# “We Were Stuck—Until We Found Our Partner.” How One R&D Team Transformed Their Innovation Trajectory With Nexus > When Sarah, an R&D manager at a mid-sized battery technology company, picked up the phone, she wasn’t calling to place another job order. She was calling for help. Her team had hit a wall—again. They had cycled through three different testing labs over six months, chasing elusive answers about material inconsistencies in their next-generation cathode […] Source: https://covalent.com/blog/nexus-rd-success-story/ Updated: 2026-05-04T22:49:49+00:00 --- ![](https://spcdn.shortpixel.ai/spio/ret_img,q_cdnize,to_auto,s_webp:avif/covalent.com/wp-content/themes/covalent/assets/images/blog-default-banner.jpg) ![](https://spcdn.shortpixel.ai/spio/ret_img,q_cdnize,to_auto,s_webp:avif/covalent.com/wp-content/themes/covalent/assets/images/blog-mobile-banner.jpg) # “We Were Stuck—Until We Found Our Partner.” How One R&D Team Transformed Their Innovation Trajectory With Nexus Covalent Team • Jun 27, 2025 When Sarah, an R&D manager at a mid-sized battery technology company, picked up the phone, she wasn’t calling to place another job order. She was calling for help. Her team had hit a wall—again. They had cycled through three different testing labs over six months, chasing elusive answers about material inconsistencies in their next-generation cathode design. Each lab delivered data, but no clarity. Each report raised more questions than it answered. Worse, project timelines kept slipping. Every delay put their product roadmap—and investor confidence—at risk. That’s when a colleague recommended Covalent and mentioned something called **Nexus**. ## **From Transactional to Transformational** Sarah was used to the traditional lab service model: send in a sample, get a report, figure it out yourself. If you needed context or follow-up, it usually meant additional costs—or worse, radio silence. But Nexus flipped that model on its head. Instead of acting like a remote job shop, Covalent embedded itself into Sarah’s workflow. From the start, Covalent’s scientists met with her team to understand not just what measurements they needed—but *why*. They helped identify more efficient and precise analytical strategies, eliminating redundant work and avoiding missteps that had plagued previous engagements. The turnaround was immediate. “It felt like having an elite extension of our own team—one that spoke our language and actually cared about our goals,” Sarah recalled. ## **What Nexus Brings to the Table** The Nexus program is Covalent’s answer to a core industry problem: the disconnect between data generation and data application. Built for innovators across industries and stages—from startups in discovery mode to global manufacturers scaling production—**Nexus provides an enhanced level of support, speed, and strategic partnership**: - **Faster Data** Nexus members get priority scheduling and tighter communication loops. In Sarah’s case, this meant cutting her lead times in half. - **Lower Pricing** More testing for less. The lower pricing structure allowed Sarah’s team to iterate more rapidly without blowing their budget. - **Expert Consulting—Included** Unlike most labs, consultations with Covalent experts before and after projects were included. That meant Sarah could pressure-test hypotheses, design better experiments, and understand results in real time. And Nexus isn’t just a service—it’s a **community**. Sarah and her colleagues gained access to exclusive workshops and roundtables where they connected with other innovators, shared learnings, and discovered emerging best practices. ## **Three Tiers. One Goal: Your Success** Nexus offers three flexible membership tiers—**Individual, Team, and Enterprise**—so whether you’re flying solo or managing a global R&D organization, there’s a fit for you. Each level comes with escalating benefits, from concierge-style account management to deep integration with your development strategy. For Sarah’s team, the **Team-level membership** was ideal. It brought tailored support and scalable access across multiple projects—something no traditional lab provider had ever offered. ## **Redefining the Client–Provider Relationship** At Covalent, Nexus represents more than a program—it’s a commitment to partnership. We believe that **delivering data is only part of the job**. Helping you turn that data into meaningful, actionable insight is where true value lies. Nexus transforms lab services from a transactional necessity into a **collaborative advantage**. ## **Are You Ready to Go Beyond?** If you’ve ever felt like your lab service provider isn’t really *with* you—or worse, *slowing you down*—it might be time to rethink your model. ## **Nexus was built for you.** Let’s talk about how Covalent can become the partner your innovation deserves. Learn more about Nexus → or reach out today to get start About the Author ![Covalent Team](https://spcdn.shortpixel.ai/spio/ret_img,q_cdnize,to_auto,s_webp:avif/covalent.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/square310x310logo-150x150.png) Covalent Team Covalent's team of experts includes material scientists and domain experts that contribute to our blog. With PhDs from top institutions & decades of experience in the nuance of material properties testing, Covalent's team is committed to delivering the material insights our customers need. Table of Contents Blogs you may like [![Read time](https://spcdn.shortpixel.ai/spio/ret_img,q_cdnize,to_auto,s_webp:avif/covalent.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/clock.svg) 12min read ![What Is Aerogel Used For? Applications, Properties, and Characterization](https://spcdn.shortpixel.ai/spio/ret_img,q_cdnize,to_auto,s_webp:avif/covalent.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/aerogel-insulation-is-used-where.jpg) May 11, 2026 ### What Is Aerogel Used For? 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