With the world in an urgent race to meet growing energy demands sustainably, batteries have emerged as a linchpin of the green transition. From powering electric vehicles (EVs) and next-generation consumer electronics to enabling large-scale renewable energy storage, advancements in battery technology are pivotal in reducing reliance on fossil fuels and achieving energy security.

Among the leaders in this charge are graduates from impulse, the University of Cambridge’s renowned entrepreneurship programme. These innovators are not just redefining battery chemistry; they are commercializing breakthroughs that could reshape entire industries.

Powering the Future: Impulse’s Legacy in Battery Innovation

Impulse alumni have an impressive track record of translating research into market-ready solutions. Pioneers such as Jean de La Verpilliere, co-founder and CEO of Echion Technologies, and Kieran O’Regan, co-founder and CGO of About:Energy, exemplify the programme’s role in nurturing cutting-edge technology and business acumen.

Echion Technologies, a trailblazer in lithium-ion battery innovation, has developed XNO®, a niobium-based anode material that enables lithium-ion batteries to fast-charge safely in under 10 minutes. Last year, the company secured a combined £39 million in funding and recently launched a production facility with the capacity to produce 2,000 tonnes of XNO® annually—equivalent to powering 1 GWh of lithium-ion cells.

Meanwhile, About:Energy has raised over £4 million to expand its hardware-integrated software solutions, facilitating advanced digital twins for the automotive and industrial sectors. These developments illustrate how impulse graduates are pushing the boundaries of battery performance, efficiency, and safety.

Sodium-Ion: The Next Frontier in Battery Technology

Among the latest innovators emerging from impulse are Sanzhar Taizhan, founder and CEO of TaiSan, and Emma Antonio, a scientist set to launch a spin-out from Imperial College London. Both are at the forefront of sodium-ion battery technology, offering promising alternatives to conventional lithium-based energy storage.

TaiSan: Transforming the Electric Vehicle Landscape

Sanzhar Taizhan is tackling one of the biggest challenges in battery technology: improving the energy density and affordability of sodium-ion batteries. Through his company TaiSan, he has pioneered a quasi-solid-state sodium battery using a novel polymer electrolyte and anode material.

“Sodium batteries are traditionally very heavy and big in size. We have developed a brand-new electrolyte material and a first-of-its-kind quasi-solid-state sodium battery, which makes batteries considerably smaller and lighter, with best-in-class energy density, and offers significant cost, sustainability, and safety benefits for the BEV industry,” says Taizhan.

TaiSan’s breakthroughs have not gone unnoticed. The company received the “Best Growth Potential” award from the UK’s Department for Transport and secured £1.3 million in pre-seed funding from investors including EIT InnoEnergy, TSP Ventures, Heartfelt VC, and Exergon. With prototypes in testing and memorandums in place, TaiSan’s technology aims to alleviate range anxiety for EV users, reduce charging times, and drive down overall costs.

Biomass-Based Hard Carbon: A Sustainable Sodium-Ion Alternative

Emma Antonio is another impulse graduate revolutionizing battery materials by harnessing waste-derived hard carbon for sodium-ion batteries. She emphasizes the importance of diversifying battery supply chains to enhance sustainability and energy security.

“Sodium-ion batteries are a more sustainable, affordable, and energy-secure alternative to existing lithium-based technologies, as they can eliminate the need for critical minerals. Current battery supply chains are heavily dependent on a few key regions, creating vulnerabilities in energy security,” Antonio explains.

By developing hard carbon derived from biomass and plastic waste, Antonio’s research is tackling multiple environmental challenges simultaneously. “In sodium-ion batteries, we can replace the critical mineral graphite with hard carbon, which can be derived from a variety of sources. We have developed a material that stores more charge, charges quickly, and lasts longer.”

While Antonio’s immediate goal is to commercialize this breakthrough material, her long-term vision extends to pioneering a new sodium battery chemistry, positioning her work as a gamechanger in stationary energy storage for wind and solar power.

The Impulse 2025 Opportunity

With applications open for impulse 2025, the programme continues to attract top-tier talent ready to accelerate innovations into commercial reality. Running from April 29 to July 11, 2025, impulse provides an action-learning environment guided by expert mentors from Cambridge’s renowned innovation cluster.

The programme also offers specialized fellowships, such as the BMZ battery technology fellowship, supporting participants working on groundbreaking energy storage solutions. BMZ, a leading European manufacturer of lithium-ion battery systems, remains committed to pioneering new technologies that enhance battery performance and sustainability.

From lithium-ion advancements to sodium-ion breakthroughs, impulse alumni are proving that battery technology is at the heart of the sustainability revolution. With industry leaders like Echion Technologies and About:Energy paving the way and new innovators like TaiSan and Antonio bringing next-generation solutions to market, the future of energy storage looks brighter than ever. As impulse 2025 opens its doors, the next wave of battery pioneers is set to redefine what’s possible in the transition to a cleaner, more energy-efficient world.