Dr. Ismail Sami

Dr. Ismail Sami is a materials scientist and entrepreneur whose PhD research at the University of Cambridge's Chhowalla Group laid the groundwork for a significant breakthrough in battery technology. During his doctorate, he discovered that metallic molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) could stabilise sulfur in lithium-sulfur batteries — solving a decades-old problem that had prevented these high-energy cells from being commercially viable.

In early 2024, he co-founded Molyon alongside his lab partner Dr. Zhuangnan Li and Professor Manish Chhowalla, spinning out 15 years of Cambridge materials science research to bring next-generation lithium-sulfur batteries to market. As CEO, Ismail leads Molyon's commercial and strategic direction, driving the company from laboratory breakthrough to pilot manufacturing facility. Molyon's batteries have demonstrated energy densities of 500 Wh/kg — approximately twice that of standard lithium-ion — without relying on rare minerals like cobalt or nickel.

In November 2024, Molyon closed its first funding round of $4.6 million, co-led by IQ Capital and Plural, to begin manufacturing at its Cambridge pilot facility. The company's initial applications target drones and robotics before scaling to electric vehicles and broader energy storage markets, addressing what Ismail describes as the fundamental performance ceiling of current battery technology.