Having recently launched in Luxembourg, Voltcore produces innovative material that has the potential to set a new standard for eco-friendly heating solutions. Founder and CEO Vlad Batkhin reveals more about the startup’s plans.
Having been born to mathematician and physicist parents, Vlad Batkhin, founder and CEO of Voltcore, admits it’s unsurprising he took a similar route. With his background in petrochemical companies and managing R&D and CapEx projects, he realised the potential of polymer nanocomposites – and decided he wanted to focus on using them to help reduce the ecological footprint in the heating industry.
Various use cases
The synthetic, ultra-thin polymer wire the company produces offers a vast range of possibilities, for use in EV batteries to smart home technologies and more. With EVs, for instance, Batkhin says the material can help protect lithium batteries from discharging. “You need to charge the battery in the proper temperature conditions, otherwise it’ll degrade very quickly,” he explains. “And if you dive deeper, 40-60% of CO2 emissions related to EV manufacturing is related to batteries.”
Because the wire can be made lightweight and flexible, it’s also possible to weave it into fabrics, making outdoor and athleticwear companies, for instance, potential clients.
But for now, Batkhin’s primary focus is on heating, particularly in industry. The company claims the material can reduce energy consumption by two to eight times, thereby setting a new standard for eco-friendly heating solutions.
Certification, however, “takes some time”. Additionally, Batkhin explains, Voltcore is in the process of applying for patents along its entire value chain, though sifting through and analysing existing patents can be time-consuming and costly.
Ambitious objectives
With the seed money Voltcore has received, Batkhin hopes to have a pilot plant set up in Foetz by end-2024, which he admits is ambitious. The plant would serve two objectives. “First, we need to reach proper TRL [technology readiness level] to go with the first-of-a-kind, scaled plant. And second, I believe we will learn lots of things about scaling and also use the plant for some R&D objectives.”
He hopes that the first sales will start this year as well. And, if all goes to plan, he envisions that by Q3 2025, there will be a new round of fundraising to scale up and increase production volumes based on lessons learned from the pilot plant.
