Energy Business Experts Leading Separator Innovation
Nuvola is a full-stack execution team with deep expertise in energy technology and commercialization. Founded by Dr. Janet Hur and Dr. Leland Smith, who began collaborating during their time at UCLA, Nuvola is built to solve critical inefficiencies in battery manufacturing. That mission led to the invention of SafeCoat DDS, a fundamentally superior separator solution that ushers in a new era of battery affordability and performance.
Selected by Y Combinator early in its journey, Nuvola has validated both its technology and its transformative vision. After inventing their new separator technique for cutting-edge microbatteries, the team advanced SafeCoat from concept to pilot scale, quickly gaining recognition with leading battery OEMs.
Since 2018, Nuvola has built a global IP portfolio with 9 issued patents and more in prosecution across the U.S., Europe, and Asia. The Nuvola team is experienced, capital-efficient, and committed to scaling SafeCoat into the global battery industry.
What makes Nuvola different?
In a sector where commercialization usually spans decades, Nuvola quickly built a strategic moat with a global blocking IP portfolio. Working with leading OEMs, the company delivered milestones that demonstrate SafeCoat is deployment-ready for the existing battery ecosystem.
Meet the Team
The Board of Directors
Janet Hur, PhD
Forbes 50 Women-led Startup
UCLA Mechanical Engineering
Microbatteries & Fuel Cells
Leland Smith, PhD
UCLA Materials Science
Lithium-ion Battery, Materials for
batteries & supercapacitors
Henry Park
Coeur Renewables, CEO
Founded Energy Power Partners,
Unicorn Exit
David McHale
Coeur Renewables, Cofounder
Former EVP, CFO of
Eversource Energy
Advisors
Prof. Bruce Dunn
Nippon sheet glass
Chair in Materials Science, UCLA
Peter Santos
11-year CEO at Audience, from
idea stage to IPO
Cathal Phelan
5-year CTO at Cypress
Semiconductor