Viennese startup SALZSTROM receives millions for sustainable battery technology!

Viennese startup SALZSTROM receives millions for sustainable battery technology!

The Viennese cleantech startup SALZSTROM recently successfully completed an impressive seven-figure pre-seed financing round. This financing round is one of the largest in the early stages of the energy storage sector in Europe and shows the increasing need for investment in sustainable energy technologies. With its innovative sodium-ion batteries, SALZSTROM offers an environmentally friendly alternative to conventional lithium-ion systems. The financing, which was significantly supported by ERSTE BANK and other partners, is a crucial step towards realizing the company's goals.

Stefan Nolte, co-founder and CFO of SALZSTROM, emphasizes the enormous importance of this financing for the startup. This will not only enable the further development of their technologies, but also the establishment of a new company called FlexCo, which will specifically focus on research and development. SALZSTROM was the first company to introduce a CE-certified salt battery module onto the European market, which impresses with its long service life and high temperature resistance. What is particularly noteworthy is that the raw materials used for the batteries do not contain any lithium, cobalt or nickel.

Innovative technologies and founding team

The founding team of SALZSTROM is made up of experienced professionals. Peter Arnold, a serial founder with a focus on battery technologies and energy management, brings valuable expertise. The team is complemented by Stefan Nolte, who acts as a corporate strategist with M&A expertise, and Jürgen Ellensohn, who works internationally as a brand and growth specialist. Together they pursue the vision of providing Europe with independent and resource-saving storage technology.

In addition to SALZSTROM, there are also other important research projects in the area of ​​sodium-ion batteries. The “SIMBA” research project aims to develop a safe and cost-effective all-solid-state sodium battery technology for stationary applications. The project focuses on reducing the use of critical materials. Sustainable battery materials are used to reduce supply risks and environmental impact compared to lithium-ion batteries.

The “SIMBA” consortium consists of 16 partners from six EU and associated countries and is funded by the European Commission with 8 million euros. Fraunhofer ISE plays a key role in this project, particularly in the development of a new battery management system (BMS) for sodium-ion batteries. The aim is to better understand cell chemistry and aging effects and to increase the estimation accuracy of the condition parameters. In addition, an intelligent BMS is being developed that can be seamlessly connected to the Internet of Things (IoT) to transmit measurement data and maintenance information to users or manufacturers.

The overall view shows that both SALZSTROM and the “SIMBA” research project make a significant contribution to the further development and establishment of sodium-ion batteries as sustainable and resource-saving energy solutions. These technological advances could be crucial for Europe's future energy transition.

For more information, visit the articles from econews and Fraunhofer ISE.