BIRMINGHAM, Mich. — Anthro Energy and EnPower Inc. have signed a master memorandum of understanding to jointly develop and scale domestic lithium-ion battery cell manufacturing for defense, robotics and autonomous systems applications. 

The partnership establishes a long-term collaboration focused on developing high-performance lithium-ion cells manufactured entirely in the United States, from electrolyte chemistry through finished cell production.

The companies said the effort is intended to strengthen domestic battery manufacturing capacity and reduce reliance on foreign lithium-ion supply chains. The partnership is expected to scale production capacity beyond 750 megawatt-hours, creating one of the largest U.S.-based advanced lithium-ion cell platforms outside the automotive sector. 

Anthro Energy develops advanced polymer electrolytes for lithium-ion batteries, while Indianapolis-based EnPower specializes in battery cell design, integration and manufacturing.

“EnPower is strategically positioned to serve as an integrator of domestic battery technologies and a vector for rapid commercialization,” said Adrian Yao, CEO and founder of EnPower. “We are excited to augment our platforms with advanced electrolytes to deliver on a wide variety of customer needs.” 

Under the agreement, the companies will collaborate on high-energy and high-power pouch cell designs for applications including drones, robotics, AI infrastructure, unmanned systems and defense equipment. 

The partnership targets battery cells exceeding 350 watt-hours per kilogram while maintaining high safety standards through combined electrolyte and separator technologies. The companies are also developing high-rate battery cells designed for applications requiring rapid power delivery, including drones and AI data centers. 

By combining EnPower’s domestic electrode and pouch cell manufacturing capabilities with Anthro Energy’s Proteus electrolyte platform, the companies said the partnership will support longer mission times, safer battery systems and operation in demanding environments across air, land and underwater applications. 

“This partnership is about reindustrializing American manufacturing and rebuilding a domestic battery supply chain for the next generation of energy storage,” said David Mackanic, CEO and co-founder of Anthro Energy. “Through this partnership, we are integrating a paradigm-shifting battery platform with U.S. manufacturing capabilities to accelerate commercialization and deliver high-performance energy systems for defense, robotics and autonomous systems.” 

Anthro Energy recently announced plans to establish a large-scale advanced electrolyte manufacturing facility in Louisville, Ky., approximately two hours from EnPower’s 92,000-square-foot manufacturing facility in Indianapolis.