EC VP Vestager says Graphene Flagship is money well spent

The first graphene-enabled products on the market are ‘impressive’, showcasing Europe’s position at the forefront of research and innovation in the field.

Yesterday, European Commission Executive Vice President Margrethe Vestager visited the Graphene Flagship Headquarters in Sweden. In addition to learning about the progress of the ambitious large-scale project and visiting the state-of-the-art laboratories at Chalmers University of Technology, Vice President Vestager handled and tested the newest graphene-enabled products, prototypes and demos developed by the Graphene Flagship.

Vice President Vestager said: “It’s clear to see the passion that has gone into the Graphene Flagship’s work and the curiosity to push further to new applications.”

Graphene Flagship Director Jari Kinaret said: “We were pleased to receive Vice President Vestager’s visit. It shows that the European Commission believes in this project, which has already achieved its main goal and brought graphene products to the market. Today, we showcased real commercial products from various industrial sectors, from graphene-enabled wearables and sensors, to high-capacity batteries and airplane parts.”

Maintaining its strong commitment to knowledge-driven fundamental research, the Graphene Flagship now sails towards innovation and commercialisation. Vice President Vestager appreciated the collaborative ecosystem established by the Graphene Flagship, which has enabled the creation of new spin-off companies, innovative devices and patents, nourishing the growth of a wealth of vital scientific knowledge – making a real impact on the European economy. “It is incredible to see how well the project is administered, coordinating even a large group of academic institutions can be a challenge, but adding industrial partners successfully into the mix is remarkable.”

Kinaret stresses the importance of the Graphene Flagship’s investment in innovation. Now, a third of the project’s budget is allocated to industry-led ‘Spearhead Projects’, designed to increase the technology readiness level of graphene-enabled prototypes, commercial businesses represent half of the Graphene Flagship consortium. “We are delivering on our promises, showing that EU-funded ‘Flagship’ projects are paramount to putting Europe at the forefront of innovation and development for advanced technologies like graphene,” concludes Kinaret.