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Thursday, 4 December 2025
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Fanny Bardé, driving force
Convinced that tomorrow’s decarbonized mobility will require a technological breakthrough, Fanny Bardé, a materials science expert with a rich industrial background, aims to revolutionize energy storage through solid-state batteries.
At the interface between research and industry
The birth of SOLiTHOR
A conductor of the solid-state battery revolution
A vision, and the perseverance of a marathon runner
At the interface between research and industry
With a PhD in materials science from the University of Picardie Jules Verne in Amiens, Fanny Bardé joined Duracell in the United States after her thesis to work on nickel–zinc (Ni-Zn) batteries. She then moved to Toyota Motor Europe, where she led research on next-generation batteries for electric vehicles for more than ten years.
Her arrival at Imec (the Interuniversity Microelectronics Centre) in Belgium marked a turning point. There, she headed the solid-state battery program, a field full of promise: energy density, safety, durability, and potentially lower production costs. She developed industrial partnerships, led commercial projects, and helped translate advanced research, notably within the European SOLiDIFY consortium, bringing together 14 partners with €7.8 million in funding.
The birth of SOLiTHOR
In 2022, drawing on this experience, she co-founded SOLiTHOR, an Imec spin-off, and became its first CTO (Chief Technology Officer). The start-up positions itself as a key European player in the development and commercialization of solid-state lithium batteries. Its mission: turning scientific breakthroughs into industrial technologies that are safe, efficient, and sustainable, to meet the challenges of electromobility and transport decarbonization, initially targeting aviation, urban mobility, and aerospace.
Under her leadership, SOLiTHOR raised €20 million in initial funding. A new funding round is being prepared to accelerate the company’s development.
A conductor of the solid-state battery revolution
Fanny Bardé knows that moving from the lab to the factory floor is anything but straightforward. To make it happen, she structured an R&D roadmap and intellectual-property strategy, developed financing and partnerships, built a team of around thirty experts, and equipped SOLiTHOR with cutting-edge facilities to test and manufacture prototypes.
Results followed. A battery prototype achieving 1,000 charge cycles while retaining more than 80 % of its capacity; a spectacular reduction in the thickness of the solid electrolyte (the layer that carries electricity between the two electrodes: the thinner it is, the more compact and efficient the battery becomes); and partnerships with key aeronautics players such as Sonaca, an international Belgian company that is active in the development, manufacture, and assembly of integrated structures for civil, military, and space markets.
A vision, and the perseverance of a marathon runner
Fanny Bardé doesn’t just want to create a new battery: she wants to reshape sustainable mobility. With the tenacity of a marathon runner, she tests, adjusts, tries again, all while maintaining a clear vision: building a sovereign European battery industry, competing with Asian and American giants, and demonstrating that technological excellence and lasting impact can go hand in hand.
A finalist for the 2025 European Prize for Women Innovators, she embodies an innovative, productive Europe committed to the energy transition.
