From 5-7 October, almost 170 international researchers came to Jena (Germany) to join the Organic Battery Days 2026 (OBD2026) hosted by the Friedrich Schiller University Jena (FSU Jena) in cooperation with HIPOLE Jena. Since 2017, this conference brings together leading scientists and experts from the field of metal-free batteries with organic and polymer active materials. After previous editions were held in Japan, Spain, South Korea, and Australia, the conference made its way to Germany this year – more specifically, to Jena.
The event was opened by FSU Jena president Prof. Andreas Marx and the conference chair Prof. Ulrich S. Schubert, who welcomed a record of participants from 18 nations. The scientific program covered topics related to materials design and synthesis, cell concepts, sustainability, modelling and translation. Both young researchers and renowned group leaders presented their work through 45 oral and 85 poster presentations. The conference program also included a breakout session with contributions from the German Research Foundation (DFG)-funded Priority Programme SPP2248 (“Polymer-Based Batteries”). The Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin (HZB) provided insights into advanced characterization techniques, including the use of the BESSY II synchrotron facility. The program was further complemented by a workshop hosted by HIPOLE Jena on modeling, simulation, and characterization approaches, as well as laboratory tours at HIPOLE Jena and the Center for Energy and Environmental Chemistry Jena (CEEC Jena) at Friedrich Schiller University Jena.
Over the course of the conference, the participants took opportunities for networking and personal exchange to foster international collaborations within the growing field of organic batteries.
The OBD2026 also took place during a special week for Friedrich Schiller University Jena. On October 2, 2026, the university was selected as one of three new Universities of Excellence as part of Germany’s Excellence Strategy. The recognition further highlighted the importance of Jena as a hub for research and science and gave the conference week an additional reason to celebrate.
We sincerely thank all participants and contributors for making the Organic Battery Days 2026 a successful and inspiring event.
