SICAMORE

Lithium-ion batteries have served us well for nearly three decades. But global energy demand is rising sharply, and today's technology can't keep up: charging takes too long and energy density is hitting a ceiling. The bottleneck is the anode, still made of graphite, a material that has reached its performance limit and carries growing geopolitical supply chain risk. With industries pushing for longer runtimes and faster charging, SICAMORE is developing an alternative anode material that boosts battery performance while strengthening supply chain resilience.

SICAMORE develops a silicon-carbon composite (Si/C) anode material that enables lithium-ion batteries to store more energy, deliver higher power, and maintain performance over longer operating lifetimes. For end users, this translates into longer runtimes, lighter battery packs, faster charging, and more productive use of battery-powered equipment. As a true drop-in solution, our Si/C composite requires no retooling of existing production lines, translating into up to 40% more output for battery makers and significantly lowering adoption barriers.

What makes the approach distinctive is how the material is made. Rather than relying on expensive gas-phase processes using silane, SICAMORE uses low-cost metallurgical silicon and sustainable carbon sources in a largely water-based production process. This reduces manufacturing complexity and cuts the carbon footprint of production by an estimated 50 to 80 % compared to competing gas-phase routes. It is a meaningful advantage as sustainability becomes increasingly important across the battery supply chain.

By combining innovative material design with scalable production methods, SICAMORE aims to establish a robust, sustainable, and cost-efficient battery material platform. We first target the professional power tools and drone segments, where customers prioritize performance over price and adoption can move quickly once clear performance advantages are demonstrated. With a serviceable addressable market (SAM) of ~€85 million in Europe and the US, this segment provides a solid foundation for scaling into larger applications. In the longer term, SICAMORE is positioned to serve next-generation electric vehicles and consumer electronics, contributing to a more robust and competitive European battery industry.