T

Tau

Advanced electric propulsion systems with ML

Overview

Tau Motors develops electrification and propulsion systems by combining scientific computing, machine learning, and multiphysics with hardware and software design. Its core products are Gamma, a motor platform that decreases reliance on rare earth materials while boosting performance and energy efficiency, and Helix, an integrated drive unit system. The company works with automakers, suppliers, defense, space, industrial, and other partners to deploy technology across many platforms and powertrains. Unlike many rivals, Tau Motors emphasizes collaborative development with industry partners and aims to deliver scalable, sustainable electric propulsion solutions through hardware licenses and software offerings. Its goal is to advance efficient, secure energy systems and accelerate the transition to sustainable electrification across multiple sectors.

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About Tau

Simplify's Rating
Why Tau is rated
C+
Rated C on Competitive Edge
Rated B on Growth Potential
Rated C on Differentiation

Industries

Robotics & AutomationAutomotive & TransportationHardwareEnergy

Company Size

11-50

Company Stage

Series A

Total Funding

$6.3M

Headquarters

San Francisco, California

Founded

2017

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Simplify's Take

What believers are saying

  • Tau received a $7 million California Competes Tax Credit in August 2026.
  • HELLA's viOBC prototype passed concept testing, with series production targeted for 2027-2028.
  • Tau's LinkedIn shows 51-200 employees, indicating continued hiring in Redwood City.

What critics are saying

  • Tau depends on HELLA Ventures and one OEM partnership for commercialization leverage.
  • viOBC series production remains two to three years away, delaying revenue until 2027-2028.
  • Tesla, Bosch, and Denso can outspend Tau, compressing margins and blocking design wins.

What makes Tau unique

  • Tau's Ion platform combines software-defined power electronics with hardware controls, unveiled at CES 2026.
  • FORVIA HELLA partnered in September 2025, validating Tau's charger design with industrial scale.
  • Tau won Fast Company's 2026 Best Workplaces for Innovators, ranking No. 51 overall.

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Funding

Total Funding

$6.3M

Above

Industry Average

Funded Over

0 Rounds

Benefits

  • Health Insurance
  • Dental Insurance
  • Vision Insurance
  • Life Insurance
  • Health Savings Account/Flexible Spending Account
  • Flexible Work Hours
  • Paid Holidays
  • Stock Options
  • Performance Bonus
  • Commuter Benefits

Growth & Insights and Company News

Headcount

6 month growth

2%

1 year growth

2%

2 year growth

0%
PR Newswire
Sep 25th, 2026
Tau highlights electrification leadership at Climate Week NYC 2026.

Tau highlights electrification leadership at Climate Week NYC 2026. Sep 25, 2026, 14:43 ET IEEE / Columbia University fireside chat and 19 technical papers from Tau and its research partners highlight progress in software-defined power and the technologies enabling electrification at scale. NEW YORK and REDWOOD CITY, Calif., Sept. 25, 2026 /PRNewswire/ - Tau Motors, Inc., a pioneer in software-defined power conversion, highlighted the technical depth behind its approach to electrification during Climate Week NYC 2026. The 19 technical papers reflecting research by Tau and its partners at the Columbia Center of Advanced Electrification (CCAE) are featured in the 2026 IEEE/CCAE Symposium on Advanced Electrification Systems program. During a fireside chat at the Columbia University event, Tau Founder and CEO Wesley Pennington discussed how integrating power electronics, electric machines, and software can accelerate electrification. The research, developed by Tau and its partners at CCAE and featured in the symposium program, covers power conversion and control, electric machine modeling, energy storage, and grid-connected systems. The work reflects Tau's sustained investment in power conversion, controls, and electric machine engineering, disciplines central to its Ion(TM) and Gamma(TM) platforms. The papers also highlight the breadth of Tau's work across sustainable energy systems. Tau's Ion(TM) platform combines modular power electronics with firmware and software libraries to support applications across mobility, industrial equipment, energy infrastructure, and data centers. Its Gamma(TM) electric machine platform integrates machine design, power electronics, and controls to enable rare-earth-free motion. At the September 25 symposium, Wesley Pennington, Founder and CEO of Tau, joined Matthias Preindl, Associate Professor at Columbia University and Tau's Chief Scientist, for a fireside chat exploring the "electro-industrial stack" and what becomes possible when power electronics, electric machines, and software are designed together. The conversation examined how programmable architectures can improve system performance, reduce material dependencies, and accelerate deployment across transportation, industry, and digital infrastructure. "Accelerating electrification means making the systems that convert and control power more efficient, more affordable, and easier to deploy," said Pennington. "When power electronics, electric machines, and software are designed together, we can optimize the entire system. Tau is building the software-defined power platform to give industry greater control over performance, costs, and supply chains - and accelerate deployment at scale." The symposium featured speakers from organizations including GM Energy, Siemens, and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, alongside researchers and other industry participants. Tau established CCAE alongside Columbia Engineering to connect advanced research with the practical requirements of industrial applications. The work addresses challenges that influence efficiency, reliability, and the ability to deploy electric systems across a wider range of uses. About Tau Tau Motors, Inc. is an advanced technology company accelerating electrification from electric vehicles to the grid and digital infrastructure. Its Ion(TM) and Gamma(TM) platforms combine power electronics, advanced controls, and hardware design to improve the performance, economics, and adaptability of electric systems. Drawing on deep expertise in systems engineering, Tau partners with industry leaders to rapidly develop and deploy products on its platforms across industries. For more information, visit taumotors.com. SOURCE Tau Motors, Inc.

Hagman Media Group
Sep 2nd, 2025
FORVIA HELLA, Tau Develop Advanced Chargers

International automotive supplier FORVIA HELLA is collaborating with Tau Motors, a leader in software-defined power conversion, in a strategic development partnership to create advanced charging solutions for electric vehicles.

Yahoo Finance
Oct 12th, 2023
Tau Motors Wins "Vehicle-To-Everything (V2X) Innovation Of The Year" In 2023 Autotech Breakthrough Awards Program

Annual Awards Program Recognizes Innovation in Automotive and Transportation Technologies Around the GlobeLOS ANGELES, Oct. 12, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- AutoTech Breakthrough , a leading market intelligence organization that recognizes the top companies, technologies and products in the global automotive and transportation technology markets announced that Tau Motors , an advanced technology company that develops next-generation products for electrification, wins this years’ “Vehicle-to-Everything (V2X) Innovation of the Year” award in the fourth annual AutoTech Breakthrough Awards for its software-defined power converter system.Tau's Ion converter system is made up of next next-generation power electronics modules – called auto converter modules (ACMs) – that can be configured together like building blocks and resolve all power conversion challenges locally at the device level. Smart power conversion is critical to advance the world today. Fundamentally, electrification requires the need for power in different forms – whether alternating current (AC), direct current (DC), or different voltage or current levels. Tau’s Ion modules shrink the cost, size, and components required for power conversion which enables industry leading efficiencies, scalability, and power densities (processing more power per unit volume). Notably, the power density of Tau’s soft-switching Ion modules has continued to double approximately every two years while achieving particularly high efficiency – in excess of 99%.Tau’s Ion system includes adaptive smart filtering technology and advanced controls to enhance the reliability of power conversion systems – while also providing a software-defined, networked system that offers redundancy and reconfiguration through a hierarchical protocol that enables smart energy conversion

PR Newswire
Jul 13th, 2023
Tau Motors Named To Fast Company'S 2023 List Of The 100 Best Workplaces For Innovators And Earns Top Honors As The Winner Of The Small Companies (Under 100 Employees) Category

Joining Adobe, Spotify, Nvidia, Morgan Stanley, and many othersREDWOOD CITY, Calif., July 13, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Tau Motors, an advanced technology company that develops next-generation products for electrification, was featured on Fast Company's fifth annual Best Workplaces for Innovators list. Honoring organizations and businesses that demonstrate an inspiring commitment to innovation at all levels, Tau was included at No. 51 overall and also topped the list as the winner of the Small Companies (Under 100 Employees) category.Developed in collaboration with Accenture, the 2023 Best Workplaces for Innovators ranks 100 winners from a variety of industries, including entertainment, biotech, consumer packaged goods, education, healthcare, technology, and many more. Fast Company editors, Accenture researchers, and a panel of distinguished judges reviewed and endorsed the top 100 companies out of nearly 1,000 candidates. The 2023 awards feature workplaces from around the world with measurable, visible results in their efforts to cultivate internal innovation that creates external impact.Tau is leading groundbreaking work to tackle some of the most pressing challenges of our generation. Tweet this"Alongside our partners, Tau is leading groundbreaking work to tackle some of the most pressing challenges of our generation," says Wesley Pennington, Tau Founder and CEO

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