SafeLi LLC, a Shorewood company founded in 2016 by University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee professors Carol Hirschmugl and Marija Gajdardziska-Josifovska, is adding another honor to its growing list of achievements.
The company, which is developing a patented material that boosts energy storage capacity in lithium-ion batteries, was named a Wisconsin Innovation Awards winner Tuesday night. SafeLi is one of four companies across the state to receive the award.
Other winners were Madison companies Pinpoint Software Inc., OnLume Surgical and Madison Reading Project, which received the People’s Choice Award. Pinpoint makes a software for the grocery industry that helps stores manage food expiration dates. OnLume developed a cart-based imaging technology that uses fluorescence imaging to monitor blood flow and tissue perfusion before, during and after vascular, gastrointestinal, organ transplant, plastic, reconstructive and micro-surgeries.
Madison Reading Project is an organization focused on providing free books and literacy learning resources for educators and families.
The four winners were selected from a pool of more than 380 nominations.
“The Wisconsin Innovation Awards seek to celebrate and inspire innovation, and highlight the creative spirit from the state’s leading public, private and nonprofit sectors,” said Matt Younkle, co-founder of the Wisconsin Innovation Awards and Pythonic.AI. “We want to congratulate all finalists and winners from the 2020 Wisconsin Innovation Awards and look forward to encouraging an even greater environment of innovation in the year to come.”
Gajdardziska-Josifovska and Hirschmugl discovered and patented new materials for lithium-ion batteries that can be used for more stored energy, faster charging times and safer batteries used in electric and hybrid vehicles, power tools and consumer electronics. Earlier this year, SafeLi received a $100,000 phase 2 Small Business Innovation Research grant to commercialize its material, and in late 2019, received just over $1 million from the U.S. Department of Energy to fund its growth.
