Delft-based CarbonX announced today it has secured a €2.5 million Accelerator grant from the European Innovation Council (EIC) in order to innovate active anode material supply across Europe.
Competing against 1,211 proposals, CarbonX was chosen among 71 leading companies in, what Carbon X is referring to, the most competitive funding round to date.
“I am very proud of this accomplishment, successfully coming through a tough application process and completing rigorous due diligence – this is great validation of our technology and demonstrates a complete product offering at the right price. With support of the EIC we will accelerate the realisation of a fully independent European supply chain for critical battery materials,” says Rutger van Raalten, CEO of CarbonX.
CarbonX, founded in 2014 by Daniela Sordi and Rutger van Raalten, looks to disrupt the battery industry with a new anode material: locally produced, competitive with Chinese graphite pricing while delivering better battery performance with reduced carbon footprint.
Strategically headquartered near Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands, CarbonX offers comprehensive support for battery cell validation and is laying the foundation for localised supply chains in Europe and the U.S.
By utilizing carbon black plants worldwide, the company addresses graphite shortages. Their efficient production process reduces energy consumption and emissions, promoting local manufacturing and decreasing dependence on conventional graphite sources.
At the core of their innovation is their unique 3D network structure that enhances both electron and lithium transfer. Networked filaments form an efficient conductive pathway, while micro-pores and large d-spacing improve lithium accessibility. Additionally, the 3D porous scaffold structure enables nano-sized silicon embedding, contributing to higher energy density and improved battery performance.
This 3D structure can overcome the 2D limitations of graphite in batteries, boosting battery performance – useful in applications such as Electric Vehicles (EV).
The award includes a €2.5 million grant and a €5 million equity package to accelerate product development and market expansion, furthering CarbonX’s role in replacing graphite in Europe within the automotive battery green technology sector.
The EIC Accelerator offers startups and SMEs grants of up to €2.5 million combined with equity investments through the EIC Fund up to €15 million (up to €10 million as of 2025). A significant innovation this year is the STEP Scale-up scheme, offering investments of up to €30 million.
In addition to financial backing, all projects benefit from Business Acceleration Services, which provide access to leading expertise, corporate partners, investors, and ecosystem actors.
CarbonX acknowledges the support and help received from customers as well as ZAZ Ventures with the EIC application.