Two companies supported by InnoEnergy, Altris and Mecaware, have been selected to join the prestigious 2026 European Innovation Council (EIC) Accelerator cohort, securing funding to scale breakthrough solutions in critical materials and battery recycling. This dual achievement highlights the strength of deeptech innovation across Europe’s clean energy value chains, from sustainable materials to circular industrial systems.
Altris secures EIC Accelerator funding to scale sodium-ion battery materials
Swedish advanced materials company Altris, a specialist in sustainable sodium-ion battery electrodes, has secured backing through the EIC Accelerator to speed up industrial deployment of its patented battery materials. Altris’ approach replaces expensive and supply-constrained lithium and cobalt with abundant, low-cost sodium, enabling safer and more sustainable large-format batteries for energy storage and other applications.
The EIC support will empower Altris to accelerate production capacity, expand its technological footprint and support strategic partnerships with battery manufacturers across Europe.
Founded with a vision to decarbonize energy storage at scale, Altris’ technology directly addresses both the cost and resource limitations that challenge widespread adoption of large-scale battery systems. The funding will help bridge the gap between pilot manufacturing and industrial-scale production, a critical step for Europe’s energy transition.
Mecaware awarded EIC Accelerator funding for critical metals recycling
French cleantech Mecaware has also been selected for the 2026 EIC Accelerator, recognizing its innovative solution to industrialize the recycling of critical metals from batteries in Europe. As battery demand surges with the electrification of transport and energy storage, securing circular supply chains for key metals like nickel, cobalt and lithium has become a strategic imperative for European industry.
Mecaware’s process enables efficient recovery of these metals at industrial scale, reducing dependence on imports, lowering environmental impact, and strengthening the resilience of battery value chains in Europe. The EIC support will accelerate the deployment of Mecaware’s recycling technology and reinforce its efforts to create a competitive, local circular ecosystem for battery materials.
InnoEnergy, supporting deeptech that accelerates clean energy transitions
Both Altris and Mecaware are part of InnoEnergy’s ecosystem of innovative startups and scale-ups driving Europe’s clean energy transformation. The EIC Accelerator selection is a major validation of their technologies, market potential, and alignment with strategic European priorities in sustainable energy, materials and circular economy.
Impacts beyond funding
With EIC Accelerator support, Altris and Mecaware will be able to:
- Strengthen industrial capabilities and scale production
- Expand commercial partnerships across Europe
- Support local supply chains for batteries and critical materials
- Advance circular, low-carbon industrial systems
Their success reinforces the importance of European support programs that enable breakthrough technologies to transition from innovation to industrial impact.
About the EIC Accelerator
The European Innovation Council (EIC) Accelerator is one of the EU’s flagship programs to support high-risk, high-impact deeptech startups and SMEs. It focuses on projects with breakthrough potential that can contribute to major challenges such as climate change, decarbonisation and industrial competitiveness.
