A promising end to 2020 for Aix-based start-up Nawa Technologies, which is setting up its 1era industrial production line for its super capacitors. A particularly innovative nanotechnology-based storage technology designed for mobility, Industry 4.0 and the Internet of Things.
A decisive turning point for this start-up on the way to becoming a successful SME, which the cluster has been supporting since its creation, and which has just finalised the acquisition of an American company specialising in composite materials.
From 2021, between 200,000 and 1 million supercapacitor cells will be produced each year at the ST Microelectronics site in Rousset, which has been home to the start-up since 2015. They will be sold to an initial panel of customers in the IoT, tooling and mobility sectors, to improve the autonomy and durability of these objects.
A technology that is revolutionising energy storage
Thanks to their aligned carbon nanotubes, the electrodes of NAWA Technologies super-capacitors boost the performance of current devices tenfold. Capable of being recharged in a matter of seconds, with a lifetime of up to 1 million cycles, these super-capacitors offer power densities ten times greater than products currently on the market.
In 2020, the company will be taking part in CES in Las Vegas to illustrate the scope of its products with a concept. hybrid electric motorbike combining supercapacitors with lithium-ion cells. This is the NAWA Racer which uses a lithium-ion battery much smaller than those used in current electric motorbikes. Thanks in particular to super-efficient energy recovery, this technology increases range by up to 300 km in urban use.
More recently, the company was awarded the 1000 solutions for the planet" label the Solar Impulse Foundation, for this safer and more environmentally-friendly technology.
Nanotubes: a winning bet!
Now Technical Director of NAWA Technologies, which he founded in 2013, Pascal Boulanger explains the genesis of the adventure: " As Deputy Director of IRAMIS, I was responsible for identifying the various technological nuggets.nanotechnology research institute affiliated to the CEA], and I chose to focus on aligned nanotubes ".
From the outset, Capenergies has supported the company in structuring the project and its R&D stages. " The accreditation of several of our projects has led to significant funding, including the FUI for the Xtremcap project and the World Innovation Competition for the NAWAShell project. "explains Pascal Boulanger, a member of the cluster's Board of Directors.
Today, the start-up, which holds around a hundred patents, has raised €13 million by the end of 2019 and employs 46 people, has no intention of stopping there!
Nawa Technologies sets its sights higher to develop its markets
" We are developing a completely new generation of electrodes capable of improving the performance of current and future lithium batteries. This is a strategic market for us, as the industry is looking to increase autonomy and recharge times for mobility applications. We have also set up R&D partnerships with several lithium battery manufacturers to accelerate the integration of our technology. "explains Pascal Boulanger.
This is the ANTELIBAT project developed by Capenergies in 2020, based on the aligned carbon nanotube mat electrode developed for supercapacitors, but here optimised and adapted for use in lithium batteries. This opens the way to tripling the range of electric vehicles, while enabling them to recharge faster. " There's a motorway in front of NAWA's wheels! "
The start-up has also just completed the first stage of its international expansion: " We have acquired a US company, NT12 Technologies, specialising in composite materials based on aligned carbon nanotube mats. This acquisition clearly positions us as a world leader in the sector, with collaborations with the CEA, MIT and the University of Dayton, the most heavily funded university in the US in the field of composites. The markets we address are complementary to those in the energy sector, with sports, the automotive industry (hydrogen tanks, for example) and aerospace. "Pascal Boulanger is delighted.
To find out more:
👉 Discover the technology and innovative products of Nawa Technologies
👉 Consult the ANTELIBAT (Advanced Nanotubes Electrode for Lithium Batteries) project sheet
👉 Nawa Technologies unveils concept bike with hybrid battery at CES Las Vegas 2020
👉 NawaCap selected as one of the Solar Impulse Foundation's 1000 solutions for the planet
👉 Nawa America, a Nawa subsidiary, develops multifunctional composite materials