For Release:           Immediate – April 9, 2019
Contact:                  Steve Ference, Director of University Communications | (518) 956-7319 | sference@sunypoly.edu

University Innovation and Entrepreneurship Showcase on Capitol Hill to
Spotlight SUNY Poly Student Spinoff Eonix

Event in Washington, DC, to Help Highlight Eonix’s More Efficient Electrolyte Battery System

ALBANY, NY – SUNY Polytechnic Institute (SUNY Poly) announced that SUNY Poly alumni who started Eonix, which focuses on improved electrolytes and systems for more powerful and efficient energy storage, was selected through a highly competitive process to be featured at The University Innovation and Entrepreneurship Showcase April 10 on Capitol Hill. Hosted by the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities and the Association of American Universities, the event will spotlight twenty startup companies from across the nation that have created products and services using federally funded, university-based research.

“On behalf of SUNY Polytechnic Institute, we are honored that these talented alumni are being recognized at the University Innovation and Entrepreneurship Showcase in Washington, DC, for their novel work that is powering more efficient and effective electrolytes for improved battery performance,” said SUNY Poly Interim President Dr. Grace Wang. “This is a great example of how our students gain a highly relevant high-tech education and can apply it to real world challenges, leading to successful careers for our alumni. We are proud that our unique resources and capabilities have provided a critical platform for them to obtain key federal grants, which have advanced their vision for better energy storage.”

“Path-breaking research is fundamental to the mission of public universities,” said APLU President Peter McPherson. “Strong federal investment in university-based research is essential for our nation because that research provides the foundation for the development of new technologies that save lives, make us more secure, improve our quality of life, and power our economy forward. We’re thrilled to highlight some of the best startups sparked out of that investment to demonstrate how university-based research fuels innovation and entrepreneurship across the country. These startups are examples of why 88 percent of voters agree it’s important for the federal government to fund science and technology research. Scientific research spurs economic growth.”

“We are proud to showcase Eonix’s technology, which not only boasts no adoption costs, but also higher voltage operation because of greater chemical stability, and thereby reduces the cost and size of ultra-capacitor modules. In addition, we look forward to sharing how our advances enable increased energy density, as well as higher ionic conductivity, resulting in a reduction in electrical series resistance for overall more efficient and cost-effective energy storage,” said Don DeRosa, CTO of Eonix. “We are thrilled to share our novel technology at the University Innovation and Entrepreneurship Showcase, and we are grateful for the funding we have received as well as the support over the past several years from SUNY Polytechnic Institute which continues to underpin our success.”

Eonix aims to provide advantages to its customers based on its unique understanding of electrolyte stability in different materials systems. They currently offer an optimized first-generation electrolyte with select additives to maximize the performance of any electrode. Significantly, Eonix’s electrolyte solution is designed to be “dropped into” the current manufacturing process, easily replacing present-day formulations within energy storage systems.

The showcase on Capitol Hill is meant to share the important role of federally funded university research in driving high-value entrepreneurship and the U.S. innovation economy for members of Congress, their staff, and national economic development and innovation policy leaders. Speakers will include: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office Director Andrei Iancu; National Institute of Standards and Technology Associate Director for Innovation and Industry Services Phillip Singerman; House Science, Space, and Technology Committee Chair Eddie Bernice Johnson and Ranking Member Frank Lucas; APLU President McPherson; and AAU President Mary Sue Coleman.

Of the showcase, AAU President Coleman said: “The partnership between the government and American research universities lies at the heart of the U.S. scientific and higher education enterprise. This unique American partnership has empowered entrepreneurs to start companies and entire new industries that have advanced our health, national security, and economy.”

Startups were chosen by a selection committee comprised of innovation experts who considered the level of student engagement in the startup, the strength of the startup technology, and its connection to research.  The committee also factored whether the affiliated university had earned APLU’s Innovation & Economic Prosperity University designation, a national recognition for higher education institutions that have demonstrated a substantial and sustainable commitment to promoting economic development.

In addition to SUNY Poly, the following universities and startups participated in the showcase:

For more information about Eonix Energy, please visit: http://www.eonixenergy.com/

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About SUNY Polytechnic Institute (SUNY Poly)

SUNY Poly is New York’s globally recognized, high-tech educational ecosystem. SUNY Poly offers undergraduate and graduate degrees in the emerging disciplines of nanoscience and nanoengineering, as well as cutting-edge nanobioscience and nanoeconomics programs at its Albany campus, and undergraduate and graduate degrees in technology, including engineering, cybersecurity, computer science, and the engineering technologies; professional studies, including business, communication, and nursing; and arts and sciences, including natural sciences, mathematics, humanities, and social sciences at its Utica/Rome campus; thriving athletic, recreational, and cultural programs, events, and activities complement the campus experience. As the world’s most advanced, university-driven research enterprise, SUNY Poly boasts billions of dollars in high-tech investments and hundreds of corporate partners since its inception. For information visit www.sunypoly.edu.