US lithium ion battery materials start-up ACT-ion Battery Technologies has raised USD 7.5 million (EUR 7.26m) in a pre-Series A funding round led by the venture arm of BASF SE (<a href="https://www.boerse-frankfurt.de/equity/basf-se" target="_blank">ETR:BAS</a>) to support its plan to have an operational pilot facility by 2025.