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Indian American CEO gives dying batteries a new life
Binghamton University alumnus Iyer leads clean-tech startup repurposing used batteries, advancing sustainability and circular economy in energy.
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Bhavana P - Fri, 27, Jun 2025
- 14:17 EDT
- 21
Balki Iyer has led multiple businesses from conception to exit with the goal to speed up the world’s transition to clean energy. His latest venture is Bridge Green Upcycle. / Image Credit: Zagham Shah/ Binghamton University
Clean energy entrepreneur, Balki Iyer is leading the charge in sustainable energy through his latest venture, Bridge Green Upcycle, a startup that breathes new life into dead lithium-ion batteries.
Based in New York’s emerging “battery valley,” the company extracts critical minerals from used batteries, reducing the need for new mining and cutting down on carbon emissions.
Also read: Kennesaw Univ Professor Ashish Aphale leads clean energy research
The company employs a proprietary, AI-enabled process that disassembles used batteries, extracting valuable materials such as lithium, cobalt, and nickel. These recovered resources are then reintroduced into the supply chain for reuse in new energy storage systems and industrial applications. In doing so, Bridge Green Upcycle addresses a growing need for circularity in the clean-energy sector.
“It’s not enough to build renewable projects and equipment. It’s even more important to make sure that these resources are returned appropriately or upcycled in the right way,” Iyer said.
Bridge Green Upcycle is a key participant in the federally designated New Energy New York Regional Tech Hub and collaborates with Binghamton University faculty to advance its technological capabilities. The company also provides meaningful experiential learning opportunities to students and regularly recruits Binghamton graduates into its workforce.
Driven by both professional and personal motivation, Iyer is committed to creating long-term impact. “I wanted to find a way to give back to the community, be part of the ‘Battery Renaissance’ and create American green-collar jobs while strengthening the domestic supply chain for critical minerals,” he said.
Iyer, who earned a master’s degree in industrial and systems engineering from Binghamton University and was later awarded an honorary Doctor of Science, has founded and led multiple ventures aimed at accelerating the global transition to sustainable energy.
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