Landsdowne Labs has won a $1 million NSF award to advance its work on safer button batteries.
The Propel(x) listed company is developing technology that could help reduce injuries caused by accidental button-battery ingestion. Button batteries are found in many everyday products. These include toys, watches, hearing aids, and other small devices.
However, swallowing a button battery can cause serious injuries. This risk is especially concerning for young children. Landsdowne Labs is working on a way to make these batteries safer.
$1 Million NSF Award Supports Battery Safety
In September 2025, Landsdowne Labs received a $1 million Phase II SBIR award from the National Science Foundation (NSF).
The project focuses on developing safer batteries for children. It began in October 2025 and will run through September 2027. The award builds on earlier NSF support. Landsdowne Labs received a $256,000 Phase I SBIR award in 2022.
Together, the two awards provide about $1.256 million in NSF funding. This funding will support the continued development of the company’s battery safety technology.
How ChildLok™ Works
Landsdowne Labs is developing its first product, ChildLok™.
The technology is designed to deactivate a button battery when it comes into contact with water-based environments. These include bodily fluids.
At the same time, the battery can continue to work normally during everyday use. The technology does not need external electronics. It also does not require a monitoring device. Instead, the safety response is built into the battery itself.
This approach could help make button batteries safer without changing how they work in everyday products.
From MIT and Harvard Research to a Commercial Product
The technology behind ChildLok™ began with research at MIT and Harvard. Co-founder and CEO Bryan Laulicht worked on battery safety at the Langer Lab at MIT and the Karp Lab at Harvard.
That research helped lay the foundation for Landsdowne Labs’ technology. Today, the company is working to turn that research into a practical product.
Moving Toward Commercialization
Landsdowne Labs aims to make ChildLok™ a low-cost and easy-to-adopt technology.
The company is developing the technology for use by battery manufacturers and other companies around the world. This could make it easier for manufacturers to add battery safety to existing products.
The current NSF project is an important part of that development process.
Addressing Button-Battery Safety
Accidental button-battery ingestion can lead to serious injuries. Landsdowne Labs is taking a different approach to this challenge. Rather than relying on external devices, the company is building the safety response into the battery.
The battery can work normally during everyday use. When exposed to bodily fluids, however, the technology is designed to respond differently.
This materials-based approach could offer a simple way to improve button-battery safety.
What’s Next for Landsdowne Labs?
Landsdowne Labs’ Phase II NSF project is now underway and is scheduled to continue through September 2027. During this period, the company will continue developing ChildLok™ and working toward commercialization.
The $1 million NSF award provides additional support as Landsdowne Labs advances its battery safety technology.
Congratulations to the Landsdowne Labs team on this milestone and its continued progress.
To learn more about companies like Landsdowne Labs and explore investment opportunities, register as an accredited investor at Propel(x).
