Paper batteries, blackjack-playing robot: S’pore firms showcase innovations at CES

Over 30 firms from Republic among exhibitors at world’s largest tech fair in US

- Sarah Koh

Common rechargeable batteries such as lithium-ion ones rely on scarce materials that can also be dangerous, but one Singapore startup is bringing a more sustainable and safer alternative to electronic devices.

Flint is set to commercialise its first line of paper batteries later in 2026, which can be used in keyboards, computer mice and wearables.

Chief among its materials is cellulose, which can be extracted from all kinds of plants.

The 10-strong team is one of more than 30 firms from Singapore among over 4,000 exhibitors showcasing their most cutting-edge products from Jan 6 to 9 at CES 2026.

The Straits Times trawled the show floor of the world’s largest tech trade show, which is held annually in Las Vegas, to highlight innovations from Singapore.

GO GREEN: PAPER BATTERIES IN WEARABLES, OFFICE TECH

While these cylindrical rechargeable batteries resemble conventional alkaline AAA batteries, they are less prone to overheating due to their makeup of water-based ingredients such as carbon ink and binder gel.

The carbon footprint from manufacturing each battery is also about 30 per cent smaller than that of a traditional battery.

The capacity of Flint’s batteries is also on a par with popular AAA batteries sold by major competitors such as Panasonic, at around 1,250 milliamp-hours.

The startup is currently focused on selling its products to businesses, with several, such as consumer electronics firm Logitech, testing the feasibility of Flint’s batteries within its products.

Pouch cells — batteries as thin as a sheet of paper — are also among Flint’s newest offerings, which are meant to be an alternative to lithium-ion batteries used in devices such as wearables and trackers, which depend on scarce raw materials such as lithium and cobalt.

InJune, Flint will be launching its own luggage tag and passport cover that double as trackers powered by these pouch cells.