Steady Progress Or A (Nyo)Bolt From The Blue?

The economist Erik Brynjolfsson once wrote that “General purpose technologies drive most economic growth, because they unleash cascades of complementary innovations”. Underlying technologies, though often overlooked, are of fundamental importance. It is hard to think of many technologies that are more general-purpose than batteries (indeed, there is a good chance that you have used a battery-powered device in both your work and personal life already today), and developments in this sector are sorely needed if the transition to a green economy is going to be successful in the next few decades.

One company showing progress in the battery sector is Nyobolt, a Cambridge-based battery technology firm which recently closed their series C funding round and has become the latest in a long line of Cambridge companies to achieve “unicorn” status. Having spun out from the University of Cambridge Chemistry Department in 2019, they have gone on to develop ultra-fast charging and high capacity