LEYDENJAR TECHNOLOGIES BV

Their core work

LeydenJar Technologies is a Dutch deep-tech SME developing pure silicon anode technology to dramatically increase the energy density of lithium-ion batteries. Their core innovation replaces conventional graphite anodes with silicon, which can store roughly ten times more lithium ions per unit weight, enabling smaller and lighter batteries with greater range. They successfully progressed through the EU SME Instrument from a Phase 1 feasibility study (2017) to a full Phase 2 demonstration project (2019–2021), indicating their technology moved from concept validation to prototype-scale demonstration. Their primary application target is electric vehicles, though the underlying battery chemistry improvement is relevant to any energy storage application.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

LeydenJar's H2020 trajectory follows a textbook SME Instrument arc: a short, low-budget feasibility study in 2017 confirmed the silicon anode concept was worth pursuing, and a substantially funded two-year demonstration project from 2019 to 2021 brought that concept closer to market readiness. The framing of the work shifted slightly between phases — the 2017 project anchored the technology to electric vehicles as the headline application, while the 2019 project title emphasizes the underlying battery chemistry ("pure silicon anodes"), suggesting the team gained confidence in the technology's breadth beyond a single vertical. No keyword data is available to track finer conceptual shifts, so this reading is based purely on project titles and funding progression.

LeydenJar is moving up the technology readiness ladder with a commercially specific battery materials innovation — any future collaboration or investment approach should expect a company in late-stage demonstration or early commercialization, not basic research.

How they like to work

Both H2020 grants were awarded under the SME Instrument, which by design funds a single company rather than a consortium — so the absence of listed partners reflects the funding scheme, not a preference for isolation. As the sole coordinator on both awards, LeydenJar has demonstrated the ability to manage EU grant processes independently, write compelling technical proposals, and deliver on milestones across a multi-year project. For consortium builders, this profile suggests a company that can be a self-sufficient, technically focused partner rather than a project management hub — they bring a specific proprietary technology, not coordination capacity.

LeydenJar has no recorded H2020 consortium partners, which is expected given their exclusive use of the SME Instrument (a single-beneficiary scheme). Their collaboration network within the EU research ecosystem is therefore not visible through this data, though their technology's relevance to battery manufacturers, automotive OEMs, and energy storage integrators points toward an industrial rather than academic partner profile.

What sets them apart

LeydenJar's differentiation lies in pursuing 100% pure silicon anodes — a technically harder but higher-upside path compared to the more common silicon-graphite blended approach adopted by most battery developers. Winning both Phase 1 and Phase 2 of the SME Instrument for the same technology platform is a strong signal that independent EU evaluators found the science credible and the commercial case compelling. For a consortium or industry partner, they offer access to a proprietary materials technology with validated EU funding history, based in Leiden — close to the Netherlands' strong photonics, semiconductor, and precision manufacturing ecosystem.

Highlights from their portfolio

• LeydenJar
  The Phase 2 SME Instrument grant of EUR 2,152,106 (2019–2021) is the largest award in their portfolio and represents one of the more substantial single-company EU grants in advanced battery materials, confirming evaluator confidence in their pure silicon anode technology at demonstration scale.
• LeydenJar
  The Phase 1 feasibility grant (2017) is notable as the starting point of a successful two-stage SME Instrument progression — relatively few SMEs that enter Phase 1 go on to win Phase 2 — making this a marker of both technical credibility and commercial proposition quality.