German start-up company Minerva Carbon will receive approximately 1.8 million euros in funding as part of the EXIST program, which is run by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy. A spin-off of Max Planck Institute for Coal Research, Minerva Carbon is based on the work of co-founder Abdu Bilican. During his doctoral studies, Bilican accelerated a synthesis process for mesoporous carbons.
Shorter charging times, longer service life
According to the company, using these materials in batteries enables shorter charging times and a longer service life. Minerva Carbon claims initial tests have shown positive results regarding fast-charging capability and long-term stability. However, the scalability of such syntheses has so far been considered an obstacle to industrial application.
Testing suitability for commercial applications
The company plans to use the funding to implement a pilot project at Max Planck Institute. There, larger quantities of the material will be produced to test its potential for commercial applications. The founding team emphasizes that these materials improve not only batteries and supercapacitors but also applications in catalysis, such as PEM fuel cells.
Source:
https://www.kofo.mpg.de/1035770/2025-08-20_Minerva-Carbon
