Article

Iten, a Lyon-based deeptech company specializing in microbatteries, has tasked Lacroix, an electronics group from Nantes, to evaluate the industrial feasibility of a new energy storage technology as an alternative to non-rechargeable button cells, amid stricter European regulations. The assessment is taking place at the Symbiose factory in Beaupréau-en-Mauges, which opened in 2022.

This technology utilizes solid-state ceramic devices (SSCD) that are rechargeable, cobalt-free, and solvent-free, manufactured in France. The aim is to demonstrate France's capability to locally industrialize strategic energy storage technologies, currently dominated by Asia.

Preliminary results indicate success, with Lacroix (projected revenue of €636 million in 2024) successfully integrating Iten's SSCD into its electronic assembly processes. Additionally, the industrialization of a socket for mounting these components has been validated.