The BCI Innovation Award in honor of Sally Breidegam Miksiewicz recognizes innovations within the battery industry that align with the guidelines of sustainability, safety, cost, performance, uniqueness and value.
Congratulations to the 2026 Innovation Award Winner, Hollingsworth & Vose!
Hollingsworth & Vose Company has been awarded the 2026 BCI Innovation Award by Battery Council International for its development of a unique glass fibrous matrix electrode.
The innovation, known as Glass Electrode Material (GEM), helps generate and support a unique microporous structure within the lead active mass of a battery to enhance chargeability performance and cycle life reliability without impacting water loss. GEM technology improves recharge efficiency through enhanced charge acceptance, reducing fuel-related emissions while improving battery performance, durability, and cycle life reliability.
With approximately three times higher Dynamic Charge Acceptance (DCA), GEM enables next-generation start-stop systems that supports fuel economy gains of up to 5%. Its fast recharge response also makes it well suited for advanced 12-V architectures in hybrid (HEV, PHEV) and electric vehicle auxiliary systems. The technology platform is applicable across multiple energy storage applications, including automotive batteries, motive power for forklifts, and stationary backup power solutions. Hollingsworth & Vose developed GEM in partnership with ArcActive.
Recognizing Battery Industry Innovation
Every year, hundreds of innovations occur within the battery industry – from packaging and technology to equipment, chemistry and beyond. The goal of the BCI Innovation Award is to collect all of these innovations and showcase them to both the industry and the public. The award was established to honor industry thought leader, Sally Breidegam Miksiewicz, former CEO of East Penn Manufacturing Co.
The annual application process closes in February, and the Innovation Award is announced each year as part of the BCI Convention + Power Mart Expo.
Submission Guidelines
The following guidelines should be considered when submitting an innovation. Entries do not need to align with all judging criteria below. Providing multiple supporting documents that align with these guidelines will give judges additional insight and clarity on your submission.
BCI also asks that all entrants submit a high-resolution video that is no longer than 75 seconds. All entrants will see their video screened as part of the BCI Convetnion + Power Mart Expo on the main stage, before the Innovation Award winner is announced to all attendees.
Judging criteria for the award includes:
- Sustainability – How does your submission show environmental stewardship? Provide tangible aspirations, goals and objectives in helping to create a greener tomorrow.
- Safety – Does your submission show product and/or process stability? Can it be safely commercialized? Demonstrate a clear commitment to the safety of the general public and industry.
- Cost – Can the submission be easily commercialized and/or provide cost-optimized advantages? Is it an affordable alternative to existing technologies and processes?
- Performance – Show how your innovation meets its intended key objectives, goals and benefits.
- Uniqueness – How does it differ from existing products? Information should clearly define what makes this product, process and/or discovery unique.
- Value – How does the submission directly benefit the battery industry? Can the product be utilized outside of the company that created it?
The lead acid battery ... is legendary. We can recycle 95+ percent of [these] batteries all across the world. It's a very safe chemistry, ... [and] we understand how to use it very, very well.