The British clean energy startup wants to be the “ARM of batteries,” offering a sustainable alternative to lithium and sodium cells.

Battery innovation is one of the hottest areas in clean tech, but many bold claims fail to deliver. Eqonic, a new UK startup, believes it can break that cycle. Founded by former finance executive Jas Kandola, Eqonic is taking a different route to reshape how battery technology is developed, produced, and used across industries.

From Finance to Clean Energy

Kandola’s background isn’t the typical scientist-turned-engineer story. After a career in corporate finance at Barclays and running a financial services startup, he shifted focus to the decarbonization movement. Two challenges stood out: sustainable materials and energy storage. Batteries, with their dependence on lithium and sodium, seemed ripe for disruption.

“We wanted to move away from the three big problems: the environmental impact of mining rare earth materials, the lack of supply chain diversity, and the difficulty of recycling lithium cells,” says Kandola. Safety, he adds, was also a pressing issue.

A New Approach to Battery Materials

Eqonic ruled out lithium and sodium early, citing both environmental and performance limitations. Instead, the team, working closely with leading academics, identified alternative materials that can be sourced more sustainably, recycled easily, and remain inherently safe.

While the company won’t yet reveal its exact formula—patents are pending—Kandola claims early lab-scale batteries have delivered “phenomenal” results. Eqonic is now preparing to scale up, targeting market-ready prototypes within 12 months.

Cost and Performance Advantages

One of Eqonic’s strongest selling points is price. According to Kandola, the company’s batteries could be 60–70% cheaper to manufacture than today’s lithium-iron phosphate (LFP) cells. Their energy density is on par with LFP and sodium, with two tailored versions:

  • Long-life cells for energy storage, competing with LFP.
  • High-energy density cells for electric vehicles, competing with NMC.

The company is also focused on safety and durability. Eqonic batteries can be fully discharged, making them more versatile for defense and aerospace uses, while remaining stable under stress tests such as punctures and open-air handling.

Built on UK Engineering Strengths

Eqonic has recruited heavy hitters from the automotive and energy sectors, including Craig Wilson, former CEO of Williams Advanced Engineering, and Stuart Dyble, ex-Ford and Jaguar Land Rover executive. The goal: to keep development rooted in the UK while building global partnerships.

But unlike failed British ventures such as Britishvolt, Eqonic won’t build a costly gigafactory. Instead, the startup plans to license its technology, much like ARM Holdings did with microchips, enabling manufacturers worldwide to adopt its designs.

Looking Toward Solid-State and Beyond

Eqonic is also exploring solid-state batteries, developing its own solid electrolyte alongside its current liquid system. Future applications could include space technology and specialized energy solutions, showing that the company’s ambitions extend far beyond electric cars.

Whether Eqonic can deliver remains to be seen, but its bold claims—safer chemistry, drastically lower costs, and a licensing model built for global reach—make it one of the UK’s most promising clean energy startups. The next 12 months will reveal if Eqonic can truly live up to its vision of becoming the ARM of battery technology.