Once a year, the PHOENIX consortium gathers in person to reflect, reconnect, and reignite the energy that drives our work: and this April, Cologne was the perfect spot for our fifth General Assembly, kindly hosted by our partners at DLR – the German Aerospace Center.

Over two intense days, the PHOENIX team took a moment to pause, take stock of the progress we have made, and chart our collective path forward as we move toward the second half of the project.

Where we are and what we have done

We kicked off the meeting with a series of updates from all Work Packages, a valuable snapshot that helped us all zoom out from the technical deep-dives and reconnect with the big picture.

Each team shared their current status, main achievements, and key priorities for the coming months. It was a moment to align our perspectives, understand how each puzzle piece fits into the bigger PHOENIX picture, and strengthen the sense of shared purpose across disciplines and expertise.

Walking, talking, brainstorming

One of the most engaging parts of the meeting was a walking brainstorming session, a less conventional but highly effective way to spark ideas. Divided into small groups, we walked, talked, and reflected on what we have learned so far: the challenges overcome, the insights gained, and the key messages we should be disseminating at this stage.

From there, we opened up discussions on how to further strengthen collaborations with other projects in the battery innovation ecosystem, how to better communicate our progress, and how to ensure the legacy of PHOENIX beyond the end of the project.

Getting technical, together

Of course, no PHOENIX GA would be complete without rolling up our sleeves. We dove into technical workshops, focusing on materials, system integration, and the next critical steps in our joint research. Being together in the same room — engineers, chemists, data experts, materials scientists, and more — allowed for real-time troubleshooting, creative thinking, and building a truly functional project timeline that reflects the complexity of our shared goals.

We also planned upcoming joint workshops that will bring different teams together in shared labs over the next few months, an exciting step toward even more integrated collaboration.

What’s next?

Beyond the meetings and workshops, there was space for connection and a bit of fun. A night-time tour of Cologne gave us the chance to explore the city, enjoy some relaxed conversation, and recharge in the company of colleagues and friends. The warm spring weather made the experience even better!

Now, after two productive days, we returned to our labs and offices feeling re-energised and aligned. The face-to-face GA was a reminder of the power of collaboration, and of the shared commitment driving us toward smarter, more resilient battery technologies.

Take a look at our photo gallery from those days!

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