NExT-e Solutions

NExT-e Solutions Inc., established on May 8, 2008, as Electric Vehicle Technology Development Inc., is a company focused on advanced battery control technologies. The firm is led by President and CEO Makoto Inoue, whose career includes experience in the energy sector at a major think tank, which sparked his interest in the potential of lithium-ion batteries in Japan. The company's genesis can be traced back to the University of Tokyo Edge Capital (UTEC)'s Entrepreneur in Residence (EIR) program, where the founding team developed their initial business plan and a prototype Battery Management System (BMS).

The core of NExT-e Solutions' business is the development, manufacture, and sale of next-generation BMS and related modules for lithium-ion batteries. A primary application of their technology is facilitating the reuse of batteries previously utilized in e-mobility for energy storage purposes, a concept they refer to as battery lifecycle management. The company's business model is multifaceted, including the sale of its hardware and a recurring revenue stream from a Battery as a Service (BaaS) offering, which involves renting lithium-ion battery packs to industrial vehicle users. Furthermore, they provide data analysis services, such as remote battery monitoring and predictive failure diagnosis, by combining their BMS with IoT modules in a framework they term B2X (Battery To neXt values).

NExT-e Solutions' product portfolio is built upon several proprietary technologies. These include the Active Cell Balance (ACB) system, which equalizes the state of charge across battery cells to prolong battery life and improve safety, the Active Module Balance (AMB) for balancing voltage among battery modules, and the Intelligent Hot Plug Switch (IHS) for managing multiple battery packs connected in parallel. The company serves a global market, with operations and sales in Japan, China, Taiwan, and Germany. Its shareholder base includes a number of prominent Japanese corporations such as Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings, Toyota Tsusho Corporation, and Sumitomo Corporation, reflecting strong industry backing.

Keywords: Battery Management System, BMS, battery reuse, e-mobility, energy storage, lithium-ion batteries, Battery as a Service, BaaS, battery lifecycle management, IoT, data analysis, active cell balancing, Japan, cleantech, energy technology, battery monitoring, EV batteries, industrial vehicles, power grid, renewable energy integration