As the lithium-ion battery market rapidly advances, SysNergie, a Sherbrooke company, is looking to secure its place with its modular solutions that adapt to multiple applications.
“Our vision is to simplify the energy transition and the electrification of transport,” explains Félix-Antoine LeBel, who founded SysNergie with his partners Pascal Messier and Louis Pelletier.
The three men met while studying engineering at the University of Sherbrooke. Together they worked on an electric motorcycle project where they developed expertise in scalable and reliable batteries. This was the trigger for her entrepreneurial adventure.
“We recognized that there is an unmet need in the market for quality batteries that can be used for different purposes,” says Félix-Antoine LeBel.
Founded in early 2022, the start-up now offers lithium-ion batteries with integrated electronic management that meet the needs of manufacturers looking for advanced solutions but lacking in-house know-how.
SysNergie's solutions are not limited to automobiles. Its modules can power a wide range of devices, from remote-controlled robots to positioning terminals for the shipping industry to aircraft.
From designer to manufacturer
In its early days, the company focused on individual design for a diverse clientele. The partners decided to expand their horizons by developing a battery platform that can be configured in a variety of ways.
“Winning one of the Pierre Péladeau grants helped us transition to a larger business project. Our vision has evolved. We now want to position ourselves so that we can benefit from the development of the battery sector here and elsewhere,” emphasizes Félix-Antoine LeBel. The scholarship was worth $15,000.
He and his partners are banking on the versatility of their flagship product to conquer the market. “We wanted to make a battery that resembled a Lego brick. It can be used as a standalone unit or multi-modular. It is also very efficient and very compact. Another advantage is its weight. It is about three times lighter than a conventional lead-acid battery,” explains the entrepreneur.
The goal of the partner trio: to start production within two years and build a factory in Quebec. “However, forgoing customized design is out of the question. Responding to specific requests allows us to continue to innovate,” he adds.
A question of synergy
What he believes makes SysNergie strong is the fusion of each founder's skills. “We have complementary expertise, namely programming, electronics and mechanics,” he says. This leads to better integrated products. Collaboration is a given for us. We work better when our skills work synergistically, hence the name we gave the company.”
The pre-commercialization phase has begun and prototypes are already being tested by various customers, whose comments help improve the product. Here, too, synergy is of full importance. “We position ourselves not just as a supplier, but as a strategic partner. We benefit from long-term cooperation. It is a greater factor for growth and innovation than competition,” believes Félix-Antoine LeBel.
Your target market? “The first step for us is to become a major player in Quebec and Canada. Then we continue to the USA. There is international interest, our offer is unique and innovative,” he emphasizes.
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