AluminAiry

Exciting updates for AluminAiry! ?????? We are thrilled to share that our CEO, Brian Washington, PhD, has been awarded an Entrepreneurial Fellowship from the University of Tennessee Research Foundation - UTRF to continue developing our aluminum-air battery prototype! Additionally, Dr. Washington had the opportunity to collaborate with Dr. Thomas Zawodzinski and secured $50,000 in non-dilutive funding from the Chancellor’s Innovation Fund award! This support is a huge step forward in bringing our technology closer to real-world applications. ?? Our main milestones for this year are focused on four main aspects: ?? Scaling our technology by 20x to 100 cm2 cell configurations - enabling real-world testing, hardware integration, and benchmarking. ?? Integrating our mechanical refuel mechanism IP and establishing strategic partnerships to source key materials. ? Performing multi-cell and stack assemblies with increased voltage and power outputs. ?? Establishing a fully functional prototype system for demonstration to investors and potential customers heading into 2026. This funding will help accelerate product development, pushing the boundaries of energy storage with aluminum-air battery technology. The momentum behind?AluminAiry?is growing, and we couldn’t be more excited about what’s ahead! We want to give a huge thanks to the?University of Tennessee Research Foundation - UTRF, the?Tickle College of Engineering at the University of Tennessee, and all our supporters who believe in our vision for energy-dense, scalable solutions for multiple applications. Stay tuned—there’s more to come! ??? #Innovation #Energy #BatteryTech #Entrepreneurship #UTRF #AluminumAirBatteries #UTKnoxville #EnergyStorage #eVTOLs #StationaryEnergy #PortableEnergy #NextGenerationEnergy #Aluminum #Circularity #Sustainability

?? Honored and excited! We at AluminAiry are thrilled to have been awarded the $10,000 Spark Award by the Tennessee Valley Authority during the Opportunities in Energy 2024 event. This recognition is a testament to our mission to redefine energy generation with our innovative aluminum-air battery system. Our solution delivers clean electricity, reduces reliance on rare earth elements, and enhances grid resiliency—key steps toward a sustainable energy future. ??? A heartfelt thank you to Miles Biggs, Curt Jawdy, PE, and the Tennessee Valley Authority for believing in and supporting our vision. Also, special thanks to Lilly Tench, the fantastic people at the Spark Innovation Center at the UT Research Park, and the incredible community at the Tennessee Advanced Energy Business Council. Your commitment to fostering innovation inspires us to keep pushing boundaries. Let’s keep building a brighter and cleaner energy future! ?? #Innovation #Cleantech #EnergyFuture #AluminumAirBatteries #GridResiliency Read more here: https://lnkd.in/gtxibtXv

Join us at Innov865 Week’s premier event, Startup Day, where we’ll pitch our startup to judges and an excited audience! ??? ???? October 1?? ?? 1-5 p.m. ET ?? The Mill and Mine ?? Register now: https://lnkd.in/e2-9f_TN ?? See you there! ???? #SUD2024 #IW2024 #innov865

Week One of the Spark Cleantech Accelerator comes to an exciting end. It happened so fast - What even happened? Here's a quick rewind. - Day 1 - Tour of IAMM + Core Facilities with a welcome dinner at Maple Hall. Day 2 - Tour of UTK Prototyping Facilities: FabLab, Tickle College of Engineering at the University of Tennessee, & UT Kao Innovation & Collaboration Studio. Day 3 - Knoxville Entrepreneurial Ecosystem Overview Overview with Cortney Piper from Tennessee Advanced Energy Business Council, City Overview from the City of Knoxville and Knoxville Chamber (Knoxville, Tennessee), Spark panel hosted by previous Spark companies with Anca Timofte, Don DeRosa, Dan L., Anna Douglas, and Pitch Training with Martha Weeks. Day 4 - Lovely group photos of the?Innovation Crossroads?and CTA Cohort, Guest speakers from?Brian Krumm?at the UT Legal Clinic, William Malkes Sr's Intro to Bill of Materials, Mentor Pitching with the Tennessee Advanced Energy Business Council Energy Mentor Network, and a mentor mixer to finish off the work week! The Spark Innovation Center is dedicated to teaching, introducing, and connecting our companies to Knoxville's entrepreneurial ecosystem here at UT Institute for Advanced Materials and Manufacturing. 12 more weeks to go! - Group Photo from left to right Brian Washington, Nicholas Sokol, PhD, Vinit Chaudhary, Bing Cao, Daniel Clark, Suba R, Brian Iezzi, Katy Bradford, PE, PhD, Jordan Cannon, PhD, Tim Vosburgh, Kevin Roccapriore, and Lance Adler.

The Spark Cleantech Accelerator has just begun Cohort 2024! It is our goal to help equip these 13 startups and founders with networking opportunities, financial acumen, MVP,?business model development skills, and masterful pitches. Help us welcome our 6 from Spark and 7 from Innovation Crossroads: Brian Washington - AluminAiry Rachid Essehli - American Advanced Membrane Technology Lance Adler - Witching Hour Subathra R - Iontech Energy Solutions Daniel Clark - Topshelf Enterprises DBA 3D Solar Bing Cao - Z18 Engineering,LLC - Nicholas Sokol, PhD - Algaeo Vinit Chaudhary - Aligned Composites Technology Kevin Roccapriore - AtomQ Katy Bradford, PE, PhD - Cassette construction Jordan Cannon, PhD - Circular Biosciences Tim Vosburgh - Coulomb Energy Brian Iezzi - Fibracode

Meet the emerging companies pitching at the Innov865 2024 Startup Day! Innov865 announced this morning that three University of Tennessee, Knoxville?startups?have been selected for the first annual student pitch competition / Anderson Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation at the University of Tennessee. ?? Congratulations to... AluminAiry / Colt Griffith (Brian Washington) Flock Analytics / Cody Blankenship KnoxBots / Wesley Pitts Read more: https://lnkd.in/e88cYqfp