The Austin Chamber of Commerce and the Central Texas Regional Center of Innovation and Commercialization (CenTex RCIC) announce that the state of Texas has chosen ActaCell, Inc. as the recipient of a commercialization award funded through the Texas Emerging Technology Fund (ETF). This company, which develops and produces next generation high power lithium ion batteries, will receive a $250,000 pre-seed award of a reserved amount up to $1 million for the commercialization of its technology.

“Plug-in hybrid cars offer a path to American energy independence if we can develop cost-effective battery technology,” said Jack McDonald, Chairman Perficient, Inc. and the CenTex RCIC. “With this investment, the Emerging Technology Fund advances the goal of American energy independence, while keeping Texas at the cutting edge of green energy technologies and creating jobs right here at home.”

ActaCell is an Austin-based technology company in the field of developing lithium ion batteries which provide longer life cycles at a low cost. In conjunction with The University of Texas at Austin, this team has created a manganese spinel battery chemistry that helps solve the capacity fade problem commonly encountered with manganese spinel batteries. Advanced batteries are part of the Emerging Energy technology cluster in addition to the Clean Energy focus.

“We are very pleased to have received financing from such a prestigious source as the Emerging Technology Fund,” said Bill Ott, President & CEO of ActaCell, Inc. “Battery technologies are the grand challenge facing development of cost effective Electric Vehicles today, and we are excited about the prospects of commercializing this technology from the University of Texas at Austin. Our development efforts will have an important impact on the current energy storage landscape in terms of delivered price and performance.”

ActaCell is commercializing next generation lithium ion battery technology for use in high power applications such as Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles. In productizing UT Austin Professor Dr. Arumugam Manthiram’s research, ActaCell will be able to provide lithium ion solutions that incorporate safe operation, low cost, long cycle life and high power performance. ETF funding will be used to further milestone achievements, accelerate pilot line manufacturing and related hiring. This includes acquiring additional equipment to support production.

Research was conducted by Dr. Arumugam Manthiram’s group at the University of Texas at Austin’s Material Science and Engineering Program within the Mechanical Engineering department. Their work has advanced the technology of manganese spinel lithium ion batteries for a successful commercialization.

“Together with ActaCell we have been successful in solving the battery capacity fade problem normally encountered with spinel manganese oxide cathodes,” said Dr. Arumugam Manthiram, who holds the Joe C. Walter Chair in Engineering. “Using stabilized materials compositions along with a proprietary manufacturing method, we have created a manganese spinel battery chemistry capable of being the low cost, high power, safety leader in lithium ion technology.”

ActaCell, Inc. was selected by the CenTex RCIC after an extensive due diligence process based on multiple criteria including a stringent analysis of the market and financial opportunity, technology potential, management team and economic impact to Texas.

The CenTex RCIC is a virtual center that operates out of the Austin Chamber of Commerce and serves as a catalyst for emerging technology research, development, commercialization and start-up incubation. In an effort to keep Texas globally competitive, the CenTex RCIC focuses on integrating technology development and commercialization in a 15-county region.