# Illumion Battery Imaging: What the GBP1.7m Raise Funds [![David Coleman](/uploads_resolved/images/261/320.webp) Author profile for David Coleman](/authors/david-coleman/ "Author profile for David Coleman")[LinkedIn profile for David Coleman](https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-martyn-coleman/ "LinkedIn profile for David Coleman")[David Coleman](/authors/david-coleman/ "Author profile for David Coleman") Founder & Renewable Energy Author, kilowatts.uk Article # Illumion battery imaging: why watching individual particles could help battery development Published 2026-11-05 20:07:17 Updated 2026-11-05 12:07:28 Cambridge spinout Illumion has raised GBP1.7 million for battery imaging technology. What charge photometry can show, and why this is not a new home battery. [ Preferred on Google ](https://www.google.com/preferences/source) ![Illustration of a UK home with rooftop solar panels and a home battery.](/uploads_resolved/images/604/320.webp) ## Home energy decisions and the latest developments Illustration of a home energy system; it does not depict a product or installation announced in this article. *Published 5 November 2026. Checked against Cambridge Enterprise and Illumion's technology information.* Cambridge spinout Illumion has secured **GBP1.7 million** to develop its battery-imaging business. The technology helps researchers observe materials while batteries charge and discharge. This is a tool for understanding batteries, rather than a new home storage system. Its relevance to UK buyers is indirect: better testing may help the industry understand why materials perform differently. ## What the funding supports [Cambridge Enterprise](https://www.enterprise.cam.ac.uk/news/illumion-raises-1-7m-to-bring-next-generation-battery-imaging-technology-to-market/) identifies Foresight Group and ZEISS Ventures as co-leads. It describes charge photometry, the illumionONE product and work on the next-generation illumionX platform. Financing supports development. It does not establish that a particular production battery has become cheaper, safer or longer-lived. ## What is charge photometry? [Illumion's technology information](https://illumion.io/technology/) describes observing changes in materials during operation, including individual-particle behaviour. Its [illumionONE product information](https://illumion.io/illumionone/) concerns a research instrument, not an accessory for a household's installed battery. Observations below whole-cell level can help researchers investigate differences concealed by an aggregate result. They still need interpretation and a connection to complete battery behaviour. ## Why a tool matters without being a product breakthrough Many materials and components interact inside a battery. Better measurements can let a development team test explanations for uneven behaviour rather than relying only on an average. A useful research tool can have value before it produces a different retail battery. A measurement method can also face limits in speed, preparation or applicability. Industrial adoption needs evidence that it answers a useful question within a real development or quality-control process. ## What would count as another milestone? Look for customer use cases, validation against other methods, repeatability and documented industrial workflows. It should be clear which decisions the measurements help a team make. Those checks differ from the checks for home storage. An instrument is judged on what it measures; a household system is judged on installed performance, support, compatibility and cost. ## Should homeowners change a buying decision? Not on this announcement alone. Compare available systems using usable capacity, power, tariff assumptions, installation design and warranty support. A funding round cannot be inserted into a household payback calculation. For readers following UK innovation, Illumion is worth watching as part of the infrastructure behind future batteries. Keep better research equipment separate from a verified improvement in a finished product. Tags: [Battery research](/tags/battery-research/ "Battery research")[Uk innovation](/tags/uk-innovation/ "Uk innovation")[Battery technology](/tags/battery-technology/ "Battery technology") [ Preferred on Google ](https://www.google.com/preferences/source) Solar comparison ## Compare solar for your property Enter your postcode to assess your roof, compare solar options and get quotes from UK installers. - Free postcode start - Home, business and industrial - RoboMo™ maps your roof ## See which panels fit your roof Choose home, business or industrial, then enter your postcode. RoboMo maps the roof and ranks panel brands by fit. - Home - Business - Industrial UK postcode Fast, free and no obligation to proceed. **1. Postcode** Start the assessment for your property. **2. Pin the roof** Mark the array on the map. **3. Compare** RoboMo™ builds your options. ![Battery storage ROI calculator](/uploads_resolved/images/1012/320.webp) Battery ROI tool ## See what a battery saves on your bill Enter the day rate, off-peak rate and export rate. The calculator ranks batteries in the Kilowatts shop over 10 years. Home batteries also suit offices and small commercial sites. [ **Home** Houses and flats ](/services/residential/renewable-energy/residential-solar-panel-installation/batteries/)[ **Business** Offices and small sites ](/services/commercial/renewable-energy/commercial-solar-panel-installation/batteries/)[ **Industrial** Factories and warehouses](/services/industrial/renewable-energy/industrial-solar-battery-storage/#get-quote-now) [Shop batteries](/shop/kilowatts-uk/range/solar-batteries/) ## Related services - [home EV charger installation](/services/residential/electric-vehicle-infrastructure/residential-ev-charger-installation/) - [fitted downlights for your home](/services/residential/lighting/residential-downlight-installation/) - [home ventilation fan installation](/services/residential/heating-cooling-ventilation/residential-ventilation-fan/) - [arc fault (AFDD) protection for homes](/services/residential/general-electrical-work/residential-afdd-installation/) Reading ## Sources & further reading [Imperial-Origin Flow Battery Patent: What It Covers A reproduced US grant record highlights an Imperial-origin hydrogen-organic flow battery. Understand its older patent family and the gap to commercial storage. Read article](/resources/imperial-hydrogen-organic-flow-battery-patent/ "Imperial-Origin Flow Battery Patent: What It Covers")[![Lithium-Sulphur Battery and Perovskite Solar Drone Completes Two-Hour Flight](/uploads_resolved/images/853/320.webp)Lithium-Sulphur Battery and Perovskite Solar Drone Completes Two-Hour Flight A lithium-sulphur battery drone with perovskite solar cells flew almost two hours. What the test does and does not prove for UK energy sites. Read article](/resources/yesterday-uk/ "Lithium-Sulphur Battery and Perovskite Solar Drone Completes Two-Hour Flight")[PowerNet Solid-State Battery Pilot: What Is Confirmed Australia is backing a pilot line for PowerNet modular batteries. See the 4 kWh concept, project timetable and why a UK launch is not established. Read article](/resources/powernet-portable-solid-state-battery-australia/ "PowerNet Solid-State Battery Pilot: What Is Confirmed")[CATL EnerQB Delivery: Eight-Hour Storage in Context A 5.64 MWh EnerQB unit has been handed over for Australian storage plans. Understand eight-hour duration, the development pipeline and what remains unverified. Read article](/resources/catl-enerqb-quinbrook-eight-hour-storage/ "CATL EnerQB Delivery: Eight-Hour Storage in Context") Solar panels ## Solar panels [![DMEGC Solar DM460M10RT-B54HBB](/images/panels_resolved/dmegc-solar-dm460m10rt-b54hbb/320.webp) 460WDMEGC Solar DM460M10RT-B54HBB DMEGC Solar DMEGC Solar · 460W View details](/services/residential/renewable-energy/residential-solar-panel-installation/solar-panels/dmegc-solar-dm460m10rt-b54hbb/)[![AIKO Neostar 3S54 A495-MCE54Mb 495W](/images/panels/aiko-neostar-3s54-a495-mce54mb-495w.jpg) 495WAIKO Neostar 3S54 A495-MCE54Mb 495W AIKO Solar AIKO Solar · 495W View details](/services/residential/renewable-energy/residential-solar-panel-installation/solar-panels/aiko-neostar-3s54-a495-mce54mb-495w/)[![Canadian Solar TOPBiHiKu7 750W](/images/panels/canadian-solar-topbihiku7-750w.jpg) 750WCanadian Solar TOPBiHiKu7 750W Canadian Solar Canadian Solar · 750W View details](/services/residential/renewable-energy/residential-solar-panel-installation/solar-panels/canadian-solar-topbihiku7-750w/) Shop ## Shop [![Growatt MIN 10000 TL-X2](/images/shop/inverter-growatt-min-10000-tl-x2-13.jpg) £870.00Growatt MIN 10000 TL-X2 View product](/shop/kilowatts-uk/inverter-growatt-min-10000-tl-x2-13/)[![Ulica Solar Black Jade Flow 475 W](/images/panels/ulica-solar-ul-470m-108ddgn.jpg) £77.43Ulica Solar Black Jade Flow 475 W View product](/shop/kilowatts-uk/panel-ulica-solar-ul-475m-108ddgn/)[![Ulica Solar Black Jade Flow 480 W](/images/panels/ulica-solar-ul-470m-108ddgn.jpg) £78.24Ulica Solar Black Jade Flow 480 W View product](/shop/kilowatts-uk/panel-ulica-solar-ul-480m-108ddgn/) ## Mo's Mission Nominations [**Garlinge Primary School and Nursery**Garlinge Primary School and Nursery is a foundation primary school on Westfield Road in Margate, Kent, for children aged 3 to 11. It is m...](/solar-mission/garlinge-primary-school-nursery/) [**St Luke's Church of England Primary School**St Luke's Church of England Primary School is a voluntary controlled Church of England primary school on Jubilee Road in Formby, Merseysi...](/solar-mission/st-luke-s-church-of-england-primary-school/) [**Comberbach Nursery and Primary School**Comberbach Nursery and Primary School is a primary academy on Mather Drive in the village of Comberbach, near Northwich in Cheshire, for...](/solar-mission/comberbach-primary-school/) Write for Kilowatts.uk ## Got a trade and something worth saying? Write it here under your own name. Sign in, put a profile up, and start a guide. Pay only if you want more links from your articles out to your own site. ### Register Create a Kilowatts.uk account, or sign in if you already have one. ### Author profile Put your name, photo and experience on a public author page. ### Start creating Write a guide or a blog. Free authors can put one followed link to their own site in articles each month. [Write for us](/write-for-us/) [Register or sign in](/login/) ## Frequently Asked Questions ### Is illumionONE a home battery? No. It is a charge-photometry research instrument for studying battery materials. ### How much funding was announced? Cambridge Enterprise reports GBP1.7 million co-led by Foresight Group and ZEISS Ventures. ### Does that prove longer battery life? No. The lifetime of a finished battery needs product-specific evidence, not a funding announcement.