Chemist • Founder • Operator
Operations | Polymer chemistry & scale-up · Co-Founder, MANA.energy · Researcher, Humboldt University of Berlin (CSMB)
Contact
- E-mail: b.balcarova@mana.energy · barbora.balcarova@hu-berlin.de
- Phone (DE): +49 30 2093 66418
- ORCID: 0000-0001-6008-2480
- Google Scholar: Profile
- LinkedIn: barbora-balcarova-a063b319b
Research Profile
Operator and co-founder bridging analytical/polymer chemistry, electrode materials, and lab-to-market scale-up.
Hands-on experience in industrial QC, analytical method development, and pre-seed deep-tech operations.
Active in the Berlin green chemistry ecosystem (greenCHEM, IRIS Adlershof, CSMB), with focus on translating sustainable battery materials into manufacturable products.
Positions
Aug 2024 – Present — Co-Founder, Operations, MANA.energy (Berlin, DE)
• Lead operations, procurement, lab coordination, and scale-up workflows; partner-facing communications; ecosystem engagement (greenCHEM, IHK, Venture Café, innovate! Track C).
Nov 2023 – Jul 2024 — Project Manager, Inuru GmbH (Wildau, DE)
• Production and project management for OLED-based printed electronics; cross-functional coordination between R&D and manufacturing.
Apr 2022 – Oct 2023 — Lead Start-Up Team, MANA.energy (INAM AdMaLab, IRIS Adlershof, Berlin, DE)
• Pre-incorporation team build; technology validation; early IP and partnership groundwork.
Jul 2021 – Sep 2021 — Analytical Chemist, Quinta Analytica s.r.o. (Prague, CZ)
• Bioanalytical method development and validation under GLP.
Jun 2020 – Nov 2020 — Quality Control Chemist, NET4GAS s.r.o. (Prague, CZ)
• Industrial QC and process analytical chemistry.
Jun 2018 – Aug 2018 — Research Assistant, Max Planck Institute for Colloids and Interfaces (Potsdam-Golm, DE)
• Polymer and colloidal materials; collaboration with the Bojdys group on 2D covalent organic frameworks.
Jun 2017 – Apr 2018 — Research Assistant / Laboratory Technician, Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry AS CR (Prague, CZ)
• Synthetic organic chemistry; analytical support.
Mar 2016 – May 2017 — Undergraduate Researcher, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic (Prague, CZ)
• Forensic and analytical chemistry research project.
Education
- M.Sc. (Chemistry) — University of Chemistry and Technology, Prague, CZ — 2017–2019. Thesis: “Dynamics of heterogeneous nucleation at chemically patterned surfaces: Microscopic insight”.
- B.Sc. (Chemistry) — Charles University, Prague, CZ — 2013–2017. Thesis: “Synthesis and separation of arsenic-glutathione complexes”.
Selected Publications
- Li, G.; Balcarova, B.; Schultz, T.; Bai, C.; Exner, M.; Wang, H.; Liu, Y.; Pinna, N.; et al. “Development of a High-Energy-Density Lithiated Silicon-Sulfur Full Cell with Enhanced Stability and Longevity.” ChemRxiv (2024). DOI: 10.26434/chemrxiv-2024-0605.
- Kulkarni, R.; Noda, Y.; Barange, D. K.; Kochergin, Y. S.; Lyu, P.; Balcarova, B.; Nachtigal, P.; Bojdys, M. J. “Real-time optical and electronic sensing with a β-amino enone linked, triazine-containing 2D covalent organic framework.” Nature Communications 10 (2019) 3228. DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-11264-z.
Ecosystem & Engagement (selected)
- innovate! Track C — MANA.energy participant; matchmaking and tech-transfer cohort with greenCHEM and TU Berlin (2025–2026).
- IP Festival 2025, IHK Berlin — Pitching MANA.energy’s NMC-free silicon-sulfur battery technology and patent portfolio.
- Seed the Future — Pitch presentation at TU Berlin (Science & Startups, greenCHEM).
- Treasure Hunting Summer School — Patent-to-market program with UNITE!/BUA universities (TU Berlin, 2025).
- Chemistry Career Talk #4 (Green Chemistry Paths) — Panel contribution alongside greenCHEM and Wiley/Chemistry Europe.
- Venture Café Berlin / CIFamily / INKULAB — Active deep-tech and green chemistry community engagement.
Languages
- Slovak (native), Czech (native), English (C2), German (working proficiency)
Technical Skills
Research & Lab: Polymer synthesis and formulation, electrode ink processing, analytical and forensic chemistry, QC method development.
Characterization: UV/VIS, FTIR, GPC, DLS, PXRD, DSC, TGA, HPLC, GC.
Operations: SAP/Ariba procurement, inventory and supply-chain management, lab coordination, project and production management, partner communications.