Sol R&D

What Sol R&D does

Sol R&D is a Rotterdam-based private company that develops and produces aesthetic photovoltaic modules for building-integrated and design-driven applications. Spun off from the Dutch family glass-processing firm Van Dijken Glas (operating since 1933), the company specialises in customising solar panels with colours, graphics, and material compositions so that photovoltaic technology can serve as a visible, expressive element of building envelopes, charging infrastructure, and sculptural installations. Its portfolio centres on three in-house-developed offerings: Soltint (a patent-pending technology for coloured BIPV modules with metallic or reflective surfaces and a 10–35% energy-loss factor versus full black panels), Power Graphic (panels in which PV cells are made invisible to enable unlimited graphic, shape, and glass-type customisation), and Solar Window (translucent custom solar panels used in design-led installations such as the Solar Wave piece for CUPRA).

The business operates on a project-based, co-creation model in which Sol R&D works closely with architects, designers, manufacturers, and suppliers to deliver tailored BIPV material compositions for specific buildings or installations. Revenue is generated through one-off hardware sales of customised modules and through professional services tied to feasibility, prototyping, and integration work; pricing is not publicly disclosed. GTM is sales-led and event-driven, combining direct project engagement with visibility at industry exhibitions such as Future Facades 2025 (Utrecht), Milan Design Week 2025 (Alcova), and BIG 5 Dubai (Startup City, November 2025), as well as flagship design collaborations with Sabine Marcelis (Audi EV charging station, 2023), Germans Ermics / Rive Roshan (CUPRA Solar Wave 2024; Sun Catcher 2025), and Team Harmony (Solar Decathlon Middle East 2021, where its BIPV façade generated 17,496 kWh/year).

The company is small (under 10 people) and founder-led by Max van Dijken (MSc Industrial Design Engineering, TU Delft) and Wout van Dijken, with a headquarters at Laan op Zuid 258 in Rotterdam and operations spanning the Netherlands, the UAE, and Italy. Funding to date is modest and non-dilutive in nature, consisting of a Province of South-Holland grant partly funding the Soltint feasibility study and an incubator-linked YES!Delft event, with no disclosed institutional venture investment. The company is privately held and family-controlled through its origins in Van Dijken Glas, with detailed cap-table information not publicly available.

Name

Sol R&D

Legal name

SOL-R&D

Website

https://sol-rnd.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2021

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Sol R&D is a Rotterdam-based spinoff of family glass firm Van Dijken Glas that designs and produces custom aesthetic solar modules — coloured, graphic, and translucent BIPV panels — for architects, designers, and automotive/charging-infrastructure clients.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Building-Integrated Photovoltaics (BIPV)

akta.pro primary industry

Next-Gen Photovoltaics R&D (Perovskite, Tandem, Organic, BIPV Materials) (EUAMAOAA)

Keywords

• Aesthetic solar panels
• Building-integrated photovoltaics
• Custom colored BIPV modules
• Architectural solar facades
• Graphic solar panels

Headquarters

HQ city

Rotterdam

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Operations

Revenue model

1. Custom BIPV project sales: Project-based revenue from developing and producing custom solar material compositions for specific building and product applications; involves co-creation with suppliers and manufacturers
2. Product sales (Soltint modules, Power Graphic panels): Sale of patented/patent-pending solar panel products with custom colors and graphic elements; one-time hardware sales of customized BIPV modules

Go-to-market motion2 records

Core offering

Sol R&D designs and produces aesthetic solar modules and custom photovoltaic material compositions for building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV). Its core offerings are Soltint (colored BIPV modules with metallic or reflective glass-like surfaces) and Power Graphic (fully customizable solar panels with unlimited graphic, shape, size, and glass-type freedom), complemented by Solar Window translucent panels. The company co-creates with architects, designers, and manufacturers to integrate power-generating solar technology into façades, windows, charging stations, and design-driven installations.

Product overview

Sol R&D offers a single integrated portfolio of aesthetic photovoltaic (PV) solutions for building integration (BIPV), composed of two core in-house-developed product lines—Soltint (colored, metallic/reflective BIPV modules with patent-pending coloring technology) and Power Graphic / Powergraphic (fully customizable solar panels offering unlimited graphic, shape, size, and glass-type freedom)—along with a translucent sub-product called Solar Window. Together, these products let architects and designers integrate solar technology as a visible, expressive part of the building envelope (façades, windows, charging stations, and installations) without compromising on design.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Soltint: A SOL-R&D technology for producing coloured BIPV (building-integrated photovoltaics) modules with high energy output and metallic or reflective glass-like surfaces. Under development, patent pending.
• Power Graphic
• Solar Window

Products and services

• Soltint Soltint is Sol R&D's patent-pending technology for producing colored building-integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) modules that deliver high energy output while offering vibrant metallic or reflective glass-like surfaces. Built from monocrystalline cells with a glass front sheet and colored interlayer, with first prototypes showing only a 10–35% loss factor versus full black panels. The base color can be enhanced with custom graphic elements. Intended for architects, designers, and real estate owners who want power-generating facades that retain a designed, premium look. Currently under development with a pilot installation planned.
• Power Graphic Power Graphic (also written Powergraphic) is Sol R&D's customizable solar panel offering that provides unlimited graphic design freedom by using a proprietary coloring technology to make PV cells invisible, enabling seamless design integration with unique color vibrancy, image sharpness, and color reach. Panels are customizable in shape, size, image/graphic, and glass type. Built around monocrystalline cells with a glass front sheet, the offering is intended for architects, designers, and real estate owners who want solar panels that look like designed surfaces rather than utilitarian modules. Currently under development.
• Solar Window Solar Window is Sol R&D's category of custom translucent solar panels, engineered for use in design-driven functional installations such as sculptural displays and architectural features. The panels combine light transmission with photovoltaic energy generation, making them suitable for installations that need to balance illumination, aesthetics, and on-site power production. First showcased in the Solar Wave installation for CUPRA.

Named customers2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• Van Dijken GlasflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerParent/legacy company; Sol R&D born as spinoff from Van Dijken Glas, a family company mastering glass processing since 1933. Wout van Dijken (glass industry expert) part of Sol R&D team. Provides deep glass-processing heritage and supply chain integration.
• Kameleon SolarcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerTechnology partner for Harmony House Solar Decathlon Middle East 2021 project; collaborated on BIPV façade based on Sol R&D technology that generated 17496 kWh/year
• Material DistrictminorGTM or Marketing PartnerExhibition partner for 'Fascinating Facades' exhibition at Future Facades 2025 in Utrecht; co-curated the Maze of Innovation showcase
• Rive RoshancoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated on Sun Catcher installation (semi-circular glass structure shifting from opaque to translucent) exhibited at Alcova during Milan Design Week 2025
• Team HarmonycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSolar Decathlon Middle East 2021 team collaboration; co-developed zero-emissions house with custom BIPV façade based on Sol R&D technology, won 2nd place
• CUPRAminorOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerIndirect partnership via Rive Roshan collaboration; Sol R&D engineered custom translucent solar panels integrated into sculptural display for CUPRA's fully electric vehicles
• TU Delft (Delft University of Technology)minorOthersEducational background of founder Max van Dijken (MSc. Industrial Design Engineering); potential talent and R&D pipeline partner

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Avancis: German CIGS thin-film BIPV module maker (now part of CNBM) supplying colored and designable building-integrated solar panels; comparable technology category and facade-integration use case.
• Onyx Solar: Spanish manufacturer of colored and transparent BIPV glass for building facades and skylights; closest direct competitor to Sol R&D's Soltint and Solar Window products in the aesthetic BIPV category.
• Megasol Energie: Swiss producer of building-integrated PV modules including colored and custom-graphic BIPV facades; overlaps directly with Sol R&D's Power Graphic positioning for architect-specified facades.
• ISSOL: Belgian developer of BIPV glass solutions including colored and semi-transparent modules for architectural facades; competes in the same European aesthetic-BIPV niche as Sol R&D.
• Kameleon Solar: Dutch BIPV technology partner that co-developed the Harmony House facade with Sol R&D; competing and collaborating in colored BIPV facade systems in the Netherlands and Middle East.

Broad incumbents

• Tesla (Solar Roof): Tesla's solar roof and solar glass offering is a broad incumbent in the aesthetic-integrated solar category, competing for the same 'design-acceptable solar on buildings' demand, though focused on rooftops rather than facades.
• Schüco: Large German facade systems incumbent offering BIPV-integrated aluminum facade solutions; broad incumbent in the same building envelope space but with a much wider product portfolio.

Emerging players

• BIPVco: UK BIPV specialist providing integrated solar facade and roof solutions; emerging player in the same building-integrated PV category targeting architects and developers.
• Sunovate: Early-stage developer of colored and printable solar cells; a smaller-scale emerging player focused on customization and design freedom, conceptually adjacent to Sol R&D's Power Graphic approach.

Regional players

• Romag: UK-based integrated glass and PV manufacturer producing solar glass for BIPV facades; regional peer offering comparable custom glass/PV products primarily in the UK market.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Sol R&D