Battery

19 Dec 24

German startup behind electric ‘microliner’ lands €14M runway

Computer & Information Technology

Munich-based startup Vaeridion has secured €14mn to develop an electric aircraft that it hopes will whisk passengers on short-haul routes around Europe by 2030. “The microliner looks like a regular plane and it takes off from a runway — the only difference is that it will be powered by batteries,”…

12 Dec 24

Dutch startup’s new battery material could wean Europe off Chinese graphite

Computer & Information Technology

Amsterdam-based startup CarbonX has secured €4mn to industrialise a new anode material that could help Europe reduce its reliance on China for graphite, a substance which makes up half the weight of a typical lithium-ion battery. Netherlands-based VC Energy Transition Fund Rotterdam led the round. It’s an extension on CarbonX’s…

27 Nov 24

This startup’s microliner promises a cheaper route to electric flights

Computer & Information Technology

It’s been a tough year for air taxi startups. The UK’s Vertical Aerospace is running short of cash, while Germany’s Lillium faces bankruptcy. Targets for commercialisation keep getting extended. Investors are hesitant to commit. The reason for all the struggles is pretty simple. Building, certifying, and commercialising brand-new aircraft designs…

12 Nov 24

Battery recycling startup Tozero bags €11M to boost Europe’s lithium supply

Computer & Information Technology

In 1991, Sony brought the first rechargeable lithium-ion battery to market. The unique chemistry proved a game-changer in energy storage. Today everything from EVs to smartphones depends on it, with demand skyrocketing. But lithium is rare, most of it comes from unstable markets outside Europe, and its extraction can cause extensive…

10 Oct 24

Rio Tinto backs six startups in high-tech bid for cleaner mining of lithium, copper

Computer & Information Technology

British VC fund Founders Factory has launched the Mining Tech Accelerator in partnership with Rio Tinto, as the metals giant seeks to find better ways to cash-in on surging demand for lithium, copper, and other materials critical to the clean transition. In April, Rio Tinto committed 14.4mn Australian dollars (€8.8mn)…

27 Sep 24

Northvolt suspected of manslaughter in latest blow to flailing battery startup

Computer & Information Technology

Swedish prosecutors are set to serve Northvolt with a suspicion of gross manslaughter notice following the death of a worker at the EV battery-maker’s struggling gigafactory in the country’s icy North, the Financial Times reports. Environmental prosecutor Christer B Jarlås told the paper that officials will deliver the formal notice…

25 Sep 24

TNW Podcast: The future of Northvolt, underwater Wi-Fi, and power-hungry data centres

Computer & Information Technology

Welcome to the new episode of the TNW Podcast — the show where we discuss the latest developments in the European technology ecosystem and feature interviews with some of the most interesting people in the industry. In today’s episode, Linnea and Andrii talk about energy use at data centres, the…

09 Sep 24

German startup Cylib starts building Europe’s largest EV battery recycling plant

Computer & Information Technology

German startup Cylib has broken ground on its first industrial-scale battery recycling plant, just months after it raised €55mn in the largest-ever funding round for a European battery recycling company. The state-of-the-art facility, located at Chempark on the outskirts of Düsseldorf, will spread across three football pitches. Once operational —…

25 Jul 24

Addionics secures $39M for 3D ‘current collectors’ that boost EV range, charging

Computer & Information Technology

London-based Addionics has raised $39mn in funding as it eyes commercialisation of its 3D ‘current collectors’ that can boost the performance of any battery, regardless of its chemistry. The venture capital arm of General Motors and Israeli VC fund Deep Insight led the round, with participation from Swedish truck-maker Scania. …

23 Jul 24

Oxygen-generating ‘battery rock’ discovery challenges understanding of life on Earth

Computer & Information Technology

Scientists have discovered oxygen-generating ‘battery rocks’ on the ocean floor that could challenge long-held beliefs about the origins of life on Earth — and make a strong case against deep-sea mining. A team led by Professor Andrew Sweetman of the Scottish Association for Marine Science (SAMS) made the discovery while…