GAHANNA, OH — Empower Battery Technology announces it has been selected by AFWERX for a SBIR Phase I contract in the amount of $74,648 focused on high-power Glass Anode™ battery cells for small military drones to address the most pressing challenges in the Department of the Air Force (DAF). The Air Force Research Laboratory and AFWERX have partnered to streamline the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) process by accelerating the small business experience through faster proposal to award timelines, changing the pool of potential applicants by expanding opportunities to small business and eliminating bureaucratic overhead by continually implementing process improvement changes in contract execution. The DAF began offering the Open Topic SBIR/STTR program in 2018 which expanded the range of innovations the DAF funded and now on July 7, 2026, Empower Battery Technology will start its journey to create and provide innovative capabilities that will strengthen the national defense of the United States of America.
“Empower Battery Technology is excited for this opportunity to develop cutting-edge, high-power battery solutions to support the Air Force and the broader defense community,” said Nicholas Bashian, Chief Technology Officer of Empower Battery Technology.
The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Department of the Air Force, the Department of War, or the U.S. government.
About Empower Battery Technology
Empower Battery Technology develops domestically manufactured Glass Anode™ materials that strengthen U.S. battery supply chains and enable faster-charging lithium-ion batteries. Based in the Columbus, Ohio area, the company works with partners in defense, automotive, and commercial markets. For more information, contact info@empowerbatterytechnology.com.
About AFRL
The Air Force Research Laboratory is the Department of the Air Force’s primary scientific research and development center and one of six centers within Air Force Materiel Command. AFRL leads the discovery, development and delivery of technologies for air, space and the multidomain. With a workforce spanning seven mission areas at more than 40 locations worldwide, AFRL conducts research ranging from basic science to advanced technology development. For more information, visit afresearchlab.com.
About AFWERX
As the innovation arm of the Department of the Air Force and a division within the Air Force Research Laboratory, AFWERX brings American ingenuity from small businesses and startups to solve the most pressing challenges facing Airmen and Guardians. Headquartered at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, AFWERX strengthens the defense industrial base by expanding access to nontraditional vendors, building new defense partnerships and accelerating the transition of critical technologies to operational capability. In fiscal year 2025, AFWERX awarded more than 1,000 contracts totaling $1.37 billion and achieved 438 Phase III transitions valued at $8.1 billion, supercharging the industrial base that supports U.S. military readiness and battlefield advantage. For more information, visit afwerx.com.
Company Press Contact
- Nicholas Bashian
- Chief Technology Officer, Empower Battery Technology
- info@empowerbatterytechnology.com
