Italy: Europe to gain advanced industrial edge as EIB finances BeDimensional with €20 million for new graphene and other 2D materials plants

This article is published in association with European Investment Bank.

• EIB supports Italian materials manufacturer BeDimensional to scale up production of cutting-edge graphene.
• BeDimensional to expand production more than tenfold following inauguration today of Genoa plant.
• EIB financing backed by InvestEU, the investment programme of the European Union.

The European Investment Bank (EIB) is offering Italian materials manufacturer BeDimensional SpA financial support to expand production of cutting-edge graphene that promises to help Europe bolster its industrial base and global competitiveness. The EIB is providing €20 million in venture debt financing to BeDimensional to help it become a leading producer of breakthrough two-dimensional crystals known as Few-Layer Graphene (FLG) and Few-Layer Hexagonal Boron Nitride (FLhBN or FLB).  

EIB Vice-President Gelsomina Vigliotti and BeDimensional Chief Executive Officer Vittorio Pellegrini announced the financing accord at the inauguration today of the company plant in Genoa that is the world’s first producer of FLG and FLB. BeDimensional plans to build a second plant in Italy to scale-up production of FLG and FLB by 2027.

BeDimensional’s new graphene technologies have shown unprecedented performance in batteries for electric vehicles and a new generation of metal-free engine oils. As a result, the technologies mark a milestone in Europe’s green transition and will herald job creation in Italy’s advanced-manufacturing sector.

“This project is a perfect example of how the EIB can help European innovators scale up new technologies that are critical for the EU’s industrial base and the green transition,” said EIB Vice-President Gelsomina Vigliotti. “We are contributing to Europe’s technological leadership, reducing our dependence on external suppliers and creating high-skilled jobs.”

With EIB support, which is backed by the InvestEU programme, BeDimensional plans to increase its capacity to produce two-dimensional crystals more than tenfold to over 30 tonnes a year by 2028. Today’s plant inauguration was attended by academics, researchers, members of Italy’s Parliament officials from the Liguria Region and the Municipality of Genoa, executives from BeDimensional’s partner companies and financial-sector representatives.

“We are at the beginning of novel greentech market opportunities,” said BeDimensional CEO Vittorio Pellegrini. “We are excited and grateful that the EIB has decided to join our investors to support our industrial expansion. We are committed to becoming a champion of this emerging market of two-dimensional crystals, securing Europe a leadership position in the production and supply of these advanced materials.”  

BeDimensional, a spin-off from the Graphene Labs of the Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, has established itself as a leader in the development of two-dimensional crystals. The company’s mission is to revolutionise material manufacturing by producing graphene, hexagonal boron nitride and other two-dimensional crystals at industrial scale and competitive costs.

Graphene is widely recognised for its transformative potential in a range of industries including energy storage and conversion, smart textiles, paints, coatings and composite materials. Its most promising application is in battery technology, where it has been already shown to play a crucial role in stabilising silicon-dominant anodes.

By enhancing the lifecycle and maximising the capacity of new generation anodes, graphene-based batteries deliver substantial advantages over traditional technologies, such as increased specific capacity and faster charging speeds. These advancements are expected to boost the adoption of EVs, significantly contributing to the decarbonisation of transport and supporting the EU’s environmental goals.

Background information

TheEuropean Investment Bank (EIB) is the long-term lending institution of the European Union owned by its Member States. It finances sound investments that contribute to EU policy. EIB projects boost competitiveness, foster innovation, promote sustainable development and improve social and territorial cohesion while supporting a fair and rapid transition towards climate neutrality. Over the past five years, the EIB Group has provided more than €58 billion in financing for projects in Italy.

The EIB provides a long-term Venture Debt product tailored to meet the specific funding needs of rapidly growing innovative companies. This financing structure features bullet repayments and compensation tied to the equity risk of the investees, complementing existing venture capital investments. Since 2015, the EIB has invested €6 billion in Venture Debt, backing over 200 companies and realising over 50 exits. For more information on Venture Debt, click here: Venture debt (eib.org)

The InvestEU programmeprovides the European Union with long-term funding by leveraging substantial private and public funds in support of a sustainable recovery. It also helps to mobilise private investment for the European Union’s strategic priorities such as the European Green Deal and the digital transition. InvestEU brings all EU financial instruments previously available for supporting investments within the European Union together under one roof, making funding for investment projects in Europe simpler, more efficient and more flexible. The programme has three components: the InvestEU Fund, the InvestEU Advisory Hub and the InvestEU Portal. The InvestEU Fund is allocated through implementing partners that will invest in projects using the EU budget guarantee of €26.2 billion. The entire budget guarantee will back the investment projects of implementing partners, increase their risk-bearing capacity and thus mobilise at least €372 billion in additional investment.

BeDimensional is a leading producer of Few-Layer Graphene (FLG) and Few-Layer Hexagonal Boron Nitride (FLhBN or FLB). Its mission is to scale up production of these two-dimensional crystals for industrial use at competitive costs, revolutionizing manufacturing with more efficient and sustainable materials. As a spin-off from the Italian Institute of Technology’s Graphene Labs, BeDimensional leverages deep scientific expertise to drive rapid industrialization. Its patented process produces FLG and FLhBN with atomic-level thickness, the highest quality on the market, which can easily be integrated into any material to enhance performance and durability. BeDimensional’s technologies are applied across industries, in energy storage and conversion products, smart textiles, paints, coatings, and composite materials. Its growth potential has attracted major investors, including Eni Next and venture capital funds like CDP Venture, Eureka! Venture, and Nova Capital. The EIB investment follows BeDimensional’s collaboration, since its founding, with the EU’s Graphene Flagship, the community’s largest investment in research and development dedicated to bringing 2D materials to market.