AcouBatt LTD

London Business School

Industry: Battery Manufacturing, AI, Energy, Green Tech, Deep Tech

MBA Founding Student Name(s): Chris Haoxin Xu

Brief Description of Solution: We listen to batteries using acoustic technology and our proprietary AI model, to optimize battery formation process, making manufacturing more scalable and sustainable.

Funding Dollars: N/A

What led you to launch this venture? I met my co-founder Arthur Fordham, a PhD battery scientist, during the Innovation to Market course at London Business School. Arthur was working on applying acoustic emission technology to monitor lithium-ion battery formation as part of his research. When we talked about the current state of the battery industry, I was shocked to learn that around 20 percent of every production batch becomes scrap, creating huge waste and cost issues. I strongly believed in Arthur’s research and proposed helping him commercialize it. That conversation marked the birth of AcouBatt.

What has been your biggest accomplishment so far with venture? We have been very encouraged by the level of interest from both the battery industry and green tech investors. So far, AcouBatt has been fortunate to receive first-place recognition in several competitions, including LBS Launchpad, The Greenhouse, and INNOVA Europe competition. We also received an Innovate UK grant, which reflects the UK government’s growing focus on strengthening domestic battery manufacturing. These milestones have given us valuable validation and support as we continue to refine our technology and work toward commercial deployment.

What has been the most significant challenge you’ve faced in creating your company and how did you solve it? Our biggest challenge was finding the first customer willing to run a pilot test in their lab and validate our technology in a real-world manufacturing setting. The battery industry is dominated by a few major players, and the sales cycle is long, with decision-makers often hard to reach. We overcame this by continuously nurturing and expanding our network, strengthening our relationships with institutions such as LBS, UCL, Imperial College, and the Faraday Institution. Through those connections, we secured warm introductions to our potential customer’s technical team and ultimately landed our first pilot test through the personal trust we built over time.

How has your MBA program helped you further this startup venture? I came to London Business School with one clear goal: learn about entrepreneurship. The school’s rich entrepreneurship curriculum, vibrant startup ecosystem, and access to knowledgeable professors, mentors, and investors have shaped almost everything I know about building a venture. LBS provided both the practical tools and the supportive community that made launching AcouBatt possible.

Which MBA class has been most valuable in building your startup and what was the biggest lesson you gained from it? The most valuable class for me was the Innovation to Market (I2M) elective taught by Luisa Alemany, Associate Professor of Management Practice in Strategy and Entrepreneurship and Academic Director of LBS’s Institute of Entrepreneurship and Private Capital. It was also where I met my co-founder, Arthur Fordham. I2M is designed to connect technical expertise with business minds, focusing on commercializing deep tech research and building spin-offs from universities. Through this course, I learned how to develop deep tech commercialization strategies, approach fundraising effectively, and secure government grants. It has been by far the most impactful class I took at LBS and played a direct role in the creation of AcouBatt.

What professor made a significant contribution to your plans and why? I have been very fortunate to receive guidance from several professors, including Luisa Alemany, Jeff Skinner (Executive Director of the Institute of Entrepreneurship and Private Capital), and Gary Dushnitsky, Professor of Strategy and Entrepreneurship. Each has offered valuable advice at different stages of our journey. Among them, Luisa Alemany has had the most significant influence. Beyond her Innovation to Market course, she has continued to support us as an advisor and a friend, helping us refine our fundraising strategy, business model, and long-term roadmap. She has also gone out of her way to make warm introductions to potential investors and industry experts. Her mentorship has been instrumental in shaping AcouBatt’s direction.

How has your local startup ecosystem contributed to your venture’s development and success? London is an incredible place to build a startup, supported by one of the most active and diverse entrepreneurial ecosystems in the world. The city is alive with startup events, incubators, angel groups, and venture funds, creating countless opportunities to learn and connect. What stands out most is how open and collaborative the community is. People are genuinely willing to share their experience and advice, which has been invaluable for us as young entrepreneurs navigating the early stages of building AcouBatt.

What is your long-term goal with your startup? Every 1% reduction in scrap on the battery manufacturing line saves the global industry around $1 billion each year. Our long-term goal is to help manufacturers bring their scrap rate down to single digits, and eventually as close to zero as possible. By doing so, we aim to make battery production cleaner, more efficient, and more sustainable, ensuring that the technology powering the energy transition is itself environmentally responsible.

Looking back, what is the biggest lesson you wished you’d known before launching and scaling your venture? I wish I had understood earlier how important it is to pace myself. Building a startup is a marathon, not a sprint, and it is easy to get consumed by the constant pressure to make progress. Over time, I learned that taking breaks, maintaining balance, and surrounding myself with supportive people make me more productive and creative. Entrepreneurship is demanding, but it is also deeply fulfilling.

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