Nano-Tech and the EIC Accelerator: Formula 1 Composites Go Flying

Nano-Tech, based in Ascoli Piceno in central Italy, makes pre-pregs, carbon fibre fabrics pre-impregnated with resin, including C-PREG 400, which uses a patented inorganic resin that it says keeps its strength at up to 400°C and does not burn. The company says the material is already used by "most of the Formula 1 teams and by some supercar manufacturers". It was selected in the EIC Accelerator's June 2023 cut-off with a "grant first" award and received an EU grant of €2.46 million for a €3.51 million project from February 2024 to May 2026 to bring the material into civil aviation, starting with interior parts such as panels, seats, luggage racks and air ducts, according to CORDIS.

The only public report, to January 2025, says Nano-Tech developed a new high-temperature, flame-resistant matrix that fits the curing cycles used by aircraft interior makers and meets fire, smoke and toxicity requirements, filed a patent on it in 2024, and began work with aviation companies on two demonstrators, a battery case for an electric aircraft and a fire barrier, to be "fully developed and tested during 2025", according to the CORDIS reporting page. Nano-Tech received EN 9100 aerospace quality certification from RINA on 18 June 2025, according to its certificate. The demonstrator results and the project's final report have not been published.

Where Nano-Tech Stands Now

Nano-Tech's website promotes C-PREG 400 for aircraft, helicopters, drones and satellites and lists applications from battery boxes to engine cowlings, according to Nano-Tech. Its news page has not been updated since February 2024, when it reported completing the Cassini business accelerator for space start-ups. It has announced no aerospace customer, supply contract or funding round since its EIC award. Its accounts, filed in Italy, were not accessible in free sources for this article.

The Technology: A Composite That Will Not Burn

Aircraft interiors are largely made from composites with phenolic resins, chosen for fire resistance but hazardous to process. Nano-Tech's inorganic matrix is designed to exceed fire, smoke and toxicity limits while using the same moulding equipment. Its technical sheet says C-PREG 400 cures at 165°C to 300°C, serves at up to 400°C in air, and can exceed 1,000°C after converting to ceramic, and that it is recyclable and non-toxic. These are the company's own specifications.

What the EIC Award Promised, and What the Record Shows

The award aimed to certify the company for aerospace, develop materials that match the sector's requirements and prove them with partners. Nano-Tech got the certification and a new resin. The report itself says the material still costs more than "the market is able to pay". The demonstrators that would show whether aircraft makers will adopt it have produced no public results, and the report puts them at technology readiness level 4 to 5, far from flight.

1. EN 9100 certificationDeliveredRINA, June 2025.
2. Aerospace-grade resinDeliveredPatent filed 2024.
3. Two demonstratorsUnverifiedNo results published.
4. Aerospace customersNone announcedWebsite news stale.

The Money

The EU covered 70% of the project. Nano-Tech's "grant first" award left EIC equity for later, and no EIC Fund investment has been announced. Its revenue and profits are not public in free sources.

What Cannot Be Checked

Why Europe Should Care

Safer, lighter interiors and fire barriers for electric aircraft batteries are real needs for European aviation. A small Italian supplier that says it serves Formula 1 teams is trying to enter that market. Aerospace qualification is slow and costly; the EIC paid for the first steps, and the next ones are not yet visible.

The Verdict

Nano-Tech and the EIC have not been asked for comment for this article. It is based entirely on public records and published statements, linked throughout.