cancelled. The Sponsor Earn-Out Shares in Tranche 1 are accounted for as equity instruments because they are legally owned by the Sponsor, cannot be forfeited and were subject only to transfer restrictions that lapsed 180 days after February 3, 2022 (the “Closing Date”), which occurred on August 2, 2022, and as such meet the equity classification criteria in accordance with ASC 505, Equity . Earn-Out Shares In connection with the Business Combination, holders of Old SES common stock, redeemable convertible preferred stock, options and restricted shares received 29,999,947 shares of common stock, including (i) 23,691,182 shares of Class A common stock (the Shares”) issued for the benefit of the former holders of Old SES common and redeemable convertible preferred stock; (ii) 2,308,969 shares of restricted Class A common stock (the Restricted Shares”) issued to Old SES option holders and recipients of Old SES restricted shares; and (iii) 3,999,796 shares of Class B common stock (“Founder Shares”) issued to the CEO and certain entities affiliated with the CEO (the “SES Founder Group”). The Shares and the Founder Shares (collectively, the “Escrowed Shares”) were placed into escrow at the Closing and shall vest on the date that the closing price of shares of Class A common stock is equal to or greater than $18.00 (“Triggering Event”) during the period beginning on the date that is one year following the Closing and ending on the date that is five years following the Closing (the “Earn-Out Period”). If a Triggering Event has not occurred by the expiration of the Earn-Out Period, then the Escrowed Earn-Out Shares shall be cancelled, and holders of such shares shall have no right to receive such Escrowed Earn-Out Shares. The Restricted Shares are subject to vesting based on the same terms as the Escrowed Shares and are also subject to forfeiture if such recipient’s service with the Company terminates prior to vesting. Any such forfeited Earn-Out Restricted Shares shall be available for grant pursuant to the Company’s incentive plan. If, during the earn-out period of five years , there is a change in control transaction at a per share price of greater than or equal to $18.00 per share, then all 29,999,947 earn-out shares will vest immediately prior to the consummation of such change in control, otherwise, all earn-out shares will be forfeited. The to be released upon achievement of the vesting condition are classified as equity instruments and recorded at fair value in stockholders’ equity as vesting is indexed to the common stock of the Company. The Earn-Out Restricted Shares are accounted for as a single tranche equity award. See . Common Stock Warrants Prior to the Business Combination, Ivanhoe had issued 9,200,000 public warrants (“Public Warrants”) and 5,013,333 private placement warrants (“Private Warrants” and collectively with the Public Warrants, the “Warrants”) which were assumed by the Company at Closing. On February 1, 2022, prior to Closing, the Ivanhoe warrant holders approved certain amendments to the terms of the Warrants such that the Warrants met the derivative scope exception for contracts in the Company’s own stock and were recorded in stockholders’ equity. Prior to the amendment, the Warrants were accounted for as derivative liabilities measured at fair value, with changes in fair value recorded in the consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive loss at each reporting period. Each whole Warrant entitles the registered holder to purchase one share of Class A common stock at a price of $11.50 per share. Pursuant to the Warrant agreement, a Warrant holder may exercise its Warrants only for a whole number of shares of Class A common stock. This means only a whole Warrant may be exercised at a given time by a warrant holder. The amendments, among other things, include the following: ● amendments to the rights specific to the Private Warrants such that (a) the rights specific to Private Warrants are retained by the holder thereof regardless of such holder’s identity, (b) the Private Warrants are no longer subject to redemption by the Company when such warrants are trading at a price equal to or in excess of $10.00 per share but less than $18.00 per share and (c) the Private Warrants are no longer generally exercisable on a “cashless basis”; ● eliminates the Company’s ability to redeem any Public Warrants unless the Class A common stock is trading at a price equal to or in excess of $18.00 per share; and ● removes certain language related to the treatment of Warrants in the event of a tender offer for the shares underlying such Warrants. Subsequent to the Closing, the Company registered 14,213,280 shares of Class A common stock issuable upon the exercise of the Warrants Research and Development Research and development costs with no alternative future use are expensed as incurred. Research and development costs are comprised of expenses incurred in performing research and development activities, including compensation and benefits for employees, materials and supplies, payments to consultants, patent related legal costs, facility costs, depreciation, and travel expenses. Additionally, payments received by the Company under its JDAs are recognized as a reduction to research and development expense in the consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive loss. General and Administrative General and administrative expenses consist primarily of costs incurred for salaries and personnel-related expenses, including stock-based compensation expense Stock-Based Compensation The Company measures compensation expense for all stock-based awards made to employees, directors, and non-employees, based on estimated fair values as of the grant date and recognizes the compensation expense using the straight-line method over the requisite service period, which is generally the vesting period. The Company accounts for forfeitures when they occur. Changes in the assumptions can materially affect the fair value and ultimately how much stock-based compensation expense is recognized. The inputs used in valuation models to estimate the fair value of certain stock-based awards are subjective and generally require significant analysis and judgment to develop. See “Note 15 – Stock-Based Compensation” for additional information about stock-based awards. Income Taxes Income tax expense has been provided using the asset and liability method. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are determined based on the estimated future tax consequences attributable to differences between the financial statement carrying amounts and tax bases of existing assets and liabilities. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are measured using enacted tax rates expected to apply to taxable income in the years in which those temporary differences are expected to be recovered or settled. Deferred tax expense or benefit is the result of changes in the deferred tax asset and liability. The Company provides a valuation allowance against net deferred tax assets if, based upon the available evidence, it is more likely than not that the deferred tax assets will not be realized. In evaluating the Company’s ability to recover deferred tax assets, the Company considers all available positive and negative evidence, including historical operating results, ongoing tax planning, and forecasts of future taxable income on a jurisdiction-by-jurisdiction basis. The Company recognizes a tax benefit from an uncertain tax position only if it is more likely than not that the tax position will be sustained on examination by the taxing authorities, based on the technical merits of the position. The tax benefits recognized in the Company’s consolidated financial statements from such positions are measured based on the largest benefit that has a greater than 50% likelihood of being realized. The Company recognizes interest and penalties associated with tax matters as part of the income tax provision and includes accrued interest and penalties with the related income tax liability within accrued expenses and other current liabilities on the consolidated balance sheets. Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) Other Comprehensive income (loss) includes changes in the balances of items that are reported directly as a separate component of stockholders’ equity on the consolidated balance sheets. The components of comprehensive loss are net loss, foreign currency translation adjustments and unrealized gains and losses from available-for-sale marketable debt securities. The Company does not provide for income taxes on foreign currency translation adjustments since it does not provide for taxes on the unremitted earnings of its foreign subsidiaries. The tax effects of unrealized gains and loss from available-for-sale marketable debt securities is recorded in deferred tax assets (liabilities) and fully offset by the valuation allowance. The changes in accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) are included in the Company’s consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive loss. Net Income (Loss) Per Share As the liquidation and dividend rights of Class A common stock and Class B common stock are identical, the net loss attributable to common stockholders is allocated on a proportionate basis, and the resulting net loss per share is identical for Class A common stock and Class B common stock under the two-class method. Basic net income or loss per share attributable to Class A common stock and Class B common stock stockholders is computed by dividing the net income or loss attributable to common stockholders by the weighted-average number of shares of common stock outstanding during the period. Recently Adopted Accounting Pronouncements In November 2023, the FASB issued ASU 2023-7, Improvements to Reportable Segment Disclosu |
