The Guipuzcoan startup BattBelt has closed a €630,000 investment round, led by the science equity fund and industry builder BeAble Capital, with the goal of industrially scaling its revolutionary technology capable of extending the lifespan of electric batteries by up to 50%. The innovation targets both e-mobility applications and stationary energy storage, two key sectors in the energy transition.
The Basque startup, created together with the technological center Ikerlan, is driving a highly disruptive innovation based on superelastic smart materials that increases the efficiency, range, and durability of lithium batteries for electric mobility and stationary storage.
A decisive energy context for Spain and Europe
Spain is entering a crucial decade for the deployment of clean energy. In 2024, the country recorded nearly 150,000 GWh of renewable generation, a 10.3% increase from the previous year, reaching 56.8% of the national energy mix.
The National Integrated Energy and Climate Plan (PNIEC) aims to reach 22,500 MW of storage capacity by 2030, combining batteries, pumped hydro, and thermal solutions associated with solar thermal power.
According to EY, the Spanish battery market is expected to double by 2029, surpassing €2 billion, positioning Spain as the second country in the world—behind only the U.S.—with the highest number of storage projects (an estimated 16 GW by 2030, representing 29% of the global total).
Meanwhile, electric mobility continues to accelerate: in 2025, electric vehicle sales grew 24% across Europe and almost doubled in Spain, according to ACEA. Forecasts indicate that 2026 will be a pivotal year for further expansion.
Highly disruptive Spanish technology
BattBelt has developed an innovative compression system for lithium batteries based on superelastic smart materials, addressing one of the major challenges in energy storage: the expansion and contraction of cells during each charge and discharge cycle, a key cause of premature aging.
This technology:
According to Javier Zurbitu, co-founder of BattBelt: “Our technology addresses cell aging issues by controlling the expansion and contraction of the batteries, significantly extending their charging capacity and durability. The additional sensors enable a more precise monitoring of battery condition.”
BeAble Capital: driving Deep Science from industry
BeAble Capital is Spain’s leading science equity fund specializing in Deep Science technologies, having created and invested in more than 45 companies in fields such as advanced materials, nanotechnology, photonics, micro and nanoelectronics, industrial biotechnology, and advanced computing.
In 2023, the fund promoted the creation of BattBelt as a spin-off, in collaboration with Ikerlan, a leading technology center in knowledge transfer, to bring scientific advances in energy storage and smart materials to the market.
According to Almudena Trigo, President and Founding Partner of BeAble Capital: “The applications of this disruptive technology in mobility and renewable energy open new opportunities at the European level. These types of companies are essential for the Spanish and European industry to compete against the U.S. and Asia.”
For his part, Ion Etxeberria, CEO of Ikerlan, adds: “BattBelt enables the valorization of high-impact knowledge in energy storage and smart materials, transferring it to the industry in the form of disruptive technology.”
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