Bezos- and Gates-Backed KoBold Metals Launches Massive Lithium Exploration Push in Congo

Josh Goldman, President, KoBold Metals, speaks on stage during a presentation in the U.S.-Africa Business Forum Deal Room at Walter E. Washington Convention Centre in Washington on Dec. 14, 2022. Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images for Prosper AfricaKoBold Metals, backed by billionaires Jeff Bezos and Bill Gates, has launched a massive lithium exploration campaign in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), seeking to bring the critical resource used in electric vehicles and other batteries to the United States, the company announced April 13.“This campaign is possible because of the courage and vision of the DRC government and the tireless work of the [U.S. State Department] to create the conditions for American companies to succeed in the DRC,” KoBold CEO Kurt House posted on X April 13.