HPQ Silicon Inc., a technology company driving innovation in advanced materials and critical process development, and its French technology partner, NOVACIUM SAS (“Novacium”) announced the signing of an commercial and industrial cooperation agreement with Pragma Industries (“Pragma”), a leading designer of fuel cells and soft mobility solutions based in Biarritz, France.
This agreement marks a key milestone in the deployment of METAGENE™ technology — An innovative approach developed by Novacium for the autonomous, high-pressure production of green hydrogen. It underscores the strategic interest of Pragma Industries — a long-standing hydrogen pioneer with over 20 years of experience — in integrating METAGENE™ stations into its sustainable mobility solutions, particularly to support last-mile transportation needs.
METAGENE™ technology, based on the use of a non-explosive, safe aluminum-silicon alloy, enables the generation of 1.25 m³ of hydrogen per kilogram of fuel, without requiring electricity, costly storage, or heavy infrastructure. Its range and energy efficiency make it an ideal solution for light mobility applications, including hydrogen-powered bicycles and other low-emission vehicles developed by Pragma.
In addition, Pragma Industries is also involved in the MANGABHY project, which aims to develop a specialized fuel cell for drones. The METAGENE™ technology, thanks to its compactness, its operating autonomy and its ability to produce hydrogen on demand, has major advantages to meet the high requirements of this type of application.
“METAGENE™ technology, which enables off-grid hydrogen production, is an innovation that addresses long-standing challenges which have hindered the development of this type of application,” added Pierre Forté, CEO of Pragma Industries. “The ability to generate hydrogen anywhere — without dedicated infrastructure — opens up unprecedented opportunities for the development of hydrogen-powered drones and could significantly accelerate growth in this market.”
“This agreement with Pragma Industries highlights the transformative potential of METAGENE™ technology in the green mobility and drone sectors,” said Bernard Tourillon, President and CEO of HPQ Silicon Inc. and NOVACIUM SAS. “By combining Pragma’s expertise in soft mobility with our innovative technology, we are laying the foundation for meaningful change in the way energy solutions are developed and implemented —one that can meet the needs of both civil and industrial markets.”
As part of this agreement, HPQ, Novacium, and Pragma Industries will collaborate to evaluate the integration of METAGENE™ production stations into the mobility ecosystems developed by Pragma. A pilot phase is planned between late 2025 and early 2026, with operational testing aimed at validating a production capacity of 10 kg of hydrogen per day — intended to power fleets of hydrogen vehicles and drones.
“What makes METAGENE™ compelling is not only its ability to generate hydrogen on demand, but the complete removal of traditional constraints — no external electricity, no compression infrastructure, and no high-cost logistics,” said Dr. Jed Kraiem, COO of Novacium. “From a systems engineering perspective, this opens the door to new deployment models for hydrogen — whether in mobility, remote operations, or industrial use — where autonomy and scalability have always been limiting factors.”
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Press release https://tinyurl.com/mrxs6u3d
