Imec spinoff attracts €10M to commercialize solid-state Li-ion batteries

Imec has spun off a company to commercialize high-energy solid-state lithium-ion battery cells. Having raised 10 million euros in seed capital from an investor consortium led by Imec.Xpand, Solithor has the ambition to “become a global leader in solid-state battery technology and a key provider in the European battery value chain,” according to a press release.

Solid-state batteries promise to bring the performance of classical battery systems to the next level in terms of energy density, charging speed, weight, volume and safety. Their adoption hasn’t taken off so far due to significant manufacturability hurdles. Imec has invested for ten years in new technology to further boost the performance of solid-state batteries, while proposing components enabling an assembly process that’s more compatible with classical Li-ion battery assembly lines.

Eindhoven-based Lionvolt is also working on solid-state battery technology. Unlike Solithor, however, the TNO spinoff is giving the traditional battery design a revolutionary overhaul.