CIDETEC (founded 1997, Donostia-San Sebastián, Spain) is an applied research organization with institutes in Energy Storage, Surface Engineering and Nanomedicine. It offers materials R&D, pilot battery manufacturing, testing, BMS development and second-life solutions for transport and stationary storage.
CIDETEC is a private applied research organization founded in 1997 and headquartered in Donostia-San Sebastián, Spain. It operates three specialized institutes—Energy Storage, Surface Engineering, and Nanomedicine—focused on generating and transferring technological knowledge to industry. CIDETEC’s mission is to increase company competitiveness by developing and industrializing materials, battery systems, surface solutions, and biomedical technologies. The organization emphasizes client-driven projects, sustainable economic models, and talent development to shorten time-to-market for new technologies and support regional and European innovation initiatives. It combines lab-scale research with pilot manufacturing, advanced testing facilities, and participation in collaborative R&D programs.
CIDETEC Energy Storage develops battery materials and systems across upstream and midstream stages, including solid-state, lithium-sulfur, sodium-ion, and rechargeable zinc-air chemistries. Its capabilities span materials scale-up, pilot-scale cell manufacturing with dry rooms and integrated pilot lines, and a 7,000 m² Energy Storage facility for demonstration. CIDETEC integrates multi-sensor diagnostics (mechanical, acoustic, impedance, thermal) with wireless battery management systems to improve monitoring and safety. Workstreams include cobalt-reduced chemistries, higher energy density architectures, and second-life repurposing to reduce lifecycle impact. Complementary surface engineering and nanomedicine expertise supports interface control and functional coatings for enhanced performance.
CIDETEC provides R&D services, pilot manufacturing, materials validation, cell and module engineering, pack design, and battery testing and certification. It develops intelligent BMS solutions and sensor-based diagnostics, supports second-life applications for stationary storage, and has spun off Lanzo Batteries for high-reliability aerospace cells. Primary applications include electric vehicles (passenger and heavy-duty), aerospace, stationary energy storage systems, and industrial electrification projects.
In 2025 CIDETEC collaborated with Médicos Sin Fronteras and participated in projects on electromechanical actuators, sustainable materials for offshore wind, and renewable synthetic fuels. The institute signed a strategic agreement with the University of the Basque Country Faculty of Chemistry and organized battery characterization and testing workshops, focusing on technology transfer, workforce training, and dissemination of pilot-scale results to industry and public partners.
CIDETEC is a privately held applied research organization funded principally through public grants and European program consortia. It received over €25 million from Horizon 2020 and roughly €25 million from Horizon Europe initiatives. The 2021–2027 Strategic Plan allocates more than €30 million for capacity expansion and includes a €22 million investment in a 7,000 m² Energy Storage facility. Funding emphasizes project-based public financing and consortium-led EU collaborations.
