The Tip-Top project was submitted under the Horizon Europe EIC Accelerator Open Programme, and was recognised as a high-quality project proposal in a highly competitive evaluation process, receiving the Seal of Excellence.
This initiative aims to enhance the industrial scalability, reliability, and standardization of HiPIMS (High Power Impulse Magnetron Sputtering) power supply technology to enable its application in demanding sectors such as hydrogen technologies and the 3C industry (computers, consumer electronics, and communication devices).
A key objective of the project is the establishment of a dedicated HiPIMS innovation laboratory, which will serve as a platform for designing, testing, and certifying next-generation high-power supplies (6, 10, and 20 kW). This facility will play a crucial role in developing new quality control methodologies, improving process reproducibility, and ensuring compliance with industry standards. Additionally, it will support the creation of a technology demonstrator tailored for high-performance applications, facilitating the validation of HiPIMS solutions under real operational conditions.
The hydrogen sector requires advanced coating technologies to improve the efficiency and durability of critical components such as fuel cells and electrolyzers, while the 3C industry demands high-precision, miniaturized coatings for electronic components and protective layers. By addressing these technological challenges, the Tip-Top project aims to accelerate the adoption of HiPIMS technology in these fields, positioning it as a viable alternative to conventional thin film deposition techniques.
Through this initiative, Nano4Energy will contribute to bridging the gap between research and industrial implementation, reinforcing the scalability and technological maturity of HiPIMS-based solutions for emerging applications.
The EIC Accelerator is a funding programme under Horizon Europe that offers support to start-ups and SMEs that have an innovative, game changing product, service or business model that could create new markets or disrupt existing ones in Europe and even worldwide, and have the ambition and commitment to scale up.
