Breathe Battery Technologies is a battery software company spun out of Imperial College London in 2019 by three doctorate-level researchers: Dr. Ian Campbell, Dr. Yan Zhao, and Professor Greg Offer. The company specialises in developing advanced battery management software that helps electric vehicle and consumer electronics brands maximise battery performance, charging speed and longevity.
Interview with Ian Campbell, CEO & Founder of Breathe Battery Technologies.
Can you please provide a brief description of your company and its activities?
Ian Campbell: The formation of the company was driven by a fundamental frustration with the lack of energy and investment in battery system performance. Our mission is to transform battery technology by developing software that addresses complex technical challenges from end to end, helping OEMs improve battery performance aligned to customer needs at every stage of their battery development process.
What are the main areas of activity of the company?
I.C: Our primary focus is creating physics-based battery management solutions across two key markets: Automotive and Consumer Electronics. We develop adaptive charging software that dynamically optimises charging processes across various electronic devices, from electric vehicles to smartphones. Critically, we aim to unlock performance potential currently “left on the table” by outdated software approaches.
Our goal is to solve big issues like air pollution, electronic waste, and the consumable nature of batteries, with a vision that one day everyone will “Breathe” clean air through more sustainable technology.
Do you have any updates on new products/services?
I.C: Our patented algorithm-enabled charging software has been helping OEMs unlock performance since our inception in 2019. Most notably through our partnership with Volvo Cars which we announced in March 2024. This technology enables up to 30% faster charging for electric vehicles while maintaining battery health. We’ve also expanded our consumer electronics presence, with our software currently integrated into 27 OPPO smartphone models. We are continually adding new features and enhancements to our products to maximise the performance gains our customer’s experience.
In terms of business updates, we have doubled our workforce from 30 to 60 employees in the past year, expanded into new offices in Oval and doubled our laboratory capacity, reinforcing our status as the largest battery lab in London. Our facility is a key differentiator, enabling us to take technology from conceptual stages to high-volume production across millions of devices.
What are the ranges of products/services you offer?
I.C: Our core products include Breathe Charge and Breathe Life – adaptive charging software solutions that dynamically adjust charging current based on battery state of charge and health. These products are designed for automotive manufacturers, consumer electronics brands, and other industries seeking to optimise battery performance.
Unlike traditional fixed charging strategies using look up tables, our solutions provide a live, active battery model. We use sophisticated mathematics to describe electrochemical processes inside the battery, wrapped in software function that analyses unique factors like battery age and temperature and interacts with other systems within the vehicle or device. Our software is incredibly computationally light which allows us to run it in real-time at production level. Our in-house battery and software engineering teams work hand in hand with our customers to develop tailored solutions for their battery system, maximising the potential of our software for each use case.
What is the current, and future state of the market where you are currently active?
I.C: The EV battery sector is set to grow 15-30% annually for the next 10 years, offering a huge opportunity for innovative scale-ups like us in one of our key sectors. The battery technology market generally is also rapidly evolving, driven by increasing electrification, sustainability demands, and regulatory pressures. We are also seeing the emergence of several new chemistries, all of which the industry is trying to optimise for performance. Our software plays a critical role here, given its chemistry agnostic nature and ability to extract additional value regardless of cell chemistry.
We see significant growth potential, particularly with emerging EU regulations like right-to-repair mandates that require minimum battery durability, and the Euro 7 regulation which imposes similar requirements for EV battery durability. This regulatory environment supports our mission of creating more sustainable, long-lasting battery technologies. Our approach aligns with a global push towards more sustainable technology solutions.
What estimations do you have for the year ahead?
I.C: We anticipate continued expansion of our partnerships, particularly in automotive and consumer electronics sectors. Our focus will be on scaling our technology, further developing our adaptive charging solutions, and demonstrating the value of software-defined battery management. We will also be exploring opportunities to use our software to optimise and shorten the battery development process.
We’re targeting early adopters and leading organisations committed to pushing the boundaries of battery performance. Our business model involves initial proof of concept programs, followed by platform licensing and per-unit royalties, allowing customers to quickly and affordably trial our transformative technology.
How do you see the long-term future of your industry?
I.C: We envision a future where battery technology becomes more sustainable, efficient, and intelligent. Our mission is to contribute to this transformation by developing software that extends battery life, reduces electronic waste, and supports the global transition to cleaner, more sustainable energy solutions.
We believe our approach will become the new technology standard for batteries. By providing superior battery management software that requires no hardware changes, we offer businesses a straightforward way to enhance product performance, user experience, and sustainability.