Alpha-Otto Technologies

Forget about reinventing the wheel — it’s time to reinvent the engine. And that’s exactly what Alpha-Otto Technologies is doing.

It’s created a new type of internal combustion engine, one that runs on gasoline, diesel, and even hydrogen. It’s capable of delivering the same power and efficiency as traditional engines while producing lower to near-zero harmful emissions.

Despite the rise of renewable energy sources like batteries, engines remain the backbone of energy and transportation. They power more than a billion machines worldwide, from cars and planes to data centers, factories, and even homes.

The problem is that traditional piston gasoline and diesel engines still operate with similar levels of efficiency as they did a half century ago. They also produce harmful emissions into the environment.

Alpha-Otto believes it’s time for an upgrade, so it created a new type of engine. Its proprietary, high-power-density, future-proof engine delivers clean, efficient, flexible power.

The key to its engine is known as REV Force, short for Rotary Exhaust Valve-controlled Force variable induction, combined with STLTC, short for spark-assisted turbulent low-temperature combustion). Here’s how it works:

The engine features a two-stroke design that doesn’t burn oil and delivers a power stroke with every crankshaft rotation. This increases power and efficiency over conventional four-stroke engines.

Its REV Force system decouples air management from displacement, using a rotary exhaust valve and force-variable induction to precisely control combustion conditions in real time.

The STLTC combustion strategy achieves high efficiency, outperforming most internal combustion engines and rivaling fuel cells. It offers near-zero emissions and support for almost any liquid or gaseous fuel.

As mentioned, Alpha-Otto’s engine operates on hydrogen, methanol, ethanol, gasoline, diesel, and field-mixed fuels with minimal or no modifications. It’s also built with standard components and manufacturing processes, enabling it to be rapidly integrated into existing supply chains.

The global market for internal combustion engines stands at more than $500 billion. Even a small-scale adoption of Alpha-Otto’s engine — less than one percent — presents a multi-billion-dollar market opportunity.

Along with its engine, Alpha-Otto has created the Power Cube, a power generator that the company describes as a 100,000-watt micro-powerplant.

This generator combines Alpha-Otto’s engine platform and axial flux-motor technology to create an efficient hybrid-electric powertrain. In addition to being used for individual homes and businesses, the Power Cube could be used for utility-scale power generation. Multiple cubes can be stacked into a single unit and generate up to twenty megawatts of power in a space the size of a standard shipping container.

Alpha-Otto makes money through product sales, licensing fees, and joint-development initiatives.

The company has partnerships and licensing relationships with equipment manufacturers including Caterpillar, Mitsubishi, Yamaha, John Deere, and Mercedes Benz. It’s also received $1.2 million in federal grants and created an initial prototype of its engine. A full-scale demonstration is projected within thirty-six months.

Team Background

David Dusseau - Chief Executive Officer

David is an entrepreneur who has founded multiple ventures.

Prior to starting Alpha-Otto, he co-founded MadiDrop, a social-impact company aiming to create purified drinking water. Before that, he was Director of Technology Integration with SHINE Systems, a business-consulting company.

Earlier, David founded the Energy Technology Alliance of the Pacific Northwest, a trade association promoting energy-related technologies. Before that, he was Director of Operations for a communications business.

He studied Cryptology and Electrical Engineering while serving in the U.S. Navy and earned a Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering from UCLA.

John Krzeminski - Chief Technology Officer

John is the developer of Alpha-Otto’s engine technology and has twenty years of experience in powertrain engineering.

He began his career as an engineer with Ford Motor Company before becoming a project engineer with FEV, an engineering company.

From there, he spent seven years with Fiat Chrysler, an auto manufacturer, as a powertrain engineer and technical specialist. After that, he was a manager with Stellantis, another auto manufacturer.

John earned a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from Kettering University.

Co-Investors