LG Energy Solution Opens 'Battery Innovation Contest (BIC) 2026' to Connect Innovative Research Ideas with Industry Needs

• The company invites universities and research institutions worldwide to submit innovative battery research proposals from Oct. 29 to Dec. 6
• Thematic and Open-Topic calls for proposals are designed to deepen industry-academia collaboration, while a two-stage review process safeguards researchers' original ideas
• LG Energy Solution's Battery Innovation Contest has supported approximately 50 research projects since 2017

SEOUL, South Korea, Oct. 29, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- LG Energy Solution (KRX: 373220) today announced the launch of the Battery Innovation Contest 2026 (BIC 2026), a global open innovation program to discover and support cutting-edge battery technologies with strong commercialization potential.

Universities and research institutions in Korea and around the world are invited to submit concept proposals from October 29 through December 6, 2026, via LG Energy Solution's online open innovation platform, BRIDGE (bridge.lgensol.com). Priority will be given to proposals that address key pain points in the battery industry and have the potential to accelerate technological advancement.

Now in its 10th year, the BIC has enabled LG Energy Solution to pursue joint research with universities and research institutions worldwide. Through the program, the company seeks to help transform creative research ideas into commercially viable technologies while contributing to a stronger battery innovation ecosystem.

• Deepening Two-Way Collaboration through Thematic and Open-Topic Calls for Proposals

BIC 2026 will continue to offer two calls for proposals designed to combine industry-driven research needs with the creativity and autonomy of researchers.

Under the Thematic call for proposals, LG Energy Solution presents specific research topics identified by its product development departments. This year, the company has significantly expanded the number of thematic topics, ranging from materials and cells to battery management systems (BMS) and AI. Researchers will be invited to propose solutions addressing these topics, creating a more structured framework for two-way collaboration.

The Open-Topic call for proposals will allow researchers to propose original ideas across broad areas of battery technology. This call preserves the researcher-led format, giving participants the flexibility to develop creative concepts with commercial potential.

• Protecting Original Ideas through a Two-Stage Proposal Process and the BRIDGE Platform

To better protect researchers' original ideas, LG Energy Solution will operate a two-stage application and evaluation process, in which applicants will submit a concise concept proposal during the first stage and a full proposal for further evaluation only after being shortlisted. Limiting the detail required in the initial review will help protect ideas that are not ultimately selected.

All proposals and subsequent research projects will be managed through BRIDGE, LG Energy Solution's integrated, interactive platform for open innovation. BRIDGE streamlines industry-academia communication and project record management while protecting collaborative research technologies and minimizing offline administrative work.

• A Decade of Impact: From Patent Filing to Publication in Science

Since 2017, approximately 50 research projects have been supported through the BIC. Topics with proven feasibility have been expanded into projects at the Frontier Research Laboratory (FRL), LG Energy Solution's joint research center with leading universities and research institutions in Korea and abroad, which provides additional research funding as well as in-depth support from the company's researchers.

The BIC has also delivered tangible results. For example, a patent application is underway for a physics-based model developed through a BIC project last year to improve BMS computation speed. In 2019, the FRL's research on a long-life all-solid-state battery operating at room temperature was published in the prestigious journal Science.

"By joining forces, industry and academia can drive innovation across the battery industry," said Je-Young Kim, CTO of LG Energy Solution. "Building on our differentiated technological competitiveness, LG Energy Solution will continue to accelerate its growth in the battery market."

About LG Energy Solution

LG Energy Solution (KRX: 373220) is a leading global manufacturer of lithium-ion batteries for electric vehicles, mobility, IT, and energy storage systems. With more than 30 years of experience in revolutionary battery technology and extensive research and development (R&D), the company is the top battery-related patent holder in the world with over 100,000 patents. Its robust global network, which spans North America, Europe, and Asia, includes battery manufacturing facilities established through joint ventures with major automakers. Committed to building a sustainable battery ecosystem, LG Energy Solution aims to achieve carbon neutrality across its value chain by 2050, while embodying the value of shared growth and promoting a diverse and inclusive corporate culture. To learn more about LG Energy Solution's ideas and innovations, visit https://news.lgensol.com.

SOURCE LG Energy Solution