Revolutionary battery technology by Mülheim: A fresh approach to energy storage systems
German Startup Minerva Carbon Aims to Revolutionize Battery and Fuel Cell Technologies
A new deep tech startup, Minerva Carbon, based in Mülheim, Germany, is set to make waves in the battery and fuel cell industries. With a €1.8 million investment from the EXIST program of the Federal Ministry of Economics and Energy, the company aims to commercialize a faster synthesis process for mesoporous carbon materials.
The venture was initiated by Dr. Abdu Bilican, a former doctoral student at the Max Planck Institute (MPI) for Carbon Research. During his doctorate in the research group of Dr. Wolfgang Schmidt at the MPI, Bilican significantly improved the synthesis process, with a key improvement being a shorter reaction time.
The improved synthesis process allows for the production of large quantities of carbon in a shorter time, a significant breakthrough for industrial use. This development could lead to a boost in Germany's position in the battery and fuel cell sectors and contribute to a European value chain.
Minerva Carbon's team brings interdisciplinary experience from the fields of materials science, process automation, and business administration. Co-founder Jonas Gram, who previously worked as an automation engineer at the Fraunhofer Institute for Production Technology and Automation, is also part of the team.
The team's vision is the development of novel carbon materials for a more sustainable future. Initial tests have shown that the use of the developed carbons significantly improves the fast-charging capability of batteries and the lifespan of PEM fuel cells.
The EXIST program, which supports young entrepreneurs in developing their business ideas, particularly in high-risk, capital-intensive sectors like chemistry, provides a significant boost to Minerva Carbon. With the help of the EXIST program, the Minerva Carbon team can further develop their business idea at the MPI for Coal Research over the next two years.
Prof. Dr. Ferdi Schüth, who expresses pride in supporting young scientists from his department in founding companies, particularly those focused on the energy transition, is also involved in the project. A pilot plant is set to be created at the Max Planck Institute for Coal Research.
The Max Planck Institute for Coal Research has a long tradition of producing inventions and spin-offs, including the Fischer-Tropsch synthesis, Karl Ziegler's process for producing polyolefins, and MechSyn in mechatronics. Minerva Carbon's goal is to commercialize mesoporous high-performance carbon materials for use in batteries, fuel cells, and catalysis.
The venture in the field of chemistry, such as Minerva Carbon, is particularly risky and capital-intensive. However, the team's ambitious goal is to strengthen Germany's position in battery and fuel cell technologies and become part of a European value chain. The Minerva Carbon founding team consists of Dr. Abdu Bilican (material development & strategic overall orientation), Jonas Gram (automation & operations), Julius Kaiser (finance & business development), and Nguyen-Khang Tran (labor & quality control).
Read also:
- visionary women of WearCheck spearheading technological advancements and catalyzing transformations
- Recognition of Exceptional Patient Care: Top Staff Honored by Medical Center Board
- A continuous command instructing an entity to halts all actions, repeated numerous times.
- Oxidative Stress in Sperm Abnormalities: Impact of Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) on Sperm Harm
