ENERGY MATERIALS INDUSTRIAL RESEARCH INITIATIVE

Their core work

EMIRI is a Brussels-based industry association that coordinates European strategy and policy around advanced energy materials, with a strong focus on battery technology and sustainable energy storage. They serve as a bridge between industry, research institutions, and policymakers — organizing large-scale research initiatives, shaping R&D investment priorities, and building collaboration networks across the battery and energy materials value chain. Their work concentrates on aligning public funding strategies with industrial needs, supporting pilot line networks for battery cell manufacturing, and accelerating materials discovery through AI and data platforms.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

EMIRI began with broader energy materials coordination — the 2015 MATCH project focused on building a common materials research platform, and SMARTSPEND (2018) addressed how governments should fund energy R&D. From 2019 onward, their portfolio shifted decisively toward batteries: four of their last five projects (BATTERY 2030, BATTERY 2030PLUS, LiPLANET, BIG-MAP) are directly about battery research strategy, pilot manufacturing, and AI-accelerated materials discovery. This pivot reflects both EU strategic priorities and EMIRI's growing specialization as the go-to coordination body for Europe's battery ecosystem.

EMIRI is consolidating its role as Europe's industry voice for battery materials, increasingly linking AI-driven discovery with manufacturing scale-up — expect them in future battery gigafactory and digital materials projects.

How they like to work

EMIRI always participates as a partner, never as a coordinator — consistent with their role as an industry association that contributes strategic coordination rather than leading technical work. With 94 unique partners across 19 countries in just 7 projects, they operate in large consortia and connect to a remarkably wide network. This makes them a network hub: partnering with EMIRI gives you access to the broader European energy materials community and industry-policy interface.

Exceptionally broad network for their project count: 94 unique consortium partners spanning 19 countries, reflecting their role as a pan-European industry association. Their Brussels base and CSA-heavy portfolio place them at the intersection of industry, research, and EU policy circles.

What sets them apart

EMIRI occupies a rare niche as an industry-driven association that shapes European energy materials strategy from within the EU policy ecosystem in Brussels. Unlike research institutes that produce scientific results or companies that develop products, EMIRI connects the dots — aligning R&D roadmaps, industrial priorities, and public funding strategies. For consortium builders, including EMIRI signals credibility with industry and provides a direct channel to the broader battery and energy materials community across Europe.

Highlights from their portfolio

• BATTERY 2030PLUS
  Their largest-funded project (EUR 240,850), a flagship EU research initiative defining Europe's long-term battery research agenda with focus on smart cells and materials acceleration.
• BIG-MAP
  Applies AI and machine learning to battery materials discovery — represents EMIRI's move into data-driven research acceleration, running through 2024.
• LiPLANET
  Built Europe's network of Li-ion cell pilot lines, directly addressing the manufacturing scale-up gap between lab research and gigafactory production.