MaverickX

MaverickX is a chemical technology company engineering advanced solutions for resource extraction from challenging feedstocks — developing PetroX, a chemical formulation that enhances oil recovery from shale reservoirs beyond what standard drilling and fracking achieves, and LithX, a technology for extracting lithium and other critical minerals from low-grade ores that traditional mining methods cannot economically process. Founded in 2022 by Jesse Evans and Eric Herrera in San Antonio, Texas, MaverickX raised $19 million in April 2025 led by Olive Tree Capital and Y Combinator with a 20-person team serving multiple major oil and gas operators under contract.\n\nMaverickX's PetroX technology targets the significant oil left behind after standard shale well completion — enhanced oil recovery (EOR) from existing wells can meaningfully increase total field production without drilling additional wells, making it economically attractive to operators already managing well infrastructure. LithX addresses the critical mineral supply challenge: most known lithium deposits are low-grade (not economically viable with conventional hydrometallurgical processing), but if MaverickX's chemistry can economically extract lithium from these deposits, it significantly expands the viable lithium supply chain needed for battery manufacturing.\n\nIn 2025, MaverickX operates at the intersection of oil and gas enhancement and critical minerals supply chain — two significant markets that chemical innovation can address. In EOR, MaverickX competes with established chemical EOR providers including Kemira and Stepan Company for enhanced recovery treatments. In critical minerals, LithX competes with direct lithium extraction (DLE) technologies from Lilac Solutions, Standard Lithium, and others for novel extraction methods. The $19 million Series A validates both technology directions, with the oil and gas revenue contracts providing near-term commercial validation while the lithium extraction technology develops. The 2025 strategy focuses on scaling PetroX deployments with current operator contracts, advancing LithX toward commercial pilot scale, and positioning for the energy transition value story that connects fossil fuel enhancement with critical minerals for clean energy.