IMRA EUROPE SAS

Their core work

IMRA EUROPE is a private research company based in Valbonne (Sophia Antipolis), France, specializing in advanced thin film photovoltaic technologies. Their H2020 work centers on developing solar cells using earth-abundant, non-toxic materials — particularly kesterite compounds — as replacements for scarce or expensive elements traditionally used in thin film PV. They contribute specialized materials science and processing expertise to large European research consortia, working at the intersection of solar energy and manufacturing-scale integration. Their most recent focus extends this into building-integrated and product-integrated photovoltaics, where thin film solar cells are embedded into architectural materials such as polymers and steel.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

IMRA EUROPE's H2020 trajectory shows a clear progression from foundational materials research toward application-ready products. Their first project (STARCELL, 2017–2019) addressed a structural problem in the PV industry — dependence on scarce elements — without any associated keywords in the available data, suggesting a broad materials-science contribution. By their second project (CUSTOM-ART, 2020–2024), the focus had sharpened dramatically around kesterite-based thin films tailored for real-world deployment in buildings and consumer products. The shift from "substituting what's wrong" to "building what's next" indicates a maturing specialization toward commercially relevant, architecturally integrated solar solutions.

IMRA EUROPE is moving from upstream materials research toward application-specific thin film PV products, particularly for building and industrial surface integration — a commercially growing segment as green building regulations tighten across Europe.

How they like to work

IMRA EUROPE has participated in all projects as a specialist partner, never taking on the coordinator role — consistent with a company that contributes a defined technical capability rather than driving project-level strategy. Despite only two projects, they have accumulated 28 unique consortium partners across 12 countries, suggesting their expertise is actively sought by consortium builders rather than incidentally included. This pattern points to a focused, reliable partner that brings something others cannot easily replicate internally.

With 28 unique partners across 12 countries from just two projects, IMRA EUROPE operates within broad, internationally diverse consortia — typical of large European RIA and IA projects in photovoltaics. Their geographic reach spans well beyond France, reflecting the pan-European character of thin film PV research communities.

What sets them apart

IMRA EUROPE sits at an unusual intersection: a private industrial company (not a university or institute) contributing specialist thin film PV processing capabilities to publicly funded research consortia. Located in Sophia Antipolis — one of Europe's leading technology clusters — they bring industrial-grade precision and process know-how that academic partners typically lack. For consortium builders, they represent a credible bridge between laboratory-scale photovoltaic research and manufacturable product formats, particularly for flexible and architecturally integrated applications.

Highlights from their portfolio

• CUSTOM-ART
  The larger and more recent of their two projects, it targets a commercially high-potential application — kesterite-based thin film PV embedded in building materials — and runs through 2024, making it their most current and forward-looking work.
• STARCELL
  Their entry into H2020 addressed a strategically critical EU challenge — reducing dependence on scarce raw materials in solar manufacturing — earning the highest single-project EC contribution (EUR 580,512) in their portfolio.