May 11th, 2009
U.S. battery company tries to power up
We all know Micihigan leads the country in unemployment and in dinosaur car companies. Amidst the nostalgia for days go by, some entrepreneurs are pushing for a re-birth. An Ann Arbor start-up is wanting to a big in the world of batteries.
Sakti3 has backing from V.C. Vinod Khosla, and is looking for more money from the Department of Energy (DOE). DOE has a $2 billion Electric Drive Battery and Component Manufacturing Initiative. Sakti has alrerady garnered $15 million in private and state backing. $2 mil came from Vinod Khosla. And the Ann Arbor firm is led by CEO Ann Marie Sastry who is also a professor at the University of Michigan.
Nearly bankrupt, General Motors is supplying technical assistance and co-operation to Sakti3 but not any cash. Sakti3 is aiming at producing next generaton battery tech.
SECRECY
There’s not a lot about the Sakti3 tech online. Can’t find a corporate website. They have licensed two technologies from the University of Michigan. “Micromachined deposited battery” and “Hybrid battery supply” for electric and hyrbid cars. Presumably their application to the DOE contains more details. They clearly understand how crucial and cut-throat will be the global competition around better elecltric batteries for transport.
A newsman since 1969, Harry Fuller has worked for CBS, ABC, CNBC Europe, CNET and was founding news director at TechTV. See his full profile and disclosure of his industry affiliations.
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