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The world’s smallest fuel cell technology could change the energy (and even defence!) industry.
Fifteen years ago, Tanel Tätte, a materials scientist at the University of Tartu, tried to make very thin needles using viscous material, similar to stretchy and sticky honey. Imagine lifting it with a spoon – a thin thread will appear. But what were meant to be needles, turned out to be hollow tubes, thinner than human hair!
They were useless for sharp objects he needed for his lab work, but promising for something else: energy!
It took years of experimenting and tweaking for Tätte, his then-student Laura Elise Arvisto, and Glen Kelp, who had just finished his PhD in physics at The University of Texas and returned to Estonia. Finally, they realized what they had stumbled upon: something that could disrupt the energy industry!
Today, that accidental discovery is the foundation of GaltTec, a deep-tech startup building the world’s smallest solid oxide fuel cells. The company recently secured one million euros as an investment.
They claim it could power drones for hours, replace bulky batteries in electronics, and one day, change the entire energy equation for transport and defence. Just like computers once shrank from filling the whole room to fitting into a pocket, GaltTec’s technology brings energy conversion down to the size of a loaf of bread.
The innovation lies in the geometry, Arvisto explains. While fuel cells typically use stacked flat plates, GaltTec’s system is built on hair-thin ceramic tubes. More tubes mean more surface area and more surface area means more energy output.
Like mini power plants, they can keep drones, cars, or any other devices that need power, running for hours.
“Fuel goes in, electricity comes out,” explains Laura Elise Arvisto, co-founder of GaltTec. “The energy is generated through a controlled chemical reaction. Electrons are guided to move exactly where we can capture them.” That’s how they get more energy from the same amount of fuel.
The technology can work with hydrogen, ethanol, and even petrol. The most advanced fuel cell types so far run on hydrogen. In Estonia, the first autonomous hydrogen-powered shuttle was presented in 2021. But while hydrogen-based solutions can be unreliable in different weather conditions, GaltTec’s solid oxide cells perform well in all weather. “That’s why they’re ideal for off-grid environments and extreme conditions,” Arvisto adds.
Looking into the defence sector
That’s part of the reason NATO took notice.
In 2024, GaltTec was the first Estonian company selected for the NATO DIANA accelerator, NATO`s flagship program to scout and support technologies that could transform military capabilities. Only a handful of companies from each country make it through the selection process.
“After DIANA, we started taking defence seriously,” says Arvisto. They are now testing their solution together with SKYCORP Technologies, another Estonian startup developing hydrogen-powered drones, and that has similar ambitions to enter the defence sector. Marek Alliksoo, SKYCORP Technologies’ co-founder, says GaltTec’s tech is crucial for scaling operations to extreme conditions.
“There are only a handful of companies in the world that create fuel cell technology suitable for our drones,” Alliksoo said. One of them is GaltTec. “In the drone world, every gram matters.”
Most battery-powered and conventional fuel cell systems stop working properly in cold, dry air. GaltTec’s ceramic solid oxide cells are different. They work in minus temperatures. That’s a game-changer for search and rescue, border patrol, or even disaster response in remote regions, in Alliksoo’s opinion.
Drones powered by GaltTec could offer up to 25 percent efficiency gains in energy density and range, Alliksoo adds. In practical terms, it means fewer flights needed, less downtime, better coverage and readiness to respond in any condition.
It’s not just performance, but also its climate resilience.
Accelerating climate change has “a profound impact on Allied security“, declared NATO’s 2024 Climate Change and Security Impact Assessment Report. Energy innovations like GaltTec’s are now seen as strategic assets in this changing world.
The GaltTec’s fuel cell technology is being tested with clients, and GaltTec plans pilot-scale production in the coming year. “The tech is ready,” Arvisto says. “But getting from lab to product takes time and resources.” Defence clients need reliability, certifications, and endurance data.
Despite its deep-tech nature, the heart of GaltTec’s story remains human. It began with a lab accident. It grew through years of research that often seemed directionless. It matured inside Estonia’s science startup ecosystem, born of a country that learned to dream big through Skype, TransferWise, and already three generations of startup founders.
“We’re not just competing with batteries,” Arvisto concludes. “We’re offering a fundamentally different way to think about energy.”
One day, this could replace combustion engines entirely. And it all started because a needle didn’t turn out quite right.
This article is written by Marian Männi. This article was funded by the European Regional Development Fund through Estonian Research Council.
If this spark of energy knowledge has you amped up, don’t pull the plug! Power up with our next article and read more about From the Russian Grid to Electricity in the Cloud. Handling Energy, Estonian Style!
