1366 Technologies, developer of manufacturing solutions for silicon cell manufacturers, has raised $18M in Series E funding from both return investors and several new investors, including Breakthrough Energy Ventures. 1366 Technologies is a company dedicated to making solar more accessible through innovation. As a result, the company has introduced a breakthrough solar manufacturing technology that produces a high-performance solar wafer in a single step.

The funding will be used to realize Direct Wafer® furnaces capable of producing multiple wafers at a time within an even smaller footprint, driving the already low cost from $0.19 per wafer piece to $0.15 per piece.

Mick Bain led the WilmerHale team representing 1366 in this transaction, with a team that included Glenn Luinenburg, Heidi Treiber, Avery Reaves, Jasmine Haddad and Cynthia Sullivan.