Today, on our cover page, is Maxime Hallot, the esteemed Co-founder & CEO of Voltify. A company that is determined to recontextualize the future of micro-energy storage. The reason for founding Voltify was intensely personal and profoundly practical. For Maxime, it was a clear call to turn science into something that could change lives. Driven by an explicit objective of pushing research that could deliver real benefits to society, he leaped into launching a company around it. Besides improving the well-being of those with chronic conditions, there was an overarching ambition. To contribute constructively to the global healthcare system.
However, that’s easier said than done. The area was full of hindrances. A major hurdle to achieving energy autonomy for miniaturized connected devices has been around for decades. Researchers identified it as critical to solving this objective before it can be realized. Maxime decided to tackle it through research, pioneering a new technological solution. Later, he moved into entrepreneurship to bring that innovation to market. This is how Voltify came into existence.
Similarities Between an Experimenter & an Entrepreneur
A turning point in research that influenced his entrepreneurial mindset came with a revelatory finding. The world of research was seemingly distant from that of business. However, Maxime observed the former required know-how that’s completely aligned with what’s needed for a business project. To him, there is one thing common between a researcher and an entrepreneur. It’s solving complex problems. Adopting a scientific approach to the business world adds discipline to carve out a specific niche. Although it requires a certain amount of acculturation, it remains a task that demands rigor and resilience. That’s precisely the essence of a scientist or an entrepreneur, which convinced Maxime to take the plunge.
Voltify Revolutionizing Tiny Power Sources
Of late, the world of electronics has undergone a tremendous transformation. A transition influenced by the rapid miniaturization of devices. So tiny that some are now engineered at the sub-millimeter scale.
Factors driving this wave? Progress in micro-electronics manufacturing, nanotechnology, and new materials that make miniaturization possible.
In healthcare, the miniaturization of implantable medical devices has brought a revolutionary difference. Bulky intraocular pressure sensors and glucose monitors are being replaced with ultra-compact versions. The effect? Less invasive procedures and continuous monitoring for chronic conditions.
Even these shifts have touched the frontiers of aerospace. Engineers are designing micro-drones and nanosatellites/CubeSats. The objective is to perform complex tasks like Earth observation or data relay, all at a fraction of the size and cost.
Likewise, the IoT sector is driving this miniaturization even further. The domain expects to add more than 29 billion connected devices by 2030. The list includes tiny sensors, wearables, smart objects, etc. The need of the hour is small, efficient, and reliable energy sources. Since replacing or maintaining batteries in so many devices is impractical, the demand is for power solutions that are compact and require minimal upkeep.
However, as devices get smaller, it becomes much harder to make them energy autonomous. Plus, many of them are often installed in less accessible places. E.g., surgically implanted medical devices. These miniaturized pieces cannot have their batteries replaced regularly. Similarly, nanosatellites cannot be serviced after launch. Therefore, they must operate independently for prolonged periods.
“At Voltify,” Maxime notes, “we developed the CORALIUM technology concept, which aims to overcome the size limitations of traditional miniaturized energy storage devices, which are constrained by the size of their electrodes and the limited available space.” Traditional planar designs restrict the amount of energy that can be stored due to their two-dimensional configuration. To address this, Voltify has developed a three-dimensional (3D) material. It features a complex structure resembling a forest of microscopic tubes (i.e., measuring only 2 μm wide). This innovative structure allows a much larger electrode surface area (i.e., 500 – 700 mm²), without enlarging the device’s overall dimensions (i.e., a few millimeters).
CORALIUM, The Technology Behind Autonomous Micro-Systems
CORALIUM is Voltify’s flagship initiative. It is designed to revolutionize the world of micro-electronics and energy storage like never before. How can a device so tiny be self-powered? This platform, Maxime explains, is the world’s most dense and compact solution, powering miniaturized electronic devices with surprising autonomy.
He adds that Voltify works at the crossroads of materials science, micro-scale energy storage, micro-fabrication, micro-electronics, and energy engineering. The challenge is huge. Autonomy and miniaturization must go hand in hand. Autonomy can improve five- to tenfold, and miniaturization four- to tenfold. Think of it like packing the power of a large battery into a grain of sand. The result is energy and power densities never seen before in devices this small.
CORALIUM supports different kinds of micro-energy storage.
Micro-capacitors deliver instant power in milliseconds (from a few 100 milliseconds to 0.2 µs).
Micro-batteries provide longer energy autonomy, even in tight spaces. Hybrid systems have the best of both worlds, combining performance and compactness with up to 30% longer lifespan.
They know that developers struggle to fit enough power into shrinking devices. Maxime shares that Voltify tackles that problem head-on. CORALIUM enables four unique key differentiators. It maximizes energy density while keeping devices small, responsive, and safe. This ingenious technology is already attracting interest from international players in the medical sector.
CORALIUM  pushes a high level of miniaturization. Its ultra-dense products measure just 0.01 to 4 mm² and weigh 0.2 to 2 mg, using only hundreds of nanograms of active material.
Safety and compliance are CORALIUM’s next benchmark. The materials are lithium metal-free, cobalt-free and solvent-free, and eliminate toxicity, explosion, and flammability risks. They meet the highest medical standards. And thanks to the technology’s semiconductor industry compatibility, it makes deployment frictionless. CORALIUM scales easily, supports mass production, lowers costs, and integrates smoothly.
Exclusive Leadership Style
One of the solid reasons behind Maxime’s inclusion in “The 10 Business Minds Defining the Next Era of Leadership, 2025,” is his foresight. He keeps his eyes on both fronts. He ensures that the present of the company should be pleasant and progressive. And the future must always appear promising. Once described as ‘a charismatic visionary,’ Maxime is popular in his team for his magnetic clarity of thought. Identifying opportunities in his respected field of expertise, he shares them with others in a constructive manner. Indeed, a remarkable thing to do. According to Maxime, it requires resilience and attentiveness in everyday life.
Voltify-ing High-Performance in a Volatile Sector
The values that define his team culture at Voltify are simple yet very effective. Above all, they endorse scientific excellence. It promotes honesty and loyalty as the framework for their business. “At Voltify, we cultivate an environment conducive to intrapreneurship in line with our values,” Maxime remarks. The aim is to keep the projects and teams aligned with both near-term goals and their long-term, disruptive vision for the energy storage sector. Apart from creating a dynamic and engaging work environment, Voltify strives to make a significant contribution to a sustainable energy future.
The Road Ahead!
As the CEO & Co-Founder, there’s a hefty amount of responsibilities on Maxime’s shoulders. He has outlined a plan for scaling Voltify over the next 5–7 years. “To become the leading player in the micro-energy storage sector.” This is the essence of his vision. In the short term, the focus remains on Europe. Voltify will establish its first European factory to accelerate its collaboration with head honchos in the medical sector. Next, it plans to expand its business into other sectors worldwide. As Maxime explains, they are determined to reduce the waste generated by miniature electronics notably. Not just that, this move also aims to considerably increase the lifespan of devices and nurture a new generation of tiny, intelligent systems that operate independently. Voltify delivers sustainable energy solutions that propel these inventions, proving that innovation and responsibility coexist.
The International Reach
Maxime knows that a global presence secured at a very early stage of a company can do wonders. Something that should not be overlooked for its potential. As we know, he is an entrepreneur with a researcher’s mind. He evaluates everything in detail before acting. To mark Voltify’s foray into the international frontier, they are already in talks with players outside France and Europe. It will not just develop their technology worldwide, but also scale its impact.
The Future of Micro-Energy Storage and IoT
The veteran points out two major trends that are changing the micro-energy storage and IoT fields. The first is the growing need for smaller devices, which is a long-term goal that traditional battery designs and electronic circuitry can no longer meet. In response, Voltify is leading the way in a new approach to thinking about components, making ultra-dense, compact energy solutions possible and changing what can be done at the smallest scales.
The second trend is about independence. Maxime believes in a tech-savvy future. An era free of disposable batteries, where real-time autonomous charging power becomes the norm. How to get there? With a well-thought-out plan. A hybrid approach that combines the best energy storage parts for different current needs with the avant-garde energy harvesting technologies. All of these changes make it possible to build a new breed of intelligent systems that run on their own.
The Challenges of Scaling Miniaturized Energy Storage
Maxime outlines Voltify’s core challenge, i.e., standardizing miniaturized energy storage to secure a strategic position within the value chain. Upholding this plan comes with a price beyond money. Of course, not only in terms of technology, but also in the survival of the company itself. Risk assessment is critical. Thus, Voltify addresses it through consistency that spans from blueprints to machines, ensuring the company maintains its technical edge.
Staying updated with demand means re-planning the ecosystem, fine-tuning priorities to balance expenditure, durability, and efficiency. As CEO, Maxime ensures all parts of the organization remain coordinated and focused. The purpose is to make every decision move the company closer to its vision. That is to advance the product while reinforcing Voltify’s strategic foothold.
The Best Achievement as a Leader
For Maxime, there have been many landmarks of victory since the project began. Yet the best indicators for him are not revenues or profits. They are people. The men and women who are integral to this adventure. He feels utterly gratified for having succeeded in convincing people to contribute to this vision. Every contribution, big or small, has carried a meaning for him. From signing the first employment contracts to driving Voltify’s mission forward, these are his most cherished professional chapters. In his words, “They remain moments of great pride for me.”
From Research to Deeptech Entrepreneurship: Message for Aspirants
Maxime is not someone who has followed the beaten path. His switch, stride, and rise within the two contrasting domains are something any ambitious youth would love to emulate. When asked to share his message with aspiring candidates in this field, Maxime emphasizes a few key truths. He highlights, “Being an industry leader means, above all, successfully crystallizing a vision and transmitting it.”
Leadership in deeptech demands more than a typical corporate approach. The field is complex and one must need to think on their feet. Success? It’s totally earned. A journey that relies on resilience.
This techpreneur urges aspirants to create real impact, trust their instincts, and move with balance. But they should avoid rushing mindlessly. Staying closely attuned to industry trends is required if they want to stand out. Equally important is exploring both their own potential and the possibilities the market presents.
