PolyPlus Battery Company

What PolyPlus Battery Company does

PolyPlus Battery Company, founded in 1991 and headquartered in Berkeley, California, is a private advanced battery technology developer that has built a deep intellectual property portfolio around its proprietary Protected Lithium Electrode (PLE) technology. The PLE is a lithium metal core shielded by a thin, dense ceramic membrane that conducts lithium ions, enabling the safe use of metallic lithium anodes and unlocking chemistries previously considered impractical, including lithium-air, lithium-seawater, aqueous lithium-sulfur, and glass-protected solid-state lithium metal batteries. The company's product portfolio spans primary cells (Li-Air at >800 Wh/kg cell-level, Li-Seawater at up to 2000 Wh/kg) and rechargeable cells (glass-protected Li metal and Li-S, both targeting 400+ Wh/kg), with over 200 issued and pending patents underpinning the platform.

The company operates as an IP- and technology-licensing business with a small 18-person R&D organization (14 technical staff) housed in a 13,000 ft2 Berkeley facility that includes a semi-automated PLE pilot line installed in 2013 in collaboration with a Tier 1 battery manufacturing engineering firm. Revenue is generated primarily through technology licensing, government contracts from the U.S. Department of Energy and Department of Defense, and private investment — no commercial product revenue is publicly disclosed. Target end-markets include defense and soldier power, marine/subsea systems, drones, medical devices, consumer electronics, automotive, and grid-scale energy storage.

Management is led by founding-era Ph.D. scientists: co-founder and Chairman Lutgard De Jonghe (Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory), CEO and CTO Steven J. Visco, CFO and COO May-Ying Chu, and Director of R&D Eugene Nimon, supported by IP and corporate development functions. Recognition includes TIME Magazine's 50 Best Inventions of 2011 (Li-Seawater), a Gold Edison Award in 2012 (PLE), and 2025 inclusion in lithium-air and lithium-sulfur solid-state market analyst rankings alongside well-capitalized peers. The company remains privately held with no disclosed funding rounds, revenue figures, or commercial product launches at scale.

Name

PolyPlus Battery Company

Legal name

PolyPlus Battery Company

Website

https://polyplus.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1991

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

PolyPlus Battery Company is a private, Berkeley-based advanced battery technology developer founded in 1991 that licenses its proprietary Protected Lithium Electrode (PLE) and glass-protected lithium metal battery IP to manufacturers, with revenue from licensing, DOE/DOD contracts, and private investment.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Advanced Lithium Batteries

NAICS

Battery Manufacturing (335910), Battery Manufacturing (33591)

SIC

Electronic & Other Electrical Equipment (No Computer Equip) (3600)

akta.pro primary industry

Solid-State Battery Materials & Cell Manufacturing (EUAFABAH)

akta.pro secondary industry

Battery Cells (Li-ion, LFP, Sodium-ion, Lead-acid, NiMH) (IMAGAHAA)

Keywords

• Lithium battery technology
• Protected lithium electrode
• Solid-state battery cells
• Lithium air batteries
• High energy density batteries

Headquarters

HQ city

Berkeley

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Personnel, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Operations

Revenue model

1. Technology Licensing: Early business model focused on IP development and licensing. PolyPlus licenses its proprietary technologies including the Protected Lithium Electrode (PLE), non-aqueous Li-S electrolyte, and other battery technologies to manufacturers.
2. Government Contracts: Supported by government contracts from the Department of Energy and Department of Defense for advanced battery technology development.
3. Private Investment: Funded through private investment in addition to licensing revenue and government contracts.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

PolyPlus Battery Company develops and licenses proprietary advanced lithium battery chemistries based on its Protected Lithium Electrode (PLE) and glass-protected lithium metal technologies. The company manufactures and supplies ultra-high energy density battery products including glass-protected Li metal batteries, lithium-seawater batteries, lithium-air batteries, and lithium-sulfur batteries targeting weight-sensitive applications in defense, marine, automotive, drones, consumer electronics, and medical devices.

Product overview

PolyPlus Battery Company is a battery technology developer offering multiple distinct battery products based on its proprietary Protected Lithium Electrode (PLE™) and glass-protected lithium technologies. The product portfolio centers on five core offerings: Glass Protected Li Metal Battery (the flagship solid-state technology doubling Li-ion energy density), Protected Lithium Electrode (PLE™) core technology, Lithium Seawater Battery (for underwater applications), Lithium Air Battery (for weight-sensitive portable power), and Lithium Sulfur Battery (for lightweight rechargeable applications). These products share common intellectual property based on protected lithium metal anodes but serve different market applications ranging from consumer electronics to marine/underwater and aerospace.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Glass Protected Li Metal Battery The world's first glass protected Li metal battery featuring a solid-state lithium anode laminate with thin monolithic glass separator that doubles the energy density of conventional lithium-ion batteries while preventing dendrite formation.
• Protected Lithium Electrode (PLE) An air and water stable battery anode with a lithium metal core protected by a thin, dense, ceramic membrane that conducts Li+ ions, enabling safe use of high energy density lithium metal anodes.
• Lithium Seawater Battery The first seawater-activated lithium battery combining the Protected Lithium Electrode with seawater as the cathode active species, achieving energy densities up to 2000 Wh/kg with zero self-discharge for underwater/subsea applications.
• Lithium Air Battery The world's lightest primary battery coupling lithium metal in the PLE with a gas diffusion electrode, aqueous electrolyte, and ambient air, achieving cell-level energy density above 800 Wh/kg with projected shelf life exceeding 10 years.
• Lithium Sulfur Battery A rechargeable battery technology using non-aqueous or aqueous sulfur-based cathode chemistries paired with protected lithium electrodes, offering projected performance exceeding 400 Wh/kg and 600 Wh/l with excellent cycle life.

Quantifiable outcome

• 2x energy density compared to Li-ion batteries (glass-protected Li metal)
• +5 more outcomes

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and foundational.

• U.S. Department of EnergycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPolyPlus has received government contracts from the Department of Energy for development of advanced battery technologies. DOE funding supports the company's R&D efforts in next-generation battery chemistry development.
• U.S. Department of DefensecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPolyPlus has received government contracts from the Department of Defense for battery technology development. DOD support enables development of advanced battery systems for defense applications including soldier power and remote sensors.
• Tier 1 Battery Manufacturing Engineering FirmcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPolyPlus worked with a Tier 1 battery manufacturing engineering firm to design and build a first-of-its-kind pilot line to produce protected lithium electrodes for state-of-the-art lithium-air, lithium-water, and lithium-sulfur batteries.
• Lawrence Berkeley National LaboratoryfoundationalTechnology or IntegrationPolyPlus was founded upon the invention of the lithium/organosulfur battery at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory in 1991. The company's origins trace to fundamental research conducted at this national laboratory.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Solid Power: Solid Power is developing all-solid-state batteries with sulfide-based electrolytes and lithium-metal anodes, with both Li-S and silicon-anode programs. It overlaps with PolyPlus on solid-state and lithium-sulfur chemistries and shares the same OEM-partnered commercialization model targeting automotive.
• QuantumScape: QuantumScape develops solid-state lithium-metal batteries targeting EVs and consumer electronics with significantly higher energy density than Li-ion. Like PolyPlus, it is built around a proprietary lithium-metal-anode architecture and pursues OEM-embedded commercialization, making it the closest direct peer in the solid-state Li-metal category.
• Lyten: Lyten develops lithium-sulfur batteries using a 3D graphene-based host material for the sulfur cathode. It is a direct competitor in Li-S chemistries with overlapping defense, EV, and aerospace targets and was named alongside PolyPlus in Future Market Insights' Li-S solid-state competitive landscape.
• Amprius Technologies: Amprius manufactures silicon-anode lithium-ion batteries delivering substantially higher energy density than conventional graphite-anode Li-ion cells. It competes with PolyPlus in weight-sensitive applications (aerospace, drones, defense, EVs) and represents an incremental Li-ion alternative to PolyPlus's lithium-metal chemistries.
• Sion Power: Sion Power is a long-standing developer of rechargeable lithium-sulfur batteries, with its own proprietary protected lithium electrode technology. It directly competes with PolyPlus in Li-S and protected Li-anode chemistries and is also pursuing aerospace, defense, and EV applications.
• Lithium Air Industries: Lithium Air Industries is named with PolyPlus as a key player in the lithium-air battery market by Fortune Business Insights. Its sole focus on Li-Air chemistries makes it a direct peer competing for the same automotive and stationary storage opportunities.
• Mullen Technologies: Mullen is identified alongside PolyPlus as a key player in the global lithium-air battery market by Fortune Business Insights. It is pursuing lithium-air chemistries for EVs and is therefore a direct peer in the Li-Air category specifically.
• SES AI (formerly SolidEnergy Systems): SES AI develops hybrid lithium-metal batteries and AI-enabled battery safety software for EVs. It overlaps with PolyPlus on lithium-metal-anode technology targeting automotive applications and shares the OEM-embedded commercialization model.

Broad incumbents

• CATL: CATL is the world's largest battery manufacturer and has publicly disclosed research into both solid-state and lithium-sulfur chemistries. It is a broad incumbent whose scale and automotive relationships pose a competitive threat if it commercializes competing chemistries at gigawatt scale.
• LG Energy Solution: LG Energy Solution is a global Tier-1 battery manufacturer with publicly disclosed solid-state and lithium-sulfur development programs. It is a broad incumbent that competes with PolyPlus at the OEM-customer level across automotive and energy storage applications.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks3 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/polyplusbattery

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about PolyPlus Battery Company