Ann Arbor SPARK will participate in The Battery Show North America 2025, October 7–9 at Huntington Place in Detroit, where it will highlight four promising mobility and energy-tech startups from the Ann Arbor region: APT Solar, NIFT, Satori XR, and ThoughtLabs.
SPARK team members and company founders will be at Booth #428 to showcase technologies, connect with industry stakeholders, and build relationships that can help these startups grow.
The Ann Arbor region is widely recognized as a hub for mobility and advanced automotive innovation. Anchored by the University of Michigan and complemented by Eastern Michigan University and Washtenaw Community College, the area delivers a steady pipeline of talent in engineering, battery systems, and software. Startups benefit from a robust ecosystem of partners and resources, including world-class testing facilities such as the American Center for Mobility in Ypsilanti Township and U-M’s MCity, where connected and automated vehicle technologies are deployed and evaluated.
Ann Arbor itself serves as a living lab, with active pilot projects and collaborations taking place across the community. SPARK supports this ecosystem by offering startup acceleration, mentoring, grant funding, and industry connections, ensuring that new companies can grow and scale locally. Today, more than 220 mobility-related companies call the region home, reflecting the depth and strength of this thriving innovation cluster.
“We believe that supporting startups in mobility and battery systems is critical to maintaining competitiveness in the clean-transportation era,” said Janis Seabolt, mobility specialist for Ann Arbor SPARK. “By bringing these companies to The Battery Show, we’re helping them engage with OEMs, suppliers, investors, and integrators—and putting a spotlight on why the Ann Arbor region matters as more than just a Midwest location, but as a center of mobility innovation.”
Featured startups include: APT Solar, focused on advanced solar integration and energy harvesting for mobile and off-grid systems; NIFT, developing next-generation power electronics and battery management to improve energy efficiency; Satori XR, creating extended reality tools for vehicle design, training, and simulation; and ThoughtLabs, advancing smart and sustainable technologies at the intersection of mobility and energy.
The Battery Show is North America’s premier battery and electric vehicle technology event, with over 1,300 exhibitors and more than 21,000 attendees expected in 2025. Beyond the expo floor, the conference program offers deep technical content, featuring over 150 expert speakers across five tracks that include battery development, EV design & infrastructure, safety, recycling, and emerging electrification applications. Workshops held before and during the show provide hands-on training in topics such as battery fundamentals, safety, electrode manufacturing, and advanced charging strategies.
Ann Arbor SPARK invites media, industry partners, and potential collaborators to visit Booth 428 to meet the founders, learn more about their innovations, and explore partnership opportunities. Learn more about the region’s work in the mobility and advanced automotive industry here.
