As America grapples with crumbling roads, aging bridges, and outdated pipes, a new beacon of hope is emerging from the innovation labs of MIT. Allium, a startup launched by MIT alumni, is tackling the U.S.’s infrastructure crisis head-on, not by rebuilding everything from scratch, but by making what we build last dramatically longer.
With their cutting-edge technology that makes steel significantly more corrosion-resistant, Allium is positioning itself at the forefront of a much-needed transformation in how we construct and maintain our infrastructure.
Across the United States, the deterioration of infrastructure has become a costly and growing problem. Bridges rust, train tracks degrade, and pipes fail—often decades earlier than intended. But Allium’s breakthrough solution promises a game-changing upgrade: steel that can last three times longer than conventional materials.
“Across the U.S., the typical bridge deck lasts about 30 years on average. We’re enabling 100-year lifetimes,” said Steven Jepeal, CEO and co-founder of Allium, in an interview with MIT News.
The technology itself is elegantly efficient. Instead of relying on fully stainless steel, which is expensive, Allium devised a process to coat traditional carbon steel (often made from recycled scrap) with a layer of stainless steel, boosting its resistance to corrosion. The result is rebar that’s just as strong and workable as standard steel but far more durable in harsh environments.
“We go into the mills and take big chunks of steel… and we deposit stainless steel on the outside,”
Jepeal explained. “The treated steel then goes through the mill’s typical process for making end products like rebar.”
What makes Allium’s approach so attractive is its seamless integration into existing steel mill workflows, making it scalable without requiring major retooling. The startup has already used its process on over 100,000 pounds of steel rebar, proof of both concept and practicality.
This comes at a time when the U.S. faces a daunting backlog of aging infrastructure. Many materials used in the past weren’t designed to withstand the increasingly intense environmental stresses caused by extreme weather events like heat waves and flooding. Corrosion, especially in steel, has been a primary driver of structural failures.
“There’s a huge backlog of infrastructure that needs to be replaced… We’re trying to ride the momentum of rebuilding America’s infrastructure, but rebuild in a way that makes it last,”
Jepeal added.
But the implications of Allium’s work stretch far beyond longevity. Fewer replacements and less maintenance mean reduced steel production over time, leading to a meaningful drop in carbon emissions. In short, longer-lasting steel doesn’t just save money, it supports global climate goals.