Aachen, March 15, 2026 - leitspalt, a deep-tech startup developing next-generation battery systems for electric mobility, has been selected as a recipient of the European Innovation Council (EIC) Accelerator, one of Europe’s most competitive funding programs for breakthrough technologies. In February 2026, 61 companies were selected out of 923 companies in the second stage, following a highly competitive evaluation based on technological excellence, market impact, and risk profile.
As part of the award, leitspalt will receive a €2.5 million grant combined with the opportunity for up to €5.5 million in equity investment from the EIC Fund, representing up to €8 million in blended financing to accelerate the commercialization of its technology.
The funding will support the engineering development and industrial validation of leitspalt’s aerospace-inspired battery pack architecture, enabling the company to:
Part of the funding will also be dedicated to leitspalt's Go-to-Market activities, including collaboration with automotive OEMs and Tier-1 suppliers to integrate the technology into future electric vehicle platforms.
"Battery performance is ultimately a system challenge. Managing fast charging, thermal stability, cost, and manufacturability simultaneously requires a fundamentally new approach to battery pack architecture. The EIC Accelerator provides the momentum needed to bring this next generation of battery systems to industrial scale." said Dr. Jannik Bühring, Co-Founder and CEO of leitspalt.
"Europe's competitiveness in electrification will depend on our ability to rethink battery systems beyond incremental improvements." said Dr. Jana Maria Weinand, Co-Founder and CFO of leitspalt. "We believe that the EIC Accelerator will not only benefit our company but also contribute to the broader goal of advancing clean energy solutions across Europe. Our commitment to sustainability aligns perfectly with the EIC's mission to support projects that have a positive impact on the environment."
The EIC Accelerator program typically runs over a two-year period, during which selected companies achieve defined technical and commercial milestones. For leitspalt, these milestones include advanced engineering validation, prototype development, and integration with industrial partners.
More information about the latest EIC Accelerator 2025 cohort can be found here:
https://eic.ec.europa.eu/news/61-start-ups-and-smes-secure-eic-support-latest-round-eic-accelerator-2026-02-17_en
Battery performance is the result of a complex system of trade-offs: fast charging, thermal stability, cost efficiency, packaging density, manufacturability, and OEM-grade reliability.
leitspalt addresses this challenge with a patented aerospace-inspired battery pack architecture that integrates thermal management, inter frame, and cell holding into a single multifunctional system. This approach enables ultra-fast charging, improved thermal stability, and lower manufacturing complexity, helping accelerate the transition toward scalable electric mobility.
The company works with leading industry partners across automotive, aerospace, and drone applications and is headquartered in Aachen, Germany.
