Nexus Power Leverages Autodesk for Innovation in Biodegradable Batteries

Nexus Power is transforming energy storage with biodegradable batteries made from crop residue, offering a sustainable alternative to lithium-ion technology. By leveraging Autodesk Fusion and AutoCAD, the company has optimized design and production, accelerating the shift toward a greener future.

With the demand for lithium-ion batteries rising, supply chain constraints and material shortages threaten to slow India’s transition to electric vehicles (EVs). As India faces significant geopolitical challenges in procuring lithium-ion resources, Nexus Power, a Bhubaneswar-based startup, has found an eco-friendly solution to tackle this crisis.

Founded in late 2019 by twin sisters Nikita and Nishita Baliarsingh, the goal of Nexus Power is to transform the EV industry by developing biodegradable batteries made from crop residue, offering a safer, more sustainable alternative while reducing India’s reliance on lithium-ion imports and lowering battery production costs. “Sustainability in EVs isn’t just about reducing emissions; it’s about ensuring that every component, including the battery, is eco-friendly,” said Nikita Baliarsingh, Co-founder, Nexus Power.

Bringing this vision to reality required cutting-edge design and simulation technology to optimize battery architecture, ensure structural integrity, and enhance performance. Autodesk’s suite of tools, including Fusion and AutoCAD, proved instrumental in this process, facilitating precise 3D modeling, thermal analysis, and structural simulations to refine their biodegradable battery cells before moving to physical prototyping. Today, Nexus Power is gaining momentum, securing government grants and private investments to scale its technology and bring its innovative battery solutions to market. For example, they’ve already received funding from KIIT-TBI, a well-known incubator in India.

The need for innovation in battery technology

The growing demand for energy storage across industries—including EVs, consumer electronics, and renewable energy systems—has exposed critical limitations in conventional lithium-ion batteries. These batteries depend on scarce materials like lithium, cobalt, and nickel, making production costly and supply chains vulnerable to disruptions.

Besides this, their environmental impact is significant—from resource-intensive mining to hazardous e-waste accumulation. Safety risks—such as thermal runaway and long-term battery degradation—underscore the urgency for better alternatives. As industries prioritize sustainability and efficiency, the need for safer, cost-effective, and eco-friendly battery solutions has never been greater.

Nexus Power is tackling this issue by addressing the following critical industry pain points: 

• Environmental Sustainability: By utilizing crop residue, the startup prevents agricultural waste from being burned, reducing carbon emissions.
• Enhanced Safety: Nexus Power’s battery technology mitigates risks associated with overheating and hazardous waste disposal.
• Cost Efficiency: With a locally sourced supply chain, the company’s production costs remain lower than those of lithium-based alternatives.

Designing next-gen batteries

To bring their bio-based battery technology to life, in 2021, Nexus Power integrated Autodesk Fusion and AutoCAD into their design and development workflow for free, thanks to Autodesk’s commitment to supporting startups. “This program is great for startups like ours, giving us the boost we need for product development. Autodesk not only trained us on using the software but also provided strong support throughout each stage of development,” said Nikita, adding that in 2023, the company went on to procure the paid version of the software.

Autodesk Fusion and AutoCAD enabled them to conceptualize and design battery cells. Before manufacturing a new battery prototype, Nexus Power utilized AutoCAD to create precise 2D schematics. This helped in laying out the battery architecture, ensuring proper spatial alignment of electrodes, separators, and other components. Once the initial designs were finalized, Autodesk Fusion enabled them to create 3D models, offering detailed visualization and refinement opportunities. The ability to iterate on these models before moving to prototyping significantly reduced errors and material wastage.

Ensuring efficiency and reliability

One of the biggest challenges in battery innovation was achieving high energy density and efficiency while maintaining safety and reliability. Nexus Power relied on Autodesk Fusion’s advanced simulation capabilities to refine its biodegradable battery technology.

Through structural integrity analysis, they tested the resilience of battery enclosures, ensuring they could withstand mechanical stresses, while thermal performance simulations helped identify potential overheating issues—a critical factor in battery safety and longevity. Additionally, electrical flow optimization ensured efficient charge storage and discharge rates, enhancing overall battery performance.

Leveraging integrated electronics design tools

Besides this, circuit boards had to be intricately woven into the mechanical design to ensure efficient power flow, thermal management, and seamless integration with the battery. “We used Autodesk Fusion’s electronics design tools to connect the circuit boards with the mechanical designs. It helped us simulate the environment and specific performance. We also conducted cooling analysis on our designs and utilized the component library for seamless integration onto our structural designs,” said Nishita Baliarsingh, Co-founder, Nexus Power. 

By leveraging these tools, Nexus Power was able to fine-tune its designs before physical prototyping, accelerating development while minimizing material waste, saving both time and costs.

Optimizing parts with generative design

For Nexus Power, efficient scaling production is crucial. With generative design in Autodesk Fusion, they could leverage AI to optimize battery casing structures to be lighter yet more durable, ensuring cost-effective mass production. “Generative design helped us optimize the process and resources for the 3D models. It accelerated the manufacturing process by identifying the material and manufacturing standards for quicker recovery and testing. We not only saved on resources but also time and energy,” added Nishita.  

Additionally, the integration of AutoCAD into their workflow allowed for precise documentation and manufacturing planning, ensuring seamless communication between the R&D and production teams. 

“Autodesk Fusion has streamlined our innovation process, allowing us to test, adjust, and optimize designs before production. It has been key to accelerating our journey toward sustainable energy storage,” said Nikita.

The future of sustainable energy with Autodesk Fusion

With the world rapidly transitioning towards sustainable mobility, startups like Nexus Power are paving the way for eco-friendly energy storage solutions. Their ability to leverage Autodesk Fusion and AutoCAD has been crucial in accelerating product development, enhancing design accuracy, and optimizing manufacturing workflows. By combining biodegradable battery materials with advanced digital design tools, Nexus Power is reshaping the future of EV technology, proving that innovation and sustainability can go hand in hand.

Although its products are not yet produced commercially, the success of Nexus Power underscores the importance of technology-driven innovation in sustainable energy. With Autodesk, they have transformed their ambitious vision into a tangible reality, setting new benchmarks for green battery technology. As they continue their journey, their biodegradable batteries could redefine EV adoption, making sustainable mobility a mainstream reality. With over 15 patents, Nexus Power’s story is a testament to how the right combination of vision, technology, and engineering excellence can drive meaningful change in the world.