Chad Mason
Advanced Ionics
CEO
Chad Mason is the CEO and founder of Advanced Ionics where he’s overseeing the development of a brand-new category of electrolyzer technology that will transform the way industrial manufacturers (ammonia, petrochemical, steel) produce green hydrogen. The water-vapor based technology is both cost-effective and efficient, enabling clean ‘green’ hydrogen to replace fossil fuel-based hydrogen that dominates the market today.
Under Chad’s leadership, Advanced Ionics has seen tremendous growth. The company was recognized on stage at TechCrunch Disrupt as one of the top 5 start-ups in the country, secured its first pilot project with a global energy supplier and raised over $17 million from venture firms and strategic investors.
Additionally, Advanced Ionics has been recognized as an Innovation Award winner by the BizTimes, a top startup to watch in Milwaukee for 2023 and named as a finalist for the best place to work for environmental change in Milwaukee. On a global energy level, the company was recognized as a finalist in the prestigious BNEF Pioneers Award for accelerating the deployment of clean hydrogen and S&P Global Platts Energy Awards as the Energy Transition Technology of the Year.
As a recognized industry thought leader, Chad has spoken at major industry events and trade conferences from the Bloomberg New Energy Finance (BNEF) Summit in Munich to the RALLY Conference in Indianapolis. He is not afraid to challenge groupthink in the hydrogen industry, advocating for the decarbonization of existing grey hydrogen, while also criticizing the wasteful and inefficient promotion of hydrogen in transportation and heating.
Chad started his career in fuel cell development as well as lithium and sodium ion battery research and development. He built his first electrolyzer on his family’s farm in North Dakota at 12 years old, where he recognized the impact decarbonizing hydrogen could have on transforming rural sustainability. When he is not working with his team to tackle climate change and reach global decarbonization goals, he likes to spend time outdoors with his wife and toddler.