What if the future of batteries didn’t involve lithium or toxic materials—but rubber bands instead? A college sophomore from Maryland is making that a reality.
Meet Samuel Bendek, a 21-year-old student at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, and the brains behind Elastic Energy. Inspired by his teenage job at a soccer ball manufacturing company in Colombia, Bendek had a lightbulb moment at just 16. While bouncing a natural rubber soccer ball, he began studying how it returned energy. That curiosity sparked a big idea: what if that same kinetic energy could be harnessed to power a battery?
Fast forward a few years, and Bendek is now the CEO of a startup creating suitcase-sized batteries that weigh about 200 pounds. Instead of chemicals or mined minerals, his design uses rubber tree sap, turned into an elastic band.
Here’s how it works:
🔋 During charging, a motor stretches the band 8–9 times its original length.
⚡ When energy is needed, the band contracts, spinning a generator to create electricity.
Bendek sees his innovation as a sustainable, affordable alternative for facilities that require backup power, like hospitals and data centers. Unlike lithium-ion batteries, which are pricey and last 6–8 years before needing full replacement, his battery only needs a new elastic band every few years—at about 20% of the initial cost.
Best of all, it’s eco-friendly. “It’s like tapping maple syrup,” he says of the sap extraction. “The trees aren’t harmed.”
One bounce of a soccer ball led to a game-changing breakthrough. Bendek’s story is proof that innovation can come from the most unexpected places.
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Photo: Getty