Building Batteries, Building America: Inside Sparkz’s Mission with Sanjiv Malhotra

Hey folks! In this episode, I chat with Sanjiv Malhotra, Founder and CEO of Sparkz, and a true force in clean tech manufacturing. Sanjiv takes us through his fascinating journey of battery innovation and the gap he saw in the national supply chain manufacturing cathode materials here in the United States. This guy is all about bringing battery production back to America, ensuring sustainability, and building a resilient supply chain that’s free from dependence on foreign powers. Trust me, you don’t want to miss this inside look at how clean energy manufacturing is reshaping our country’s future.

We also dive into workforce development, which Sanjiv has championed by retraining former coal workers to build the batteries of tomorrow. Sanjiv also describes the partnership between Sparkz and the United Auto Workers establishing a historic climate-tech workforce partnership. It’s a real testament to the power of collaboration between government, private industry, and communities. Stick around to hear how Sparkz is paving the way for a cleaner, greener, and more independent energy sector—all while keeping jobs right here at home.

AMCC’s podcast is made possible in part by the expertise of Mike McAllen, founder of Podcasting4Associations. Are you part of an association also looking to produce a podcast? Let us get you in touch with Mike.

Thank you to the Economic Development Administration for their partnership in producing this podcast. This podcast was prepared in part using Federal funds under award 3070145 from the Economic Development Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce. The statements, findings, conclusions, and recommendations are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Economic Development Administration or the U.S. Department of Commerce.

💡 Key Ideas:

Supply Chain Independence: Sparkz sources 100% U.S.-based materials, ensuring national security and economic independence.
Workforce Development: Retraining displaced coal workers in West Virginia to drive the clean energy future.
Infrastructure Needs: The importance of robust utilities, permitting processes, and local partnerships for manufacturing success.
Ecosystem Approach: Building industries through collaboration between public and private sectors, universities, and communities.

🔗Links to Learn More: