Enzinc was founded in Maryland in 2009 (DE, C-Corp.), initially as a electric vehicle startup exploring modular, scalable manufacturing technologies and vehicle-to-grid energy storage capabilities.

In 2011, it pivoted after connecting with leading battery chemistry technologists and learning about the potential to revolutionize the energy storage industry through better chemistry. During this time, the company co-developed the core technology in partnership with the US Navy and became an advanced energy storage materials company (zinc metal micro-sponge anode).

In 2017 it was awarded $625,000 ARPA-E grant for Robust Affordable Next Generation Energy Storage — Featured at Department of Energy’s ARPA-E Summit — Selected for and presented at 23rd NREL Innovation Summit. Enzinc and the US Navy published an article in Science Magazine outlining how this unique and patented material completely eliminates dendrite growth in rechargeable zinc mineral energy storage applications.

In 2018, the company received additional funding from private investors — Founders continued investing in building product/commercial know how while the US Navy wrote and recieved the core, defensible IP portfolio. Enzinc were winners in the Electric Mobility category for the Los Angeles Cleantech Incubator New Mobility Challenge — Finalist for Keeling Curve Prize — Selected as a finalist in the inaugural CA Climate Cup Competition and winner of the People's Choice Award at the Global Cleantech Open.

In 2019, received $150,000 California Energy Commission's CalSEED award, opened R&D Lab at U.C. Berkeley’s Richmond Field Station, were selected as NAATBatt Top Ten Emerging Battery Technology and selected for the Movin’On Start Up Challenge run by Michelin — Received Impact Award at the CleanTech 2 Market program at U.C. Berkeley’s Haas School of Business. In 2020, Enzinc won the CalSEED Prototype Award, a $450,000 non dilutive grant to build the first commercially viable form factor units.

In 2021, the company was granted the CEC's CalTestBed award for up to $300,000 or research at one of more than 60 world-class testing facilities throughout California. Enzinc is bringing together an Industry Advisor Committee (IAC), including leading global battery manufacturers, waste stream managers, energy storage users and mobility OEMs and mobility component suppliers. All members of the IAC will review and contribute to CalTestBed testing plan to ensure that

Today, they are based in the Bay Area with their engineering team in a laboratory at the University of California, Berkeley’s Richmond Field Station, getting the production-ready for the market.

Enzinc aims to develop safe, powerful and efficient batteries, utilizing micro-sponge structures. Enzinc does not develop or manufacture the zinc batteries. The company partners with existing batter manufacturers and sells them the enabling technology. Enzinc validates, designs, tests and licenses the zinc-based battery and sells anodes of these batteries (specifically lead acid battery manufacturers).

In 2021, during the CEC CalTestBed National Symposium the company has announced partnerships with companies like:

• SAFT/Total
• Pedego
• Charge Net Station
• BASE Technologies (lead-acid manufacturers in Bangladesh)

More Teaming Partners are being added now, including the largest renewable utility in the world, waste manager, and mobility OEM.

Lead acid market is being left behind due to decreases in prices of li-ion. Business is falling down. Besides, not useful for large energy storage systems.

Enzinc's business model is to do partnerships with these lead-acid companies that are in the way of disappearing and help them have a product competitive with LFP batteries - building a product that has the power of Li-ion with wider operating temperature range and safer chemistry.

Enzinc does not develop or manufacture the zinc batteries. They validate, design, and test the anodes of these batteries and license them to manufacturers (specifically lead acid battery manufacturers).

• Zinc technology

Edison first recognized zinc as a useful electrode material. He even patented the first rechargeable nickel-zinc battery. But the cycle life was not very good, struck down by dendrites, stalactite-like formations that are the bane of all battery designers. They grow and grow until piercing the separator and shorting out the battery. Zinc grows dendrites quickly and Edison could not find a solution, so zinc was relegated to disposable batteries.

Innovators have been working over the past 50 years to make a useful rechargeable zinc-based battery. Many solutions have been offered; some in use today. They range from dendrite suppressing additives for ionic electrolytes; removable plates of zinc, and flow or fuel cell like batteries. These do work, but with compromises. They have great energy, but low power. They are relatively simple components, but complex systems using pumps, storage, tanks, control valves, and controllers. Most are more applicable for large stationary applications like grid storage. None are useful for both mobile and stationary applications.

If the zinc is in an open cell sponge form it is a continuously wired structure. Unlike the typical powder or slurry forms, the current can flow uninterrupted during charge and discharge. Hot-spots cannot form, dendrites cannot grow, anode cracking does not take place. High energy and power can be achieved with hundreds of cycles, in a battery that looks like a battery and not a refinery.

• Zinc as a material

Lithium is largely mined in Bolivia and China, and is already expensive, and may rise in price as global demand increases. Cobalt, used in the Li-ion battery cathode, is expensive and resource constrained.

Lead, the primary metal in most standard car batteries, is cheap and plentiful, but it is also polluting and hard to dispose of safely. Recycling is a must, not an option.

Zinc is a plentiful, safe, and recyclable metal, mined right here in North America. It has high specific energy and energy density, making it ideal for batteries.

• Safe

Unlike lithium-ion-based batteries, Enzinc’s technology has no risk of thermal runaway, and there are no toxic by-products such as lead at the battery’s end of life.

• Recyclable

Enzinc’s products are 100% recyclable, made from plentiful, ethical materials and won’t end up in the landfill or need expensive dismantling.

Its energy density and safety makes it suitable for applications from mobility to stationary applications.

Electric Vehicles Meeting the needs of full electric vehicles, hybrid vehicles, and vehicles with start-stop engines, 3D zinc energy storage will offer the power and range needed, at a lower cost. Enzinc states they will be lighter weight or longer range, safer, and recyclable.

eBikes One of the fastest growing segments in the world, ebikes are powering the growth of the middle class in many emerging economies. Lightweight, safe and efficient 3D zinc batteries are perfect for this application. Electric motorbikes and motor scooters will also benefit from their power and performance.

Energy Storage As the grid gets more and more renewable energy resources, the demand for energy storage before and after the meter, as well as in microgrids, is growing exponentially. Enzinc’s high power density and low cost will be ideal for on- and off-grid, residential, commercial and industrial, or utility-scale energy storage.

Other Markets The attributes of zinc-based batteries will naturally benefit other applications, including military, unmanned aerial vehicles, industrial forklifts, aviation, consumer electronics, wearables and more.