The Technical University of Munich (TUM) has launched the Battery Start-up Incubator (BaStI) to strengthen Germany’s technological sovereignty in battery technologies. Funded with €3.3 million by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), BaStI aims to support and advise start-up applicants from across Germany in their initial phases. The initiative seeks to accelerate the market entry of new battery technologies emerging from research, thereby reducing reliance on imports.
Dr. Philipp Gerbert, CEO of TUM Venture Labs, emphasized the importance of this development: “Batteries are key to the energy transition and electromobility, but so far, at least 70% of global production comes from China. This dependency harbors risks we want to overcome through the targeted promotion of domestic initiatives. Germany has an enormously strong research position in this field, but the transfer to commercial enterprises is weak. With BaStI, we are creating for the first time a Germany-wide networked ecosystem that supports technology-oriented start-ups in the crucial start-up phase.”
BaStI offers a unique combination of scientific expertise and practical support. Professor Jennifer L.M. Rupp, head of the TUM Chair of Solid State Electrolytes and founder of the battery start-up Qkera, explained, “With BaStI, we are focusing on holistic support that combines technological innovation with entrepreneurial thinking. The aim is to transfer scientific findings more efficiently into market-ready products, thus strengthening Germany’s competitiveness. To achieve this, we need industrial production here on site.”
The initiative benefits from the involvement of UnternehmerTUM, Europe’s leading start-up center, which contributes proven training programs such as XPRENEURS and XPLORE. These programs enhance the project by providing practical access to a broad network of industry professionals and investors. This includes mentorship opportunities, connections to companies as initial customers, and fundraising support. BaStI is being implemented with the support of TUMint.Energy Research, with Professor Rupp serving as project coordinator. Additionally, the Munich Cluster of Excellence e-conversion offers a unique concentration of energy science expertise on site.
Hardware battery start-ups face significant challenges due to the high initial investment required, especially those producing material components or entire batteries. The development phase, scientific validation of ideas, the actual start-up phase, and the construction of prototypes are funded beyond BaStI and TUMint.Energy Research through independent BMBF funding instruments as part of the overarching concept for battery research.
By establishing BaStI, TUM aims to enhance Germany’s position in the critical landscape of battery technology, aligning with national goals for sustainable energy and innovation.
Source: Technical University of Munich
