Empa Spin-offs Secure European Funding for Solid-State Batteries and Indoor Solar Technology

Two spin-off companies from the Swiss research institute Empa, BTRY and Perovskia Solar, have secured significant European funding to advance their respective technologies. Each company has received €2.2 million from the European Innovation Council's (EIC) Accelerator program, totaling over €4.4 million in non-dilutive funding.

BTRY will utilize its funding to industrialize its thin-film solid-state battery technology, targeting applications in the Internet of Things (IoT), medical devices, wearables, and consumer electronics. Perovskia Solar will focus on further developing its digitally printed perovskite photovoltaic cells, designed to power smart devices and sensors under indoor lighting conditions.

The EIC Accelerator program is one of Europe's most selective funding instruments for deep-tech companies. In this latest round, only 38 startups were chosen from across Europe, with a reported success rate below 5%. This funding will enable BTRY to scale its production process towards manufacturing millions of batteries annually and allow Perovskia Solar to develop customized solar cells for various device designs.

The success of these Empa-founded ventures highlights Switzerland's role in developing technologies for the energy transition, including advanced energy storage and distributed renewable energy generation. Both companies have previously received recognition within the Swiss innovation landscape.