From the electrification of end-uses such as vehicles and heating to storage supporting intermittent renewables, many emission-reduction efforts rely heavily on lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries. But today’s batteries are not up to the task. They are not designed to be as ubiquitous as the electrified economy needs them to be. Instead, they are bulky, rigid, and difficult to integrate into electronics of all sizes. They present serious safety hazards, including fires and chemical leakage. Between January and May, lithium-ion batteries sparked 60 fires in New York. Even at the design stage, engineers have to work around the batteries’ limitations to develop a product. But this shouldn’t be the case. Batteries should be an energy source that can be integrated into any device, rather than a design hindrance. And this is the goal of Anthro Energy, our recent investment in the climate fund.
Anthro Energy has developed a novel polymer engineering platform to enable structural batteries. These battery cells withstand mechanical deformation and are completely safe (below are some cool pictures!). Anthro’s materials cost matches that of regular lithium-ion batteries, and the process is compatible with existing battery manufacturing facilities, which has been a scale-limiting factor for many new battery technologies. Using wearables as their entry market, Anthro is working today with customers to design novel and longer-lasting military and medical wearables, such as smart headbands and skin patches. Beyond wearables, Anthro technology unlocks many design possibilities. It enables batteries to be used in previously unsafe or space-limited applications. For example, Anthro cells can fill up otherwise dead space in the chassis of drones and EVs.
The Anthro Energy team, led by David Mackanic and Joe Papp, is reimagining the future of energy storage and electric design, one market at a time! We are excited to back the team alongside Energy Revolution Ventures, Voyager Ventures, and other leading investors in the climate and battery space. If you want to be part of the journey, Anthro Energy is hiring, here!
