Gene Berdichevsky
Gene Berdichevsky is the Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Sila Nanotechnologies, a next-generation battery materials company developing advanced technologies to dramatically improve lithium-ion batteries. He is widely recognized as a leading cleantech entrepreneur and battery innovator, frequently featured in industry discussions on electric vehicles, energy storage, and sustainable technology. Prior to founding Sila, Berdichevsky was employee No. 7 at Tesla, where he served as Principal Engineer on the Tesla Roadster battery program. In that role, he led the development of the world’s first safe, mass-produced automotive lithium-ion battery system, helping lay the technological foundation for modern electric vehicles. Berdichevsky has co-authored 42 patents and multiple academic publications in battery chemistry and materials science, and his work continues to influence the evolution of next-generation energy storage solutions for EVs, consumer electronics, and renewable energy systems.
Gene Berdichevsky Professional Experience / Academic History
Professional Experience
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Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer
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Battery System Architect and Technical Lead
Academic History
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M.S., Energy Engineering
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B.S., Mechanical Engineering
Under Gene Berdichevsky’s leadership, Sila Nanotechnologies has grown into a multi-billion-dollar battery technology company focused on commercializing advanced silicon anode materials that significantly improve lithium-ion battery performance.
The company’s mission is to enable longer-lasting, higher-energy, and faster-charging batteries for electric vehicles, consumer electronics, and renewable energy storage.
One of Sila’s most notable innovations is its effort toward a so-called “forever battery,” a lithium-ion battery architecture designed to operate reliably for decades.
Sila became the first company to industrialize and commercialize a new lithium-ion chemistry with its in-market launch powering the WHOOP 4.0 wearable, demonstrating increased energy density without sacrificing cycle life, safety, or power performance.
Sila’s flagship product, Titan Silicon, is engineered to replace graphite entirely in lithium-ion battery anodes, delivering 20 percent or greater improvements in energy density alongside faster charging capabilities.
Before co-founding Sila Nanotechnologies, Gene Berdichevsky was employee No. 7 at Tesla Motors, where he served as Principal Engineer for the Roadster battery program.
He led the development of the world’s first safe, mass-produced lithium-ion battery system for automotive use, solving one of the most critical challenges in early EV design.
Berdichevsky played a central role in addressing battery safety risks associated with packing thousands of lithium-ion cells into a high-performance electric vehicle.
His engineering solutions combined advanced heat-transfer materials, cooling channel design, and optimized battery architecture, ensuring that potential thermal events remained contained and manageable.
RECOGNITIONS & AWARDS
Berdichevsky has been widely recognized for his contributions to energy storage and clean technology.
He has been named to Forbes 30 Under 30, MIT Technology Review’s 35 Innovators Under 35, and is a recipient of the Paul and Daisy Soros Fellowship for New Americans.