CUSTOMCELLS HOLDING GMBH

Their core work

CustomCells is a German SME that develops and manufactures custom lithium-ion battery cells, sitting at the junction between laboratory chemistry and real-world production. In H2020 projects they contributed expertise in advanced cathode chemistries (LNMO, NMC622), cell manufacturing processes, and battery management systems for electric vehicles. Their second project pushed into entirely different territory — embedding semi-solid-state lithium-ion cells directly into carbon fibre composite structures, making the battery a load-bearing part of the aircraft skin rather than a separate component. This positions them as a rare industrial partner that can translate battery R&D into manufacturable, application-ready cells.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

Their first project (3beLiEVe, 2020) was firmly in the automotive battery space — optimizing LNMO lithium-ion cell chemistry and manufacturing for the electric vehicle market of 2025. By their second project (SOLIFLY, 2021) the chemistry shifted to NMC622 and the application shifted dramatically: batteries as structural elements in carbon fibre aircraft panels, using bicontinuous electrolyte and silicon-carbon anodes. In just one year they moved from conventional EV cell production toward multifunctional structural batteries for aerospace — a technically demanding leap that signals ambition well beyond their current project footprint.

CustomCells is moving from automotive battery manufacturing toward multifunctional structural batteries where the cell itself becomes a mechanical component — a niche that could open aerospace, defense, and advanced mobility markets if the SOLIFLY work matures.

How they like to work

CustomCells joins projects as a specialist partner and has never led a consortium in H2020 — consistent with an SME that brings a specific industrial capability (custom cell production) rather than project management infrastructure. Despite only two projects, they accumulated 25 unique partners across 10 countries, which means they entered large multi-partner consortia where their role was well-defined and narrow. Working with them likely means engaging a focused industrial contributor who delivers cell samples, manufacturing know-how, or testing hardware rather than coordinating work packages.

Twenty-five unique partners across 10 countries from just two projects — a sign they joined large, internationally distributed consortia rather than tight bilateral collaborations. Their network is European in scope with no evidence of a regional concentration.

What sets them apart

Most battery research consortia are dominated by universities and large automotive OEMs; CustomCells occupies a rare middle ground as a specialized SME manufacturer that can actually produce custom cell formats at small scale for validation within a research project. Their willingness to work on both conventional EV chemistry and experimental structural battery concepts in quick succession suggests flexibility that large industrial partners typically lack. For a consortium that needs someone to turn a chemistry concept into a testable physical cell, they are a hard profile to replace.

Highlights from their portfolio

• 3beLiEVe
  The flagship project by funding (EUR 254,005), targeting commercializable LNMO cells for the xEV market within a defined 2025 horizon — directly tied to automotive industry demand.
• SOLIFLY
  Despite minimal funding (EUR 7,106), this project represents a bold technical leap into structural batteries embedded in aircraft composite panels — an aerospace application that distinguishes CustomCells from typical EV-focused battery suppliers.