This chapter provides insight into Joint Center for Energy Storage Research's (JCESR) mission and organizational structure, and highlights important tools used to effectively connect research activities across the spectrum, from fundamental discovery science to cell design and prototyping intended to enable commercial deployment. JCESR has assembled a broad multi‐institutional team with expertise and resources to explore the possibilities of the beyond lithium‐ion battery space. A critical operational challenge for JCESR is to establish intellectual trust and enable healthy collaboration among partner institutions. Accordingly, JCESR created the Intellectual Property Management Council that is led by JCESR's Intellectual Property and Business Development Manager. JCESR uses techno‐economic modeling to make strategic decisions on scientific thrusts: starting a new research direction, pivoting, or ceasing certain research directions. Seeking to quickly move from discovery to prototype, JCESR enlisted the Electrolyte Genome to perform an initial screening of positive and negative electrolytes for redox flow batteries.