EU-Funded Collaboration Hub Aims to Mainstream Printed Electronics

Crowdhelix’s new Printed Electronics Helix will bring together global experts who seek to develop solutions that will mainstream printed electronics, the market for which is expected to grow to more than $19 billion by 2031.

It is anticipated that the Printed Electronics Helix will create synergies between industry professionals, academic experts, high-tech SMEs and future-orientated policymakers who are seeking to secure international funding to develop innovations in printed electronics, eco-manufacturing, and functional electronics.

By fostering collaboration between multiple disciplines and sectors, Crowdhelix CEO Michael Browne believes that the Printed Electronics Helix will help stimulate innovations that will mainstream printed electronics.

“Already we can see how multiple industries have harnessed printed electronics to develop cost-effective solutions that can be found in wearables, automotives, medtech and packaging,” said Browne. “It is expected that next-generation printed electronics will be used in spacecraft due to their lightweight design.

“What’s much more interesting, however, is the prospect of printed electronics being embedded into everyday appliances as the internet of things evolves,” added Browne. “Experts anticipate that printed electronics will be embedded into appliances and electronic devices so that we can monitor the condition of their internal components. From a sustainability perspective, this capability could extend the lifespan of everyday electronics as engineers will be able to immediately identify faults within products, thereby accelerating the right to repair agenda.”

The Horizon Europe-funded REFORM project is indicative of the potential offered by printed electronics.

The anchor project within the Printed Electronics Helix, REFORM seeks to become the catalyst for the creation of a green functional electronics supply chain that could replace metal and copper wiring in electronic devices and appliances.

Led by Cidetec’s Yolanda Alesanco, the project was awarded €3.59 million in funding from the European Union’s Horizon Europe program and a further €1.4 million from UK Research and Innovation in January 2023.

By bringing together a team of multidisciplinary experts, Alesanco believes that REFORM has the potential to give Europe an innovation lead in green printed electronics.

“We want to progress green electronics from early-stage research to near-market-readiness by building prototypes that can be validated by industry so that they can be scaled quickly,” said Alesanco. “Although it’s a very ambitious objective, we firmly believe in the potential of the project because we have assembled a group of industry-leading organizations who each bring complementary skills and expertise.

“The project will lead to the development of new concepts, designs and technologies to support and enable the circular economy and promote sustainability,” added Alesanco. “But to deliver those concepts, designs and products, you need to be able to collaborate with partners across multiple industries. That’s what’s so exciting about the Printed Electronics Helix. It will bring experts together and allow them to build the synergies they need to fuel future innovation.”

The Printed Electronics Helix is now open for membership. Researchers, academics, industry experts and regulatory professionals working across all related disciplines are invited to join and contribute to this exciting new community.

The Printed Electronics Helix was formally launched on Sept. 21, when industry professionals, academic experts, SMEs, and policymakers shed light on the latest innovations and developments in printed electronics.