The European battery industry is facing a huge challenge with the massive migration from fossil to electric mobility. Innovation capacity and services around:_x000D_ _x000D_ New technologies such as solids technologies that are cheaper and safer and have advanced battery management systems to improve performance and extend service life;_x000D_ Characterisation capacities that enable the transition from breakthrough innovations on a laboratory scale (low TRL) to full-fledged batteries in the commercial phase (high TRL);_x000D_ Capacity for battery cell production to close the gap between market demand and supply and ensure the training of battery specific skills._x000D_ _x000D_ The 3 project partners SOLiTHOR, imec and Uhasselt have unique expertise to address the above challenges. This has led to a collaboration agreement (Q1 2022) that enables joint research initiatives and the anchoring of battery-specific knowledge and expertise. In order to further facilitate the necessary service capabilities from the market, Intellibat:_x000D_ wants to strengthen the European battery chain by investing in a mix of state-of-the-art and advanced infrastructure and machines to offer services within the entire TRL range for (solid) batteries (from basic research to production and go-to-market)._x000D_ _x000D_ SOLiTHOR will set up a European knowledge centre for solid batteries at its new location in Sint-Truiden. The location will accommodate unique machines for battery R&D, production and testing. This will meet the market demand for advanced capabilities for electrode production, cell assembly and cell testing on an industrial scale._x000D_ Imec will strengthen the battery laboratory in EnergyVille (Genk) with a thin film deposition machine. This will meet the market demand for new services in material research, the chemistry of solid state batteries (new protective coatings for electrodes) and nano-engineering (integrated miniaturized battery sensors)._x000D_ The UHasselt will expand its R&D infrastructure with an X-ray diffuser (XRD) (campus Diepenbeek) and a glovebox (Battery lab EnergyVille) for advanced in situ material research focused on (solid) batteries with a longer lifespan and more reliability._x000D_ _x000D_ Limburg and Flanders position as the leading region in the European battery industry by creating a sustainable platform in which the unique battery intellectual property (IP) and expertise is used in a unique service offer in battery technology._x000D_ All planned machine investments complement each other. The machines will be available for joint research projects between the three partners and with actors throughout the EU battery value chain (including industry). The project will:_x000D_ _x000D_ Provide a unique R&D infrastructure for (solids) battery innovation (cf. the strong demand for new R&D infrastructure)._x000D_ Offer a unique test and production infrastructure for (solids) batteries with which the step can be taken towards (mass) production and commercialization (cf. the strong demand for industrial test capacity)_x000D_ Leiden to the creation of highly qualified workforce in Limburg and Flanders._x000D_ _x000D_