# The Early Scale: Sodium-ion batteries promise to cut China out of energy chain, say Wall Street Journal

By MarketScale Newsroom · Published 2026-08-18 · Updated 2026-08-27 · Business Services on MarketScale
Canonical: https://www.marketscale.com/industries/business-services/the-early-scale-2026-08-18
Creator hub: The Early Scale

> Sodium-ion batteries reach commercial scale, cutting China's supply chain dominance. Medicare's ACCESS pilot struggles with provider visibility. Cvent enhances trade show lead management.

## Key points

- Sodium-ion batteries reaching commercial scale can reduce dependence on China's energy supply chain.
- Medicare's ACCESS pilot is struggling with visibility issues among providers.
- Cvent has enhanced its trade show lead management capabilities.

## The lead

We are looking at a shifting landscape in B2B technology and healthcare where strategic decisions and rapid innovations are crucial. As AI becomes more embedded in enterprise operations and healthcare faces operational pressures, leaders are tasked with navigating these changes to maintain a competitive edge and ensure sustainable growth.

![media:6a8429841f79a85df319d6f7]()

## The Big Three

### Sodium-ion batteries promise to cut China out of energy chain, say Wall Street Journal

Sodium-ion batteries, which use abundant and locally sourced materials, are reaching commercial scale as a grid storage alternative to lithium-ion batteries. This development reduces reliance on China in the energy supply chain, creating new opportunities for local industries.

**The B2B angle:** B2B energy firms should explore partnerships in sodium-ion technology to diversify supply chains and reduce geopolitical risks.

### Medicare's ACCESS pilot faces visibility issues, reports STAT

The Medicare ACCESS pilot is live but patients are struggling to find providers participating in the program due to inadequate disclosures. This visibility gap risks undermining the potential benefits of tech-enabled chronic care management.

**The B2B angle:** Healthcare providers should increase transparency and communication about their participation in new Medicare programs to improve patient access and satisfaction.

### Cvent upgrades trade show platform to enhance real-time lead management, reports Cvent Product News

Cvent has released updates to its trade show platform, directly integrating iCapture lead capture with Jifflenow scheduling tools, and providing a daily lead action report. This promises to streamline event operations and enhance exhibitor efficiency.

**The B2B angle:** B2B marketers should leverage these new tools to optimize lead capture and follow-up strategies at trade shows, reducing potential loss of valuable contacts.

## Also worth knowing

Epic system transitions at Children's Minnesota reach $175M, states Becker's Hospital Review.

Adobe's new ChatGPT plugin covers over 70 creative tools, revealed Forbes.

Stripe plans $7B acquisition of OpenRouter, reports TechCrunch.

Block Field

## Smart plays for the week

**Investigate sodium-ion battery partners.** With sodium-ion batteries cutting reliance on China, now is a smart time to diversify energy solutions.

**Optimize your Medicare program visibility strategies.** With the ACCESS pilot facing transparency challenges, increasing awareness could boost provider engagement.

**Upgrade your trade show tech with Cvent's latest integration.** Cvent's iCapture and Jifflenow updates make real-time lead management at events more effective.

## Something to think about

![media:6a8429a71f79a85df319d88e]()

> The true measure of a man is not how he behaves in moments of comfort and convenience but how he stands at times of controversy and challenges., Martin Luther King Jr.

As technology and healthcare face disruptive challenges, leaders must navigate these with resilience and integrity.

## Teach me something: Sodium-ion batteries

Sodium-ion batteries are a type of rechargeable battery that use sodium ions as the charge carriers. Unlike traditional lithium-ion batteries, sodium-ion batteries utilize abundant materials that can be locally sourced, which can lower costs and reduce dependency on specific geopolitical regions like China. They are considered a promising alternative for large-scale energy storage, despite current challenges in energy density and efficiency.

## Sources

- [China-free batteries made from salt are finally here](https://www.wsj.com/business/energy-oil/china-free-batteries-made-from-salt-are-finally-here-cc1cd766) (The Wall Street Journal)
- [Refine, Baby, Refine is the energy industry's new mantra](https://www.wsj.com/business/energy-oil/refine-baby-refine-is-the-energy-industrys-new-mantra-7ef95d61) (The Wall Street Journal)
- [Medicare pushes ACCESS but doesn't tell patients what providers offer it](https://www.statnews.com/2026/08/06/cms-medicare-pilot-access-patient-info-health-tech/) (STAT)
- [45 change topics, $175M: Inside Children's Minnesota's Epic transition](https://www.beckershospitalreview.com/healthcare-information-technology/ehrs/45-change-topics-175m-inside-childrens-minnesotas-epic-transition/) (Becker's Hospital Review)
- [Trade Show Solutions Releases for August 19, 2026](https://release.cvent.com/eventmanagement/announcements/trade-show-solutions-releases-for-august-19-2026) (Cvent Product News Team)
- [Adobe Debuts ChatGPT App Featuring All Its Programs](https://www.forbes.com/sites/dbloom/2026/08/06/adobe-debuts-chatgpt-app-featuring-all-its-programs/) (Forbes)
- [Stripe will reportedly acquire AI gateway startup OpenRouter for $7B+](https://techcrunch.com/2026/08/16/stripe-will-reportedly-acquire-ai-gateway-startup-openrouter-for-7b/) (TechCrunch)
- [U.S. B2B Technology Revenue Grows 10% in First Half of 2026](https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2026/08/05/3339240/0/en/u-s-b2b-technology-revenue-grows-10-in-first-half-of-2026-growth-expected-to-moderate-in-the-second-half-reports-circana.html) (GlobeNewswire)
- [80% of B2B Tech Buyers Use AI Agents as Digital Channels Reshape Enterprise Technology Purchases: IDC](https://infotechlead.com/cio/80-of-b2b-tech-buyers-use-ai-agents-as-digital-channels-reshape-enterprise-technology-purchases-idc-97611) (InfoTech Lead)
- [Campaign: The great CMO rebrand: How top marketers outgrew their own title](https://www.campaignlive.com/article/great-cmo-rebrand-top-marketers-outgrew-own-title/1966629) (Campaign)
- [74%: Percentage of enterprises that have deployed AI systems across operations.](http://www.forbes.com/sites/sandycarter/2026/08/06/enterprise-ai-roi-production-survey/?ss=enterprise-ai) (Forbes)

Tags: The Early Scale, B2B News, Morning Brief, MarketScale, B2B, Energy, Healthcare, Technology, Marketing

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