Piersica, Inc. Secures $1 Million Phase II Grant from National Science Foundation to Advance Its Solid-State Battery Technology

Piersica, Inc. Secures $1 Million Phase II Grant from National Science Foundation to Advance Its Solid-State Battery Technology

Piersica Media Contact:
Stacey Gaswirth, Go PR LLC, stacey@gopublicrelations.com, 214-213-4675

Piersica, Inc. announced today it has been awarded a National Science Foundation (NSF) Small Business Innovation Research/Small Business Technology Transfer (SBIR/STTR) Programs Phase II award for $1 million. The NSF grant is designed to support the research and development of a new class of highly conductive solid polymer separator membranes compatible with high-voltage cathodes.

The company’s next-generation solid-state battery will enable extended battery capacity for a wide variety of rechargeable products, ranging from mobile phones and laptop computers to EVs and robots. Furthermore, given the high energy density of Piersica’s battery technology, the company expects its solid-state battery will facilitate the introduction of completely new applications, including electric aircraft and long-range electric delivery drones.

Founded and led by battery industry veteran Dr. Claudiu Bucur, Piersica is pioneering the development of innovative battery technology using proprietary materials created by the company. Piersica’s technology includes:

a proprietary new lithium-conductive polymer,
a highly conductive solid polymer electrolyte layer,
a solid 3D lithium-metal anode layer, and
a solid, high-voltage, cobalt-free cathode layer.

With these innovations, the company aims to deliver a battery with an industry-leading energy density of 630 Wh/kg—approximately 2.5 times higher than current lithium-ion batteries—pushing the boundaries of lithium-based battery technology.

“We are honored to receive NSF’s Phase II grant,” said Claudiu Bucur, CEO of Piersica Inc. “This funding will enable Piersica to further validate our advanced technology and proprietary materials. It marks a critical step in our journey as we advance our developmental cells into a multi-layer prototype of our next-generation, solid-state battery, which will be ready for demonstration to potential customers in 2025.”

Once a small business is awarded a Phase I SBIR/STTR grant (up to $275,000), it becomes eligible to apply for a Phase II (up to $1,000,000). Small businesses with Phase II funding are eligible to receive up to $500,000 in additional matching funds with qualifying third-party investments or sales.

The NSF Phase II grant is the sixth SBIR/STTR award that Piersica has received since 2022, totaling $1.9 million of non-dilutive capital. In addition, in April 2024, the company received a grant from the Shell GameChanger program, in which Piersica is still an active participant.

About NSF’s Small Business Programs

America’s Seed Fund powered by NSF awards $200 million annually to startups and small businesses, transforming scientific discovery into products and services with commercial and societal impact. Startups working across almost all areas of science and technology can receive up to $2 million to support research and development (R&D), helping de-risk technology for commercial success. America’s Seed Fund is congressionally mandated through the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program. The NSF is an independent federal agency with a budget of about $9 billion that supports fundamental research and education across all fields of science and engineering. For more information, visit https://seedfund.nsf.gov.

About Piersica, Inc.

Piersica is an innovative solid-state battery technology company specializing in the development of ultra-high energy-density lithium-ion batteries. With a strong foundation in research and a deep commitment to sustainability, Piersica aims to lead the transition to a greener future through its advanced battery solutions. The company is developing batteries with proprietary new materials and utilizing revolutionary technologies that create higher voltage, greater storage capacity, and faster charging capabilities for a wide variety of existing rechargeable products and future applications. For more information, please visit https://piersica.com.