Jim has more than 35 years of experience in electrochemical energy storage. He began work in lithium-ion batteries at the Department of Energy’s Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in 1989, where he supported advanced government programs and contributed to the development of some of the earliest lithium-ion cells in the United States. In 1993, Jim founded PolyStor Corporation with support from President Clinton’s Technology Reinvestment Project (TRP) grant. PolyStor became the first U.S. company to commercially manufacture and ship lithium-ion batteries from a domestic production facility and developed lithium-ion cells across cylindrical, prismatic, and polymer pouch form factors. This work included participation in U.S. Department of Energy–sponsored programs supporting advanced vehicle and energy storage applications.

Following PolyStor, Jim founded PowerStor Corporation to commercialize carbon aerogel supercapacitors and later founded UltraCell Corporation to develop and manufacture reformed methanol fuel cells for military and defense applications. These efforts involved establishing manufacturing processes, scaling production, implementing quality systems, and delivering electrochemical energy systems for demanding operational environments.​

Steve has more than 30 years of experience in battery manufacturing, engineering, and operations, with a particular focus on the design, construction, and operation of prototype and pilot-scale manufacturing lines. Mr. Pierce has planned, built, and operated multiple pilot lines supporting successive generations of advanced battery technologies, providing him with direct experience in translating laboratory processes into repeatable manufacturing workflows. Steve has substantial industry experience prior to joining SpectraPower:​

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• At PolyStor Corporation, Steve was responsible for lithium-ion pilot line and full scale manufacturing operations during the initial commercialization of lithium-ion technology in the United States. His work included electrode processing, cell assembly and testing, and manufacturing process development for early-generation lithium-ion chemistries and cell formats (cylindrical, pouch, and prismatic).

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• At EnerDel, Steve played a senior operational role in installing and ramping up operations for pilot-line and three production lines for lithium-metal rechargeable battery technologies. This work included installing cathode active production. This also included scaling prototype processes toward pilot and full scale production, refining electrode and cell assembly methods, and supporting transition from laboratory development to commercial manufacturing.

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• At Enevate Corporation, he led the process and equipment development for silicon-dominant anode technologies for lithium-ion batteries. This work required the automating of nonstandard electrode fabrication and the adaptation of conventional lithium-ion manufacturing processes to accommodate high-silicon anode materials, including slurry preparation, coating, proprietary electrode fabrication, cell manufacturing, and formation process optimization to address expansion, stability, and cycle-life challenges associated with silicon-based systems.

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• At Natron Energy, he served as Vice President of Manufacturing, where he built out and operated pilot and early manufacturing lines for sodium-ion battery technology. This experience included active material synthesis, adapting electrode fabrication environments, cell assembly, and testing processes for non-lithium chemistries, managing materials supply constraints, and establishing repeatable manufacturing workflows for emerging battery systems.

Aubert manages operations at SpectraPower, LLC and is responsible for laboratory oversight, cell production and test, customer support, and project management. Aubert applied for, received, and currently manages SpectraPower's efforts on the DOE grant "An Extreme Fast Charging Li-ion Cell Using Advanced Electrolyte" along with Stanford University and SLAC. In 2019 Aubert applied for and recently received the "Advanced Manufacturing of Cathode Materials for Lithium-ion Battery" DOE grant which starts in 2020. Prior to joining SpectraPower Aubert worked in operations for a number of startups and research companies performing R&D into energy generation, conversion, transmission, and storage where he participated in grant applications, patent portfolio development, and managed large multi-partner collaborative projects. In 2013, while at Antropy Technology (a thin film Intellectual Property company), he applied for, received, and managed a DOE ARPAE grant to develop a fiber coupler for long distance energy transmission in partnership with the University of California, Santa Cruz. Upon completion of the grant he also led the commercialization efforts of the technology with Abengoa Solar. Aubert holds a bachelors in quantitative economics and analysis from U.C. San Diego. In his spare time he enjoys traveling with his wife, developing & playing games with friends, woodworking, and is always happy to talk about his latest cider brewing project.

Max brings a versatile, hands-on background with a strong foundation in precision machining and lab operations. With experience developing complex components under tight tolerances for a range of industries, he offers a practical, solutions-driven approach to technical challenges. A true jack of all trades, he oversees all aspects of laboratory operations, ensuring equipment, testing, and workflows run efficiently and reliably. He also manages the company’s hazardous waste disposal processes, maintaining compliance while supporting a safe and organized lab environment. In his free time, he enjoys the outdoors and spending time camping.