FLEXIBLE CERAMICS THAT CONNECT ENERGY AND TECHNOLOGY

When you think of ceramics, flexible materials don't immediately spring to mind. Yet, that's what UT spin-off Flexiramics B.V. has developed. The material offers all the advantages of ceramics - stable at high temperatures and porous, allowing liquids and gases to pass through - but as thin and flexible as a tissue. This makes the material suitable for applications in filtration, thermal insulation, or electronics. Ivana Ivanovic discusses their path to growth.

With the emergence of new technologies such as quantum mechanics and power electronics, the demand for new materials is also growing. Materials that are flexible but also remain stable and strong under extreme conditions. Ivana: “In applications where traditional polymers are unsuitable, for example, due to their limited temperature resistance or structural properties, ceramics offer a solution, but only if they're flexible. Think of cables that need reinforcement. Our technology makes that possible.” Flexiramics' material is relevant not only for new technologies. “Efficiently cooling systems in data centers is a major challenge. Improved heat dissipation reduces cooling requirements and energy consumption. With our flexible ceramics, energy savings can easily reach 30%.”

Streamlining processes

In the first five years, the spin-off focused on developing and validating the material in pilot projects. After that, the focus shifted to optimizing production and demonstrating scalability. This was successful, but how do you approach the next stage of growth? Ivana: "We know what it takes to grow tenfold. To take that step, we had to streamline our processes and sharpen our core activities. This also meant shifting our focus from the product to the market. It turned out the key to growth wasn't the product, but the market."

Sparring with like-minded people

That was one of the insights Flexiramics gained from the GROW program. “It was incredibly valuable to have our company assessed and to be able to brainstorm with other companies facing similar challenges. Instead of just spreading the word and waiting, we now set goals for the type of customers we want to attract and actively work towards them. We're more focused and have established KPIs for the entire organization, including the lab. This gives us more insight into what everyone is doing and whether we're achieving our goals.”

The power of a good network

This is how the Flexiramics team continues to build its organization. "We want to achieve that product-market fit this year, and then scale up to an industrial production line," says Ivana. "I envision us with a hundred people in about ten years, and the material being widely applied in quantum computers, power electronics, green energy, and perhaps even the next generation of batteries. I'd like to get there by collaborating and brainstorming with other entrepreneurs, just like in the GROW program. Never underestimate the power of a good network."