Saule Technologies

Saule Technologies is a Polish company specializing in the development and commercialization of a new generation of solar cells based on perovskite materials. The company was founded in 2014 by physicist and inventor Olga Malinkiewicz, along with experienced businessmen Piotr Krych and Artur Kupczunas. The foundation of the company followed Malinkiewicz's invention of a method to produce solar cells by coating perovskites on flexible foils using an inkjet printing process. This method allows for the creation of solar modules that are ultra-thin, lightweight, flexible, and semi-transparent.

Olga Malinkiewicz developed the novel perovskite cell architecture while a PhD student at the University of Valencia, which earned her the Photonics21 Student Innovation award from the European Commission in 2014, where she met her future business partners. Her background in physics and research in organic electronics was instrumental in this breakthrough. Artur Kupczunas and Piotr Krych provided the business acumen to commercialize the invention. Kupczunas holds an MBA and has experience across various sectors including IT and renewable energy, while also managing a venture capital fund. Together, the founders aimed to bring this new solar technology to a mass market.

The company's core product is its inkjet-printed perovskite solar modules. Unlike traditional rigid silicon solar panels, Saule's cells are printed on flexible PET foils, which allows them to be customized in shape and applied to a wide variety of surfaces. A key benefit is their efficiency in low-light and indoor conditions, making them suitable for applications where direct sunlight is not prevalent. The technology's applications span several industries, including the Internet of Things (IoT) for powering smart devices, building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV) such as energy-harvesting sun blinds and facades, e-mobility, and space applications. In 2021, Saule Technologies launched what it describes as the world's first industrial production line for perovskite solar cells in Wrocław, Poland. The first commercial implementation was the installation of sun breakers with perovskite solar cells on a factory facade in Lublin, Poland, in August 2021.

Saule Technologies operates on a business-to-business (B2B) model, partnering with large industrial players to integrate perovskite technology into their products through licensing agreements. The company has received funding from various sources, including research grants from the Polish National Centre for Research and Development (NCBR), investment from Japanese entrepreneur Hideo Sawada, and a significant investment from Columbus Energy, a Polish energy services provider. However, reports from mid-2025 indicate the company has faced significant financial difficulties and internal shareholder conflicts, leading to a managerial shake-up that included the removal of Olga Malinkiewicz from the board.

Keywords: perovskite solar cells, inkjet printing, flexible photovoltaics, thin-film solar, building-integrated photovoltaics, BIPV, IoT energy harvesting, Olga Malinkiewicz, renewable energy, solar technology, e-mobility charging, smart windows, sustainable architecture, printed electronics, Poland, cleantech, semi-transparent solar, energy harvesting, low-light solar, advanced materials, solar blinds, photovoltaic glass