Finnish Whistleblower Files Criminal Complaint Against Donut Lab Over Solid-State Battery Claims

Finnish newspaper Helsingin Sanomat (HS) reports that an individual has filed a criminal whistleblower complaint against Donut Lab, a startup known for its bold claims about solid-state battery technology.

Until recently, Lauri Peltola served as the Chief Commercial Officer at Nordic Nano, a firm reportedly contracted by Donut Lab for portions of its manufacturing and in which Donut Lab has invested. Peltola’s complaint alleges that Donut Lab has overstated its energy density and longevity claims and lacks the production capacity it previously asserted.

According to HS, internal communications between Donut Lab and its partners—CT-Coating and Nordic Nano—were reviewed. These emails reportedly reveal that CT-Coating had abandoned development on the first-generation battery model that Donut Lab has been promoting, including the version it provided to Finland’s national lab VTT for testing. Despite this, Donut Lab claimed in January that its technology was ready for mass production.

Donut Lab CEO Marko Lehtimäki told HS that he had no knowledge of Peltola’s complaint. Meanwhile, Nordic Nano CEO Esa Parjanen denied the allegations, stating that Peltola had no involvement in Nordic Nano’s battery project and that his views did not reflect the company’s position.

In a joint statement, Donut Lab and Nordic Nano stated:

"We do not know the exact nature of the complaint but deny having committed any crime or misleading investors." They also described the complainant—presumably Peltola, though not named—as lacking "the necessary knowledge of battery technology or the overall picture of the development work."