Rasph

Enersens and the EIC Accelerator: Thin Aerogel Insulation

September 29, 2026939 words5 min

Silica aerogel is a very light, highly porous material used to insulate against heat. Enersens, a company in Isère in south-east France, turns it into thin blankets called Skogar, used as thermal barriers that stop fire spreading between battery cells and protect aircraft, spacecraft and electronics from heat.

The European Innovation Council granted €2,427,794 towards a €3.47 million project to develop a continuous process for making the blankets. The project ended in May 2025, and Enersens has since launched grades rated to 1,700 °C for aerospace. But its accounts in the French company register record revenue of zero for 2025 and a net loss of €680,000.

€2.43MEIC grant, 70% of a €3.47M project
1,700 °CTop rating of the new Skogar UHT grade
€0Revenue recorded for 2025
-€0.68MNet result in 2025

Company file

Legal entity
Enersens SAS, SIREN 487842130, Rochetoirin, France
Registered
December 2005
CEO
Denery Fenouil (as of 2024)
Products
Skogar aerogel composites (ST, HT, VHT, UHT); Kwark aerogel granules and powders
Markets
Battery packs, aircraft, space, defence, electronics
Named customer
Lilium (eVTOL battery packs, 2024 contract; Lilium insolvent since 2025)
EIC project
EN.MOTION, 1 Feb 2022 to 31 May 2025
EIC funding
Blended finance

Where Enersens Stands Today

In May 2026 Enersens launched two semi-rigid Skogar grades, VHT with silica fibre rated to 1,400 °C and UHT with ceramic fibre rated to 1,700 °C, for aircraft, re-entry shields and rocket engine zones, both with aerospace fire certifications. Its range now covers −195 °C to 1,700 °C. Its news page in 2026 is mostly trade fairs, from The Battery Show in Stuttgart to Hello Tomorrow and GITEX, plus a meeting of the EIC Scaling Club and membership of the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes aerospace cluster. It names no new customers.

The Technology: Aerogel in Sheets

Enersens combines aerogel with fibre mats of glass, pre-oxidised, silica or ceramic fibre, giving blankets from 0.5 mm thick. In the EIC project it developed what the CORDIS report calls a "continuous manufacturing process for ultra-thin, ready-to-use aerogel blankets", using microwaves "for rapid and uniform drying", with the product "produced entirely in Europe, with 100% of its feedstock sourced from within Europe".

"We are proud to have the most efficient thermal barrier on the market. We are delighted to have been chosen by Lilium."

Denery Fenouil, CEO, Enersens, February 2024

What the EIC Project Promised, and What CORDIS Shows

EN.MOTION aimed to move Enersens to thin insulation made at industrial scale. The CORDIS report describes the continuous process and the Skogar product, and names battery packs, aerospace, defence and micro-electronics as markets. It gives no thickness or conductivity figures, no production capacity, no customers and no revenue.

  1. A continuous thin-blanket processDeliveredReported on CORDIS.
  2. A product rangeDeliveredFour Skogar grades by 2026.
  3. Industrial-scale productionNot shownNo capacity published.
  4. SalesNot shownZero revenue recorded for 2025.

What Has Happened Since the Award

The Money

In February 2024 Enersens announced a multi-year contract to supply Skogar HT to Lilium for the battery packs of its electric air taxi, without giving volumes. It is a partner in MATICS, a €4.1 million France 2030 project with Verkor and Saint-Gobain on safer battery modules. Lilium filed for insolvency in October 2024 and again on 21 February 2025, when it said "operations will be stopped", according to Vertical Magazine. Enersens's filed 2025 accounts record revenue of zero and a net loss of €679,532. We found no EIC Fund investment or equity round.

What cannot be checked

Whether Enersens delivered anything to Lilium before its collapse, how much Lilium ordered, whether the EIC took equity and how much Skogar it can produce are not public.

Why Europe Should Care

Battery fires are a safety problem for electric vehicles and aircraft, and thermal barriers are part of the answer. Enersens stresses that its material is made in Europe from European feedstock. The EIC funded that capability; turning it into sales is the part the public record does not yet show.

What the project promised

A move to thin aerogel insulation made by a continuous industrial process.

What the record shows

A continuous process, a wider product range and one named customer, which went insolvent; revenue of zero in 2025.

The Verdict

A product without visible sales

EN.MOTION delivered a process and a product family, and Enersens keeps extending it. But a year after the project ended, the company's own filed accounts show no revenue, and its only named customer is an air-taxi maker. The technology exists; the business is not yet visible.

Enersens has not been asked for comment for this article. It is based entirely on company statements, EU project data and the French company register, linked throughout.

Start with the EIC Accelerator

Professional proposal writing and expert review for Step 1 and Step 2.

Eureka Network

Eureka Network offers multiple international collaborative R&D programs including Network Projects, Clusters, Eurostars, Globalstars, and Innowwide, with funding ranging from €50K to €6.75M per project depending on the specific program. The network focuses on market-driven innovation and deep-tech development across diverse technology sectors including ICT/Digital, Industrial/Manufacturing, Bio/Medical Technologies, Energy/Environment, Quantum, AI, and Circular Economy. Applicants include SMEs, large enterprises, research organizations, universities, and startups, with Eurostars specifically targeting R&D-performing SMEs.

EIC Transition

EIC Transition provides up to €2.5 million in funding to bridge the 'valley of death' between laboratory research and market deployment, focusing on technology maturation and validation. The program supports single legal entities or small consortia of 2-5 partners including SMEs, start-ups, spin-offs, and research organizations. Technology areas include Health/Medical Technologies, Green/Environmental Innovation, Digital/Microelectronics, Quantum Technologies, and AI/Robotics.

EIC STEP Scale-Up

EIC STEP Scale-Up offers substantial equity investments of €10-30 million for established deep-tech companies ready for hyper-growth and large-scale expansion. The program targets SMEs or small mid-caps with up to 499 employees who have secured pre-commitment from qualified investors. Focus areas include Digital & Deep Tech (Semiconductors, AI, Quantum), Clean Technologies for Net-Zero goals, and Biotechnologies.

EIC Pre-Accelerator

EIC Pre-Accelerator is a pilot program providing €300,000-€500,000 in funding for early-stage deep-tech development and preparation for the EIC Accelerator program. The initiative is exclusively available to single SMEs or small mid-caps from 'Widening countries' to support regional innovation development. The program covers deep-tech innovations across physical, biological, and digital domains.

EIC Advanced Innovation Challenges

EIC Advanced Innovation Challenges is a new pilot program offering €300,000 (Stage 1) and up to €2.5 million (Stage 2) for breakthrough deep-tech solutions through ARPA-style staged funding with demand-side integration. The program targets single entities or small consortia (2-3 partners) including SMEs, start-ups, and research organizations. Focus areas include Physical AI for autonomous robotics and New Approach Methodologies (NAMs) for animal-free biomedical testing, requiring TRL 4 entry with end-user commitment.

EIC Pathfinder

EIC Pathfinder offers up to €3 million for Open calls and up to €4 million for Challenge-based calls to support early-stage research and development with proof-of-principle validation. The program requires research consortia with a minimum of 3 partners from 3 different countries, including universities, research organizations, and SMEs. Technology focus areas include Health/Medical, Quantum Technologies, AI, Environmental/Energy, and Advanced Materials.

EIC Accelerator

EIC Accelerator provides flexible funding options including blended finance (€2.5M grant + €0.5M-€10M equity), grant-only (up to €2.5M), or equity-only arrangements for scale-up and market deployment of breakthrough innovations. The program targets SMEs, start-ups, and small mid-caps with up to 499 employees, with MedTech/Healthcare representing 35% of funded projects. Other technology areas include Biopharma, Energy, AI, Quantum, Aerospace, Advanced Materials, and Semiconductors.

Innovation Partnership

Innovation Partnership facilitates collaborative innovation between public and private sectors with typical funding of €1-5 million per project. The program supports cross-sectoral strategic technologies through public-private partnerships and consortia. Projects focus on addressing societal challenges through collaborative innovation approaches.

Innovation Fund

The EU Innovation Fund provides substantial funding of €7.5 million to €300 million for large-scale demonstration of innovative low-carbon technologies. The program targets clean energy, carbon capture, renewable energy, and energy storage technologies to accelerate the transition to a low-carbon economy. Applicants include large companies, consortia, and public entities capable of implementing large-scale demonstration projects.

Innovate UK

Innovate UK offers various programs with funding ranging from £25K to £10M depending on the specific initiative, supporting business-led innovation, collaborative R&D, and knowledge transfer. The organization funds projects across all sectors with particular focus on emerging technologies and supports UK-based businesses, research organizations, and universities. Programs are designed to drive economic growth through innovation and technology commercialization.

Industrial Partnership

Industrial Partnership provides €2-10 million in funding for industrial research and innovation partnerships focusing on manufacturing, industrial technologies, and digital transformation. The program supports industrial consortia and research organizations in developing collaborative solutions for industrial challenges. Projects aim to strengthen European industrial competitiveness through strategic partnerships.

Eurostars

Eurostars is a joint EU-Eureka program offering €50K-€500K for international R&D collaboration specifically led by SMEs. The program takes a bottom-up approach, accepting projects from all technology fields without predefined thematic restrictions. R&D-performing SMEs must lead the consortium and demonstrate significant R&D activities.

LIFE Programme

The LIFE Programme provides €1-10 million in funding for environmental protection, climate action, and nature conservation projects across the European Union. The program supports environmental technologies, climate adaptation strategies, and biodiversity conservation initiatives. Applicants include public authorities, private companies, NGOs, and research institutions working on environmental and climate challenges.

Neotec

Neotec is a Spanish program offering €250K-€1M in funding for technology-based business creation and development, supporting the growth of innovative Spanish SMEs and start-ups. The program covers all technology sectors and aims to strengthen Spain's technology ecosystem. Funding is specifically targeted at Spanish technology-based SMEs and start-ups to enhance their competitiveness and market presence.

Thematic Priorities

EU Thematic Priorities encompass various programs aligned with EU strategic priorities including green transition, digital transformation, health, and security initiatives. Funding amounts vary based on the specific program and call requirements, with projects designed to address key European challenges. Applicant eligibility varies by specific program and call, with different requirements for different thematic areas.
EIC AcceleratorBeneficiary Deep Dive#Enersens#EN.MOTION#aerogel#thermal insulation#battery safety#aerospace#advanced materials#France
Loading