TIAMAT

Their core work

TIAMAT is a French deep-tech SME specializing in the development and commercialization of sodium-ion (Na-ion) battery technology. They design and manufacture Na-ion cells targeting stationary energy storage and non-automotive applications, where cost-effectiveness and long cycle life matter more than energy density. Their work spans the full value chain from materials selection and cell chemistry to lifecycle assessment (LCA), lifecycle costing (LCC), and eco-design — positioning them as a vertically integrated Na-ion technology company, not just a research outfit. They have consistently led their own EU projects, suggesting a company-driven commercialization agenda rather than a contract research model.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

TIAMAT entered H2020 with a broad mandate — sodium-ion batteries for both vehicles and stationary power storage — reflecting an early-stage technology company still mapping its market. By the NAIMA project (2019-2023), the vehicle application had dropped out entirely and the focus had sharpened to stationary and non-automotive uses, with a strong sustainability layer added: LCA, LCC, eco-design, and circular economy became core outputs alongside the battery cells themselves. This trajectory suggests a deliberate pivot toward grid storage and industrial applications, likely driven by competitive pressure from lithium-ion in the automotive sector and by the stronger cost-advantage argument for Na-ion in stationary use cases.

TIAMAT is moving toward becoming a specialized supplier of cost-optimized Na-ion cells for stationary storage markets, with sustainability credentials (LCA/LCC) increasingly central to their value proposition.

How they like to work

TIAMAT has acted as coordinator on every H2020 project they participated in, which is unusual for an SME and signals a company that drives its own R&D agenda rather than joining other people's consortia. Despite coordinating, they built a meaningful network of 21 partners across 8 countries — indicating they can assemble and lead a European consortium, not just participate in one. For anyone considering a partnership, expect TIAMAT to want a leadership or technology-owner role rather than a supporting position.

TIAMAT has worked with 21 unique partners across 8 countries, a substantial network for a company with only 2 projects — suggesting active consortium-building and deliberate partner diversification. No geographic concentration data is available, but the 8-country spread implies a pan-European collaboration footprint.

What sets them apart

TIAMAT is one of the very few European SMEs that has taken a coordinator role in Na-ion battery R&D at EU level — a space dominated by large industrial groups and university labs. Their combination of cell engineering expertise with lifecycle and eco-design analysis makes them a rare partner who can deliver both a prototype and the sustainability case for it. For consortium builders in the battery, energy storage, or circular economy space, TIAMAT brings industrial credibility and Na-ion specialization that academic partners cannot replicate.

Highlights from their portfolio

• NAIMA
  The largest and most technically detailed project (EUR 581,000, 2019-2023), NAIMA is notable for combining Na-ion cell manufacturing with full lifecycle assessment and circular economy design — a rare integration of battery engineering and sustainability analysis in one SME-led RIA project.
• Sodium_Ion_Batteries
  This SME Phase 1 feasibility project (2018-2019) marks TIAMAT's entry into EU-funded R&D and set the strategic direction — safe, fast-charging Na-ion cells for both vehicle and stationary markets — that the company has since refined and commercialized.