EIB invests €20m in Italy’s graphene plant

The European Investment Bank (EIB) is providing €20 million in venture debt financing to Italian materials manufacturer BeDimensional SpA to support its expansion in producing advanced graphene materials.

The funding was announced at the inauguration of BeDimensional’s new plant in Genoa, the world’s first dedicated facility for Few-Layer Graphene (FLG) and Few-Layer Hexagonal Boron Nitride (FLhBN or FLB).

BeDimensional aims to scale up its production capacity to over 30 tons annually by 2028, leveraging the EIB support backed by the InvestEU programme.

The new technologies promise significant advancements in electric vehicle batteries and eco-friendly engine oils, marking a milestone in Europe’s green transition and expected to create jobs in Italy’s advanced manufacturing sector.

EIB Vice President Gelsomina Vigliotti highlighted the project’s role in enhancing Europe’s technological leadership and reducing dependency on external suppliers.

BeDimensional’s CEO, Vittorio Pellegrini, expressed excitement over the partnership, emphasising their commitment to becoming a leader in the emerging market for two-dimensional crystals, which have transformative potential across various industries, particularly in energy storage and electric vehicles.