“We are building cutting-edge ultralight batteries that will enable entirely new modes of transportation.” 

Aiko Bernehed, Founder & CEO, Alteva

Alteva is a deep-tech startup founded in 2023 in Cologne, Germany, by Aiko Bernehed and Ida Milow. The company develops ultra-light, high-performance lithium–sulfur batteries, aiming to decarbonize some of the most challenging sectors of transportation, such as aviation, long-distance trucking, construction, mining, and agriculture.

Business Model Innovation for Sustainability

Reflecting on the uniqueness of Alteva’s approach, Aiko Bernehed, Founder & CEO of the company, quoted: “It comes from our one-of-a-kind material and our production and integration process.”

At the heart of Alteva’s technology is an innovative amorphous carbon material originally developed at the German Aerospace Center (DLR). This breakthrough enables batteries that are up to three times lighter than conventional alternatives, while also delivering higher energy density, long cycle life, and greater safety.

Alteva’s batteries are designed to be scalable within existing battery manufacturing infrastructure and rely on sustainable, widely available raw materials, without the use of harmful heavy metals. Rather than competing in the low-cost mass market, the company focuses on making electrification viable in areas of transportation where weight and efficiency constraints have long been barriers, opening the door to entirely new modes of transportation.

As Aiko further emphasized: “Alteva’s entire supply chain can be covered by European sources, making the company entirely independent of non-EU countries and improving European resilience.”

Joining D2XCEL: The benefits

Alteva was selected to join D2XCEL in February 2025. During its participation in the program, the company advanced its technology from TRL 3 to TRL 5. Highlighting the importance of this milestone, Aiko explained: “Although it may sound very technical, it also proves that scale-up is possible with our material and processes.”

While Alteva had already secured funding to accelerate development before joining D2XCEL, the company was provided with further opportunities to connect with investors through dedicated events and networking. Despite continued investor caution toward deep-tech hardware ventures, Alteva’s strategic vision remains unchanged: to play a transformative role in reducing reliance on fossil fuels in heavy transportation by delivering eco-friendly, next-generation battery solutions.

*Note:

Our case studies section illustrates the concrete impact of the D2XCEL scaling programme on selected ventures. They were chosen through a structured process based on mentor and group manager nominations and pre-defined criteria, prioritising companies that demonstrated measurable progress, strong relevance to societal and industrial challenges, innovative approaches, and clear potential for scalability. Together, the cases demonstrate how tailored support, international connections, and structured mentoring are translated into real outcomes across diverse sectors. 

This project has received funding from the European Union under grant agreement Nº101121100. Views and opinions expressed are, however, those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Innovation Council and SMEs Executive Agency (EISMEA). Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.