Mana Battery has signed a deal with a TotalEnergies subsidiary, as the Colorado based startup pursues commercialization of a proprietary electrolyte platform and anode-free sodium cell technology.
French manufacturer Saft has entered a joint agreement with Mana Battery following a technical evaluation which began in 2025. Under the deal, the two companies will work together to develop, validate and test their technology.
Founded in 2023, Mana Battery is a spin out of the University of Colorado Boulder. The startup is seeking to commercialize its electrolyte platform and anode-free sodium-ion technology, with potential customers including the defense sector and other heavy infrastructure industries that require battery storage to withstand extreme temperature and hold charge for long periods on standby.
The anode-free approach used by Mana Battery means cells are assembled without an anode active material, which proponents claim can lower manufacturing cost and improve energy density.
“Sodium-ion is a strategically important chemistry for the industries we serve, and anode-free designs are its most promising frontier,” said Kamen Nechev, chief technology and innovation officer at Saft. “Mana Battery brings world-class electrolyte innovation that complements our cell design, manufacturing and qualification capabilities. Together we intend to bring safe, high-performance sodium-ion batteries to defense, aerospace, rail, data center and industrial UPS customers.”
Tyler Evans, CEO of Mana Battery, said the agreement validates the maturity of the company’s platform and “puts it on the fastest possible path from the lab to the field, where its energy density, safety and supply-chain advantages matter most.”
In addition to its deal with Saft, Mana Battery has backed a campaigning calling for more policy support for US sodium-ion manufacturing. The startup is a founding member of the American Battery Leadership Coalition which campaigns for sodium-ion batteries to be a national priority in the United States. The coalition’s leaders include include Alsym Energy and Peak Energy.
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