Advancing next-generation materials for defence applications
Battalion Advanced Technology is a UK-based company sponsoring research at The Pennsylvania State University (“Penn State”) in two fields important to modern defence and advanced industry: high-temperature materials for hypersonic flight, and wide-bandgap semiconductors.
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Two domains at the limits of performance
Battalion Advanced Technology is a UK-based company focused on advancing next-generation materials for dual-use applications, with essential uses for national security and economic technologies.
Battalion is pursuing two fields that are important to modern defence and advanced industry. In both, the materials themselves are the limiting factor, and the technical barriers are high. Battalion jumps an enormous barrier to entry in equipment and knowledge by partnering with Penn State, and has the right to earn a 100% perpetual global exclusive licence on all intellectual property developed under its sponsored research.
About BattalionPenn State Materials Research Institute
Penn State and Battalion Advanced Technology Ltd have entered into two research agreements worth up to $6 million to develop advanced semiconductor platforms and high-temperature materials that aim to enable next-generation energy, transportation, aerospace and industrial systems while also providing critical capabilities for national security.
Led by researchers at Penn State's Materials Research Institute (MRI), the projects bring together researchers from across the University to address two major materials challenges in technologies that operate under extreme conditions. Battalion will provide up to $1 million per year for each project. The agreements went into effect on 16 July 2026 and will run for three years.
How the research is structured
“Pennsylvania has the talent, research institutions, and innovative spirit to help America lead in the technologies that will define our economic and national security. This research collaboration, backed by up to $6 million from Battalion Advanced Technology, will help Penn State advance critical work in semiconductors, aerospace, defense, and other strategic industries while strengthening Pennsylvania’s role as a hub for American innovation.”
“We are very pleased to be supporting the development of leading innovations with essential dual uses for national security and economic technologies. We are able to work on highly sophisticated solutions immediately through our partnership with Penn State.”
Where the work applies
Technologies that operate under extreme conditions, from national security to next-generation energy, transportation, aerospace and industrial systems.
National security
Critical capabilities for defence applications, hypersonics, radar, electronic warfare and high-power systems.
Aerospace
Materials that survive extreme heat, speed and stress: hypersonic flight, atmospheric re-entry and space exploration.
Energy
Semiconductors that operate at higher voltages, temperatures and power densities; materials for nuclear systems.
Industry
Advanced electronics, communications and sensing; transportation and industrial systems.
From sponsored research to licensed IP
The research agreements provide Battalion with a right to earn a 100% perpetual global exclusive licence on all intellectual property developed over the three-year sponsored research period. Private capital blended with government, defence and industry support to improve the probability of commercialisation.
Sponsored research
Two three-year programmes, up to $1 million per year each.
Intellectual property
100% perpetual global exclusive licence earned on all developed IP.
Licensing & partners
Defence, aerospace, energy and industrial partners.
Roadmap
- May 2026
Company incorporated in England & Wales.
- Jul 2026
Two three-year research agreements with Penn State take effect (16 July).
- Aug 2026
Programmes kicked off with the principal investigators at Penn State, State College, PA.
- Sep 2026
Research collaboration announced publicly by Penn State and Battalion.
Battalion's programmes are at the research stage. Targets over the agreement term include specific patent applications filed, the signing-up of key IP end users, and licensing or partnering of the resulting IP.
Intel
Penn State, Battalion launch research collaboration focused on national security
Penn State's Materials Research Institute on the two projects, the principal investigators and what each programme sets out to achieve.
Read on psu.eduBattalion Advanced Technology and Penn State University launch research collaboration focused on national security
Two research agreements worth up to $6 million to develop advanced semiconductor platforms and high-temperature materials.
Read the announcementWorking on materials for extreme environments?
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