2025 Conference Agenda

As high-voltage vehicle architectures continue to evolve, safe and reliable cable entry becomes a critical design factor for batteries, inverters, motors, power distribution units and other key EV systems. Orange high-voltage cables require more than just mechanical fixation: they need reliable sealing, robust strain relief and long-term EMC shielding performance under demanding operating conditions such as vibration, temperature changes, moisture and mechanical stress.

This session will explore the key challenges of EMC-compliant cable entry design in electric vehicles, electric buses, commercial vehicles and mobile machinery. We will explain how PFLITSCH EMC cable glands help engineers achieve secure, sealed and shielded cable entries while supporting process reliability and system safety.

A particular focus will be placed on PFLITSCH’s TRI-Spring technology, which enables reliable 360° shield contact and has made PFLITSCH a market leader in EMC cable gland solutions.

In addition, we will introduce a new PFLITSCH development for high-voltage applications, designed to further improve assembly reliability, shielding performance and ease of integration in modern EV architectures.

Key Takeaways:

Understand why EMC-safe cable entry is critical in high-voltage EV systems.

Learn how PFLITSCH TRI-Spring technology supports reliable 360° shield contact.

Gain insight into a new PFLITSCH development for future high-voltage e-mobility applications.

As demands on battery testing increase, thermal control is often overlooked, resulting in inaccurate and inconsistent data. This session highlights the critical role of integrated thermal management in improving data quality and test reliability.

We examine the limitations of traditional test setups that rely on separate cyclers and environmental chambers, which introduce complexity and poor synchronization. In contrast, integrated solutions—such as multi-zone chambers and cell-level active cooling—enable precise, repeatable, and efficient testing.

Experimental results demonstrate that, without active thermal control, cell temperatures can rise significantly under high current loads. By comparison, integrated cooling systems maintain stable conditions throughout testing.

As battery testing evolves toward higher power densities and faster charging protocols, integrated thermal strategies are becoming essential for accurate, scalable validation.

Key Takeaways:

The importance of thermal control in battery testing

Limitations of conventional chamber-based setups

Benefits of integrated and cell-level cooling solutions

Improved accuracy and repeatability in test results

Bridging the gap between a promising battery prototype and scalable production remains one of the industry’s greatest challenges. At CIDETEC Energy Storage, the dedicated R&D partner of CIDEcell, this transition has become a core strength—supporting a portfolio of four distinct cell technologies, from ultra high energy density cells exceeding 500 Wh/kg for aerospace and eVTOL applications to robust high power cells for demanding industrial use.

This session presents a practical blueprint for accelerating time to market for customised battery cells. Through real world examples, it explores key engineering hurdles and hard won lessons in scaling bespoke chemistries, with a focus on rapid material validation, pilot line optimisation, and robust quality assurance. Attendees will gain a clear understanding of how to de risk custom cell development while moving efficiently from lab to production.

Access to finance is a critical enabler for scaling innovative climate‑tech businesses. As companies move from early pilots to commercial deployment, their funding needs evolve, requiring a clearer understanding of how banks assess risk, structure finance, and support long‑term growth.

With specialist sector expertise in climate tech, HSBC will share perspectives on what could be available for innovators scaling up a business. The session will explore the types of funding solutions banks can offer at different stages of growth, alongside the key areas of consideration when providing financing. Attendees will gain practical insight into how to prepare for bank engagement, align growth plans with financing requirements, and approach funding discussions with greater confidence.

• Examples of funding options available from a bank for innovators scaling up a business
• How banking support and financing structures evolve as companies grow
• Key areas of consideration for a bank when providing financing
• How banks assess commercial viability, financial resilience, and execution risk
• What innovators should have in place to engage effectively with banks

This presentation provides an overview of how HTMS IMC can be integrated into multi-material composite layups for use across demanding sectors, including defence, motorsport, automotive, and aerospace. It explains where HTMS IMC material systems sit and how they can be combined with conventional polymer composites to create application-specific solutions.

A key focus is the high-performance thermal resistance these materials can deliver when introduced into components exposed to elevated temperatures and repeated thermal cycling.

In addition, it highlights the potential increase in mechanical performance, such as improved flexural performance compared with a standalone traditional CMC. By comparing baseline properties and in-service behaviours, the presentation highlights the advantages that HTMS IMC multi-material systems can bring.

It often takes years for deep-tech innovations in climate technology to move from the research lab into the real world. Venture capital can help accelerate that journey, but only if a startup meets expectations around growth, scale, and timing. In this talk, I’ll share lessons from my work at Prosemino, where we build high-impact companies in electrochemical energy and materials science from the ground up. Drawing on ventures like Sention Technologies and Redoxion, I’ll explore what it really takes to turn cutting-edge research into a scalable, fundable business.

Rather than focusing on a single breakthrough, I’ll discuss the patterns we’ve seen in building multiple ventures: how we form teams, develop first products, access labs, and find early traction. I’ll also share the tools, mindsets, and support structures that can help more researchers make the leap into entrepreneurship.

Soluboard® is an advanced PCB laminate developed to reduce the environmental impact of electronics manufacturing. Designed as a competitively priced alternative to conventional glass-fibre materials, it remains compatible with existing PCB fabrication processes and workflows.

Our mission is to support the transition to lower-carbon, glass-free electronics for consumer products and other applications. Traditional PCB laminates rely on woven glass fibre and epoxy resin systems that have changed little in decades. These materials typically require energy-intensive manufacturing, including high-temperature curing and multiple wet processing stages.

Soluboard® replaces conventional glass-fibre reinforcement with lyocell, a naturally derived fibre, combined with Solvanta™, a proprietary biodegradable thermoplastic polymer system. It is manufactured using a dry, continuous lamination process without high-temperature curing, helping to reduce energy consumption while supporting scalable production.

Compared with FR-4, Soluboard® delivers a 68% lower carbon footprint and is 37% lighter in weight. It also contains a non-brominated, phosphorus-based flame retardant, and its raw materials have been certified as non-hazardous at end of life. Soluboard® has achieved UL94 V-0 certification, providing fire safety performance equivalent to FR-4 while offering a more sustainable route for electronics manufacturing.

Wearable and implantable medical devices are advancing at an extraordinary pace, unlocking new possibilities in modern healthcare, but their batteries are falling significantly behind this innovation. Relying on traditional architectures that have been in use for the last 30+ years, current storage solutions remain highly rigid, bulky, and often have underlying safety concerns due to the chemistry that has been utilised. Which, in turn, is limiting further advancements of next-generation healthcare technologies.

To address these limitations, this session will explore the rapidly emerging field of biocompatible and biodegradable batteries and how innovative materials such as hydrogels and polyhydroxyalkanoates, together with alternative designs such as thin-film technology and safer chemistries, could redefine how energy is stored within the human body.

Drawing on current research, the talk will demonstrate how these approaches can deliver flexible, safer, and more biocompatible power solutions without compromising performance. The talk will also examine the key challenges that remain to be addressed in this field, including material stability, durability, and long-term reliability.

Noise is one of the most overlooked environmental challenges of modern society. From cities and transport systems to homes, workplaces, and industrial environments, harmful low-frequency noise increasingly impacts health, wellbeing, efficiency, and quality of life.

Yet despite this growing challenge, the acoustic materials used across modern industry have changed little in decades, relying on bulky, petrochemical-based solutions that conflict directly with today’s sustainability and performance goals.

SoundBounce is our breakthrough advanced acoustic material designed to meet this challenge. Delivering more performance material than traditional solutions – using technology never before seen in the acoustics and vibration field.

SoundBounce offers a thin, lightweight, and high-performance alternative that excels at low frequencies. Designed for a circular economy, SoundBounce is non-toxic and supports companies in meeting regulations while offering a fully recyclable, end-of-life solution.

SoundBounce is a composite material, an advanced material core is contained within an adaptable housing. This novel approach outperforms existing acoustic technology while being 40% lighter, 4x thinner, and 4x more effective. For sectors where space, weight, and emissions are critical such as construction, aerospace, automotive, marine, and home appliances, this is a material that delivers superior performance.

The UK Battery Industrialisation Centre (UKBIC), the country’s national battery manufacturing development facility, plays a key role in accelerating the development and commercialisation of battery technologies in the UK.

Positioned between early-stage research and full-scale manufacturing, UKBICprovide the bridge that enables innovators to move from laboratory breakthroughs through to the development of viable cells in small steps.

Many promising battery technologies fail to reach market not because of poor science, but due to the challenges associated with manufacturing at scale. We address this challenge by offering open-access, industrial-scale up facilities where companies can develop, test and refine their manufacturing processes before committing to significant capital investment. This capability allows organisations to validate performance, optimise production techniques, and identify potential issues early, significantly reducing time, cost and risk.

Building a high-performing team is one of the most critical challenges for startups in manufacturing and beyond. This session explores how founders can make smarter hiring decisions as they scale – aligning talent with business milestones, identifying candidates who can thrive in fast-paced environments, and avoiding common hiring missteps. From choosing between specialists and versatile generalists to creating a compelling employer story, the discussion offers practical frameworks and real-world insights. Attendees will gain the tools needed to build resilient, agile teams capable of driving growth, navigating complexity, and sustaining long-term success in competitive, rapidly evolving industries.

Hire in line with business stage and growth priorities

Balance deep expertise with adaptability

Focus on mindset and cultural contribution, not just experience

Craft a strong narrative to attract and retain talent

Avoid over-hiring and ensure roles evolve with the business

This session will explore how Innovate UK and the wider UK government are supporting battery startups to move from early-stage innovation through to commercial scale-up. With a focus on bridging the gap between research and industrial deployment, the talk will highlight funding programmes, collaborative initiatives, and infrastructure designed to accelerate growth across the battery ecosystem.

Attendees will gain insight into the practical support available to startups, including access to capital, facilities, partnerships, and technical expertise. The session will also outline how founders can best engage with these programmes to unlock opportunities and successfully scale within the UK’s rapidly evolving battery landscape.

Elite Battery Systems offers a practical alternative to both fully bespoke battery development and standard off‑the‑shelf battery packs. While off‑the‑shelf solutions prioritise speed and standardisation—often forcing compromises on form factor, performance, integration, or lifetime cost—fully bespoke designs can introduce long lead times, higher engineering effort, and increased cost.

Our approach sits firmly between these extremes. By configuring and integrating proven, validated components, Elite delivers genuinely customised battery packs that customers own, tailored precisely to their application without the complexity and expense of a ground‑up design. This method combines application‑fit performance with high quality, repeatability, and cost efficiency.

Safety remains central throughout the process. Using established components alongside rigorous design controls and verification methods enables reliable protection and dependable performance across the full lifecycle. This session demonstrates how Elite Battery Systems delivers a “not off‑the‑shelf” solution—custom by configuration and integration—designed to meet exact operational needs.

Discussion Points:

• The limitations of off‑the‑shelf and fully bespoke battery pack approaches
• How configurable, validated components enable true customisation without added complexity
• How application‑specific design improves performance, cost efficiency, and repeatability
• How safety and lifecycle reliability are maintained through proven components and rigorous design controls

Sodium ion batteries are gaining attention as a potential alternative to lithium based technologies, particularly for applications where cost, supply security and sustainability are key considerations. This session examines the current state of sodium ion development and where the technology could realistically play a role in future energy storage and mobility markets.

Discussion points:

• Where sodium ion technology has reached in terms of performance and readiness
• Use cases where sodium ion may complement or compete with lithium ion
• Key challenges to scaling manufacturing and adoption

Securing access to critical minerals remains one of the biggest challenges facing battery and EV supply chains. This session looks at the role recycling can play in reducing supply risk, supporting domestic resilience and meeting growing demand — and where its limitations still lie.

Discussion points:

• The potential contribution of recycling to critical mineral supply
• Technical and economic challenges in scaling recycling capacity
• How recycling fits into long‑term supply chain strategies

This session focuses on the challenge of securing reliable access to critical minerals within the UK and Europe as battery and EV demand accelerates. With global competition intensifying, questions remain over how domestic supply chains can be strengthened — from extraction and processing through to downstream integration.

We’ll explore:

• The UK and Europe’s current exposure to critical mineral supply risk
• The role of domestic processing, refining and midstream capability
• What policy, investment and partnerships are needed to build resilience

This session provides a clear view of how the EV market is evolving, examining consumer sentiment, adoption trends and the factors shaping demand across key markets. It cuts through headlines to focus on what the data is really telling us about the pace of electrification and the challenges still affecting uptake.

Discussion Points:

• Current trends in EV adoption and consumer demand
• The impact of cost, infrastructure and incentives on purchasing decisions
• What market dynamics mean for manufacturers and policymakers

Solid‑state batteries are often positioned as a step‑change technology for electric vehicles, promising improvements in energy density, safety and performance. This session looks beyond the hype to assess progress towards commercialisation, the remaining technical barriers, and what solid‑state could mean for future vehicle and battery design.

Discussion Points:

• The current state of solid‑state battery development
• Key technical and manufacturing challenges
• Timelines and pathways to commercial deployment

Oversupply of LFP cathode and cells, especially in China, has exerted significant downward pressure on global cell and system production costs and pricing.

As production costs fall, global cathode and cell producers are under significant pressure to continuously improve their products or face consolidation or even extinction in an increasing competitive midstream market.

During this talk I will discuss the implications of how these market dynamics are driving further innovations for lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery energy storage systems (BESS) and how these could affect procurers.

These will be discussed in terms of performance improvements, and this will include a high-level outlook for BESS technology innovations including:

Increasing cell capacities

Higher compaction density active material

New cathode additives/ alternative chemistries

Batteries are usually treated as payload: heavy, passive systems that must be carried, protected and integrated into a platform. Structural batteries challenge that assumption by turning the energy system into part of the load-bearing architecture.

In this session, John Moffat, Founder and CEO of The Structural Battery Company, will introduce structural battery technology and explain how structural energy systems can reduce mass, save volume and simplify integration in applications where every kilogram and every cubic centimetre matter. Drawing on The Structural Battery Company’s work in heavy-lift UAVs, aerospace and defence, the talk will explore how batteries can evolve from a component into a platform architecture — and why this matters for the next generation of electrified vehicles, aircraft and autonomous systems.

Why treating batteries as passive payloads limits performance in weight‑ and volume‑constrained systems

How structural batteries combine energy storage and load‑bearing function into a single architecture

The mass, volume and integration benefits achievable through structural energy systems

Lessons learned from deploying structural batteries in heavy‑lift UAV, aerospace and defence applications

What structural battery architectures enable for next‑generation electric vehicles, aircraft and autonomous platforms

Battery development teams face growing pressure to deliver higher‑performance, lower‑cost systems in ever‑shorter development cycles. Yet early‑stage battery pack design is often slowed by fragmented workflows, sequential testing, and decisions based on limited or idealised data. Cell selection, pack sizing, architecture trade‑offs, and thermal and aging validation can take months before a clear design direction is established.

This session presents how a modern, SaaS‑based engineering workflow can dramatically accelerate battery system development. Using Kurylabs as a practical example, it shows how engineers can move from application requirements to optimized battery pack concepts in minutes. By combining real laboratory‑measured cell data with integrated pack sizing, architecture comparison, and electro‑thermal and aging simulation, teams can make faster, more confident design decisions early in the development cycle.

Moving from application requirements to optimized battery pack concepts in minutes

Comparing candidate cells using real measured performance data, not datasheets alone

Rapid evaluation of pack architectures using integrated electro‑thermal simulation

Using accelerated aging simulation to reduce risk before physical prototyping

Enabling faster, more confident battery design decisions in cost‑ and time‑constrained programs

Scaling lithium iron phosphate (LFP) cathode production from laboratory processes to gigafactory manufacturing presents significant technical and operational challenges. As global demand for LFP batteries accelerates, manufacturers must increase solid content, maintain consistent particle quality, manage temperature effectively, and control contamination—all while reducing energy use and production costs.

This session explores how advanced wet milling technologies can bridge the gap between lab scale innovation and reliable industrial production. Using industrial case studies and performance data, it demonstrates how optimised milling processes enable ultra fine particle sizes, improved surface structures and enhanced material reactivity, directly impacting energy density, charging performance and battery lifespan. Attendees will gain practical insight into achieving scalable, efficient and cost effective high solid LFP production at gigafactory scale.

Key Takeaways

Key process requirements for high‑solid LFP production and their impact on battery performance

How particle size distribution and surface structure influence energy density, charging behaviour and lifespan

Critical scale‑up challenges, including temperature control, contamination prevention and process stability

Strategies to improve efficiency and reduce energy consumption in large‑scale material processing

How advanced milling technologies enable consistent quality and cost‑effective gigafactory production

We shift the focus from development to delivery — examining what it really takes to scale battery production quickly and reliably. Building a gigafactory is only the beginning; success depends on designing manufacturing operations that are robust, efficient and built for long‑term scale.

Drawing on real‑world experience, this session looks at how organisations move from pilot to production, avoid common pitfalls, and industrialise new technologies at pace.

Discussion Points: 

• Critical decisions when designing battery manufacturing operations for scale
• How to build manufacturing processes that scale reliably
• Lessons from other high‑volume manufacturing sectors

As gigafactories scale at unprecedented speed, cooling systems are often treated as an afterthought—leading to higher costs, inefficiencies, and long-term operational risks. This session challenges that mindset by presenting a smarter, more sustainable approach to factory cooling that prioritises water and energy efficiency without compromising budgets or delivery timelines.

Drawing on a modern interpretation of traditional industrial heat rejection, the session explores how cooling system design can be optimised from the outset to deliver substantial capital and operational savings. Attendees will learn how early design decisions, efficiency-driven choices, and flexible operational modes can significantly reduce water usage, improve energy performance, and lower the overall cost of production for years to come.

With European and UK gigafactories racing to reduce battery manufacturing costs to remain competitive globally, sustainable cooling strategies are no longer optional. As water scarcity intensifies year after year, designing cooling infrastructure that lasts the lifetime of the factory—without wasting water or energy—has never been more critical.
This session will focus on practical, long-term cooling plans that support sustainable growth while meeting the economic pressures facing modern manufacturing.

Key Takeaways:

• Why cooling design is a critical but underestimated factor in factory efficiency
• How early design choices can reduce long-term operational and production costs
• Practical strategies for large-scale water and energy savings
• How flexible cooling operation supports long-term factory performance

Powdertech Surface Science has a firm understanding of how to specify, plan and execute dielectric coating projects. Dr Nick Welton has led coating development trials, and the coating of pre-production volumes for JLR’s new suite of electric vehicles. In this session he will highlight the key points to consider when planning dielectric coating for EV battery components, including:

• Specifications and powder selection
• Fit tolerance
• Edge coverage
• Coating defects
• Testing and quality control

The development of advanced batteries requires a deep understanding of failure mechanisms—both to effectively manage them and to accurately inform users when a critical state is reached.
At SERMA, we are developing predictive models using a methodology that combines physical analysis with data-driven approaches. In the first part of this work, we will present an overview of the degradation mechanisms affecting Li-ion batteries, supported by results obtained from aged cells using state-of-the-art characterization techniques. In the second part, we will describe our data-driven approach and explain how it is integrated with physical insights to enhance the accuracy of predictive models for estimating the State of Health (SOH) of Li-ion batteries.

Session Objectives:

• Failure mechanisms of Li-ion batteries
• The way to probe failure mechanisms in a complex system (such as a Li-ion cell)
• A methodology to provide a predictive model for SOH estimation

Dry electrode technology is redefining battery manufacturing by eliminating solvent-based processes and reducing energy consumption, costs, and environmental impact. Yet, achieving consistent quality and scalability requires innovative equipment capable of handling multiple steps in electrode preparation efficiently. This session will explore how integrated mixing solutions—such as the MIXACO Infinity Mixer—enable the dry electrode process by combining powder homogenization, binder distribution, and structural conditioning in a single machine. We will discuss the technical principles, performance benefits, and real-world applications that make this approach a game-changer for gigafactory-scale production and next-generation battery chemistries.

Key Takeaways:

• Learn how dry electrode technology simplifies and accelerates battery manufacturing.
• Understand the critical role of advanced mixing systems in achieving process stability.
• Discover how the MIXACO Infinity Mixer consolidates multiple preparation stages into one efficient solution.

As EV production scales, building a resilient and reliable supply chain is becoming a critical priority. This session examines the challenges facing EV manufacturers as they secure materials, components and capabilities, while managing risk, cost and complexity across global and regional supply networks.

Discussion Points:

• Key risks and constraints within today’s EV supply chains
• Strategies for strengthening resilience and reducing dependency
• How supply chain decisions impact scale, cost and competitiveness

We kick off the conference with a clear-eyed view of where the UK battery and EV manufacturing sectors stand — and what must happen next. This opening plenary brings together senior industry leaders to set the strategic direction for the day, cutting through the noise to focus on competitiveness, delivery and growth.

Discussion Points:

• The real state of play for UK battery and EV manufacturing
• Where the UK can realistically compete and lead on the global stage
• What investment, policy and collaboration are needed to scale at pace

We start this session block by examining the policy and strategic choices shaping battery manufacturing in the UK and Europe. While significant investment has gone into building world‑class innovation ecosystems, questions remain over whether enough emphasis has been placed on manufacturing capability, scale and industrial delivery.

This session takes a hard look at whether Europe is setting itself up to compete globally — and what role policy, investment and international collaboration must play in building a resilient battery supply chain.

Discussion Points:

• Whether policy makers need to rebalance priorities from innovation towards manufacturing and scale
• How strong manufacturing capability enables, rather than limits, long‑term innovation
• Whether Europe should compete with, collaborate with, or learn directly from Asian manufacturers

We look at how advanced battery technologies can move from development to commercial production faster — without compromising quality, safety or compliance. As demand accelerates, reducing time to market is becoming a competitive advantage, not a nice‑to‑have.

This session explores the tools, processes and lessons that can help manufacturers shorten development cycles, de‑risk scale‑up and get products market‑ready sooner.

Discussion Points: 

• How digital tools and AI can accelerate battery development and validation
• Where certification and compliance processes can be streamlined
• What the UK can learn from Asia about industrialisation speed and scale