Six clusters met in Graz for knowledge exchange and discussions on their impact
On 1 December 2025, six clusters gathered in Graz for the Battery Heroes feat. COLLABAT Workshop on Impact & Sustainability of Battery Clusters - five Horizon Europe battery clusters including the Battery Heroes, Collabat - Cluster of H2020 Battery Projects, EU-INGENIOuS, TWINBATT and The BMS Alliance as well as one visiting cluster, the E-VOLVE Cluster from the related field of electric vehicles.
Joining the workshop in Graz felt like stepping into a room where everyone recognised the same challenge: we’re all working hard on our individual projects, yet the real progress happens when we collaborate beyond.
What struck us most during the workshopwas how quickly a group of projects and organisations - many meeting for the first time - turned into an active, connected community. The exchange was honest, curious, and refreshingly pragmatic. It made clear that collaboration is not just a formal requirement of European projects; it's something people genuinely want when given the space.
Together with representatives from the European Commission, BEPA - Batteries European Partnership Association, LiPLANET, and BATTERY 2030+, the group explored a simple yet pressing question: With so many new projects forming new clusters, what is the role and value of clusters today?
From open dialogue during the panel to the interactive World Café, participants reflected on:
- Why meaningful clustering accelerates learning and reduces duplication
- Whether every new project needs its own cluster
- How existing clusters can offer structures, working groups, and knowledge streams that newcomers can align with
- And how stronger inter-cluster cooperation can advance Europe’s battery ecosystem far more than isolated efforts
The atmosphere in Graz was notably open, friendly, and constructive - a reminder that collaboration works best when it is grounded in trust and shared purpose. 🌱
All participating cluster representatives, together with the institutional organisations present, will now co-develop a white paper capturing recommendations and observations on the sustainability and impact of battery clusters in Europe. So stay tuned - more details will follow soon!!
A big thank you goes out to all participants for your openness, your trust, and the good times had!!
