Boson Cell, founded in 2022 by mechatronics engineer Guru Punghavan is building advanced lithium cells for drones and preparing to enter the electric vehicle (EV) market. The company’s journey started with a simple observation during an academic project. India had no significant cell manufacturing ecosystem, due to lack of access to key minerals like lithium, cobalt and magnesium. This sparked an idea: what if these minerals could be recovered from discarded batteries and turned into viable precursors for fresh cells?
A College Project That Sparked a Startup
Guru set up a small lab, developed a recycling method to extract up to 95 per cent of usable minerals from waste batteries, and began producing cathode active materials (CAMs) that forms the base of any lithium-ion cell. But selling recycled precursors to other manufacturers proved hard. That was when Boson Cell took the bold leap of manufacturing the cells themselves.
Today, the startup produces two categories of cells: cylindrical and pouch cells, addressing the fast-growing drone market. “Drone manufacturers value innovation over standardisation,” says Guru. Boson’s cells offer around 20 per cent longer flight time, faster charging and significantly higher lifecycle counts of about 1500 cycles for cylindrical cells. Chinese variants offer just around 700 cycles per charge. The company already supplies drone manufacturers in India and provides aftermarket replacement packs for agriculture, logistics and surveillance drones. A Chennai-based client even recommended them to a US company, thus expanding market through word of mouth.
Cracking the EV Market
The EV market, however, is highly standardised, audit-heavy and scale-driven. While Boson Cell has initiated talks with OEMs and sent samples for evaluation, it is expected to take time. “Indian customers find it hard to believe that a domestic company can make cells matching Chinese quality,” points Guru. To counter this, Boson frequently invites clients to its facility to see its assembly in action.
Beyond Lithium-ion batteries
With a production facility in Sriperumbudur having a capacity of 1500 cells per day and a 1-lakh-sq-ft plant (only 5000 sq ft of which is presently used), the startup is gearing up for expansion. Over the next three years, it hopes to scale to 3–5 GWh, eventually targeting 8 GWh as EV demand rises. To support such volumes, the company plans to build refining capabilities that process imported raw minerals alongside recycled waste. Boson Cell is also experimenting with sodium-ion and solid-state batteries, collaborating informally with professors from major educational institutions.
Seed-funded with USD 1.4 million from friends and family, the company aims to achieve Rs 1 crore in revenue by February 2026 before raising external investment. For now, drones remain its launchpad, but the vision is far bigger: building an integrated, India-first supply chain for advanced energy storage.
