New GUARDIAN Tool Empowers Energy Storage Companies to Strengthen Supply Chain Operations and Safeguard National Security

BINGHAMTON, N.Y. - The NSF Energy Storage Engine in Upstate New York, led by Binghamton University, today announced the launch of GUARDIAN (Global Unified Assessment for Risk Detection, Intelligence and Awareness Navigator), a free and publicly available supply chain risk management self-assessment tool developed with MITRE to help energy storage companies strengthen operations, protect growth, and advance U.S. national security. GUARDIAN translates U.S., European, and global supply chain risk management practices into concise, actionable guidance. Companies answer a brief series of questions about current practices; the tool then prioritizes recommended next steps and generates a downloadable checklist so teams can move quickly on the highest-impact items. 

Built for real-world decision points from lab to market, GUARDIAN is available in two tracks: Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 3-5 (R&D/early prototyping) and TRL 6-9 (pilot/scale-up) so founders, spinouts, and scaling manufacturers receive guidance matched to their maturity. The result is a practical roadmap companies can execute and revisit as they grow to strengthen compliance, meet customer and investor expectations, and document risk mitigations across their supplier base. 

The launch comes at a time when global battery supply chains face heightened geopolitical and market-concentration risk. Export controls, reciprocal tariffs, and single-source dependencies can strand startups mid-scale and deter investment. GUARDIAN points companies, and academic teams preparing to spin out, to resources to start identifying chokepoints, diversifying sourcing, and tackling the process disciplines that enable the resilience necessary to succeed in the critical infrastructure and defense markets.

"Our mission at the Energy Storage Engine in Upstate New York is to drive leap-frog innovations for American-made batteries and to help build a secure, self-reliant U.S. battery industry," said Meera Sampath, CEO of the NSF Energy Storage Engine in Upstate New York. "Batteries are not just the backbone of modern technology, they support U.S. energy dominance, enable AI leadership, and are vital for our military and defense sector. GUARDIAN is a great example of how the Engine is driving U.S. competitiveness and national security in collaboration with industry, academia, and government partners from around the country."

"National security is inseparable from supply chain security," said Fernando Gómez-Baquero, Translation Director of the NSF Energy Storage Engine in Upstate New York. "GUARDIAN turns complex frameworks into a clear, prioritized to-do list that founders and executives can use immediately to build more resilient, U.S.-controlled energy storage supply chains that increase investor confidence."

"GUARDIAN is designed to empower innovative start-ups, equipping them to scale effectively while strengthening U.S. industry and its supply chains," said Charles Clancy, Senior Vice President, General Manager of MITRE Labs, and Chief Technology Officer at MITRE. "By leveraging industry expertise and publicly sourced content, this free tool delivers tailored best practices for supply chain risk management to the user. As an independent and objective partner dedicated to the national interest, MITRE is excited to partner with the Energy Storage Engine in Upstate New York to address complex supply chain challenges and provide actionable guidance that enhances both industry resilience and national security. GUARDIAN unites industry and the federal government to tackle a shared challenge at the intersection of national and economic security." 

GUARDIAN is available today. To explore the tool and complete the self-assessment, visit: https://upstatenyengine.org/guardian-tool.

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MITRE Media Contact: Lisa Fasold, media@mitre.org 

About The NSF Energy Storage Engine in Upstate New York

The NSF Energy Storage Engine in Upstate New York, led by Binghamton University, is a National Science Foundation-funded, place-based innovation program. The coalition of 40+ academic, industry, nonprofit, state, and community organizations includes Cornell University, Rochester Institute of Technology, Syracuse University, Griffiss Institute, Launch-NY, and NY-BEST as core partners. The Engine advances next-gen battery technology development and manufacturing to drive economic growth and bolster national security. Its vision is to transform upstate New York into America’s Battery Tech Capital.

For more information on the NSF Energy Storage Engine in Upstate New York, visit https://upstatenyengine.org/.

NSF Contact: Fernando Gómez-Baquero, Ph.D.
Translation Pillar Director
NSF Energy Storage Engine in Upstate New York
fernando@cornell.edu