Anthro Energy, EnPower, Inc. sign Master MOU to scale U.S. lithium-ion cell production

Anthro Energy, a next-generation battery technology company developing advanced polymer electrolytes to enhance lithium-ion battery performance and safety, and EnPower, Inc., a lithium-ion battery cell design, integration and manufacturing company, today announced the signing of a Master Memorandum of Understanding (Master MOU).

The companies said that the MOU establishes a long-term, multi-phase partnership to jointly develop, manufacture and scale high-performance lithium-ion cells in the United States.

Expanding U.S. lithium-ion battery production

Anthro and EnPower said that their partnership establishes a fully domestic pathway from advanced electrolyte chemistry through finished cell production - a vertically integrated U.S. cell stack that addresses growing concerns over foreign dominance of the lithium-ion supply chain.

The companies said that the partnership also supports the reindustrialization of American battery manufacturing for defense and dual-use applications. Together, the partners anticipate scaling production capacity beyond 750 MWh as part of this collaboration, establishing one of the largest U.S.-based advanced lithium-ion cell platforms outside of automotive supply chains.

Anthro and EnPower said that demand for advanced batteries in these sectors is accelerating rapidly. According to a 2026 industry report, the artificial intelligence and robotics market in aerospace and defense is projected to grow from $26.9 billion in 2025 to $29.7 billion in 2026, reflecting a 10.5% annual growth rate driven by increased adoption of autonomous drones, robotics, and AI-enabled defense systems. The companies said that each of these platforms urgently depends on high-performance, domestically manufactured batteries - a category currently underserved by the U.S. supply base.

"As one of the only end-to-end domestic cell makers right-sized for defense and critical infrastructure markets, EnPower is strategically positioned to serve as an integrator of domestic battery technologies and a vector for rapid commercialization," said Adrian Yao, founder and CEO of EnPower. "Anthro is an excellent example of this, and we are excited to augment our platforms with advanced electrolytes to deliver on a wide variety of customer needs."

Anthro Energy and EnPower Master MOU details

Under the Master MOU, the companies will collaborate across multiple phases to deliver high-performance and high-power cells governed by a separate Definitive Agreement with defined product specifications, performance targets and commercial timelines.

Together, Anthro and EnPower said that they are developing high-performance pouch cell designs for mission-critical applications, targeting:

• Safe, high-energy: Cells exceeding 350 watt-hours per kilogram (Wh/kg) for high-energy applications while maintaining industry-leading safety - combining synergistic electrolyte and separator technologies
• Specialty high-power: High-rate or ultra-high rate capability for applications needing lift (drones) or ride-through power (AI Datacenters)

By combining EnPower's U.S.-based electrode and pouch cell manufacturing capabilities with Anthro Energy's Proteus electrolyte platform, the companies said that their partnership delivers cells that support longer mission times, safer system designs and operation in more demanding environments across air, land, and underwater domains - all manufactured domestically.

Anthro and EnPower added that the collaboration targets high-performance applications across defense, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs), drones, robotics, embodied AI systems and public safety equipment, where performance, safety, and secure domestic sourcing are critical.

"This partnership is about reindustrializing American manufacturing and rebuilding a domestic battery supply chain for the next generation of energy storage," said David Mackanic, co-founder and CEO 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 solutions for defense, robotics and autonomous systems."

The Master MOU establishes a structured framework for the parties to collaborate on Definitive Agreements covering each workstream.

Anthro Energy announced plans in December 2025 to establish the first large-scale, U.S.-owned and operated advanced electrolyte manufacturing facility in Louisville, Ky.

The facility is located two hours away from EnPower's 92,000 sq. ft. Indianapolis facility, further anchoring this collaboration's commitment to onshore battery production and building a secure domestic ecosystem.