- Inc.’s eighth annual Female Founders list highlights the nation’s top business leaders who challenge the status quo to tackle some of the world’s biggest problems.
- Huang is being recognized for driving breakthroughs in solid-state battery technology and advancing U.S. leadership in clean energy innovation.
Billerica, MA, March 11, 2025 – Inc. magazine has named Siyu Huang, CEO and Co-Founder of Factorial Energy (“Factorial”), to its prestigious 2025 Female Founders 500 list for the second consecutive year, honoring the most innovative and influential women entrepreneurs in the country. Under Huang’s leadership, Factorial is spearheading an American-made energy revolution, pioneering solid-state battery technology that is transforming electric mobility, enhancing national security, and strengthening domestic energy resilience.
Inc., the leading media brand and playbook for entrepreneurs and business leaders shaping our future, evaluates thousands of applications each year, highlighting female founders who are challenging the status quo and tackling some of the world’s biggest problems. The selection process involves three rounds of judging, focusing on an entrepreneur’s achievements in the past year.
“Being recognized among this extraordinary group of female founders for a second year underscores something I’ve always believed—that diverse leadership drives transformative innovation,” said Huang. “At Factorial, we’re challenging conventional thinking about battery technology while simultaneously reshaping perceptions about women in STEM leadership. Our solid-state battery breakthroughs aren’t just technical achievements; they represent what’s possible when we bring different perspectives to solving our most pressing energy challenges.”
Factorial is pioneering solid-state battery innovation, achieving a major milestone in 2024 by delivering the world’s first solid-state B-sample cells to a global OEM – Mercedes-Benz. In 2025, Mercedes-Benz began real-world testing of these cells in an EQS Sedan – the first-ever trial in a commercial vehicle platform – offering 25% longer range, improved efficiency, enhanced safety, and reduced weight.
Factorial also announced its collaboration with Stellantis to deploy a demonstration fleet of Dodge Charger Daytona EVs by 2026, integrating its high-energy-density FEST® technology (over 390 Wh/kg) to validate real-world performance in October of 2024. These initiatives reinforce Factorial’s leadership in next-generation battery solutions and its role in advancing sustainable mobility.
The founders recognized by Inc. cross all industries and bring unique success stories from each stage of the entrepreneurial journey – from startup to going public, being acquired by big buyers, or spending decades at the helm of an organization.
“Female founders know what struggle is, but they’re also experts of improvisation, adaptability, and creativity. The women featured on this year’s list exemplify these qualities. Through times of uncertainty, their unwavering dedication and steadfast leadership are not only inspiring but vital to driving progress,” said Inc. executive editor Diana Ransom.
Honoree selection is also honed through the evaluation of the program’s advisory board: Cate Luzio, founder and CEO of Luminary; Dany Garcia, founder, CEO, and chairperson of the Garcia Companies; Pinky Cole Hayes, founder and CEO of Slutty Vegan; Anu Duggal, founding partner at Female Founders Fund; Katherine Power, serial entrepreneur and partner at Greycroft; Tiffany Dufu, president of the Tory Burch Foundation and founder of the Cru; and Kay Koplovitz, co-founder and chair at Springboard Enterprises, founder of USA Network.
Several honorees will be featured in Inc. magazine’s Female Founders issue, on newsstands March 18, 2025. To see the complete list of honorees, please visit: https://www.inc.com/female-founders
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About Factorial Inc.
Founded and headquartered in the United States, Factorial is at the cutting edge of solid-state battery technology, developing solutions that offer longer range per charge, increased safety, and cost competitiveness with conventional lithium-ion batteries. The company’s proprietary solid-state platforms FEST® (Factorial Electrolyte System Technology) and SolsticeTM utilize electrolyte innovations that enable safe and reliable cell performance with high-capacity cathode and anode materials. Factorial’s solid-state batteries are designed to integrate seamlessly with existing manufacturing processes, ensuring scalability and efficiency. The company has established joint development agreements with leading global automakers, including Mercedes-Benz, Stellantis, Hyundai Motor Company, and Kia Corporation. For more information, visit www.factorialenergy.com.
About Inc.
Inc. is the leading media brand and playbook for the entrepreneurs and business leaders shaping our future. Through its journalism, Inc. aims to inform, educate, and elevate the profile of its community: the risk-takers, the innovators, and the ultra-driven go-getters who are creating the future of business. Inc. is published by Mansueto Ventures LLC, along with fellow leading business publication Fast Company. For more information, visit www.inc.com.
