Jälle Technologies, an Estonian deep tech startup, addresses the recycling challenges associated with end-of-life lithium-ion batteries by recovering essential raw materials and transforming graphite waste into high-value graphene-like materials.

Source: Cision

The surge in electric vehicles and energy storage systems is contributing to a significant rise in the number of lithium-ion batteries. In Europe, the volume of batteries reaching the end of their lifecycle is expected to increase 70-fold by 2030 compared to 2020, creating an urgent demand for local, scalable recycling solutions.

Innovative Recycling Solutions

At the forefront of this endeavor, Jälle Technologies is developing cutting-edge recycling methods for end-of-life batteries. Their technology enables the recovery of lithium and other vital raw materials while consuming less energy than traditional processes. Furthermore, the company has devised a technique to refine graphite from recycled batteries into graphene derivatives, which can be utilized in composites, coatings, and adhesives to enhance performance.

We have been actively following the battery recycling sector for some time and are well aware of the magnitude of the challenge. Jälle Technologies’ vision of transforming battery waste into valuable resources through advanced recycling is a prime example of scalable, sustainability-driven innovation that we are eager to support. The team’s strong academic foundation provides an excellent platform for scaling the technology globally, and we are excited about the potential applications of their end products in the construction materials of the future.

^{Matti Rönkkö, Managing Director of Kiilto Ventures}

Investment and Growth

Kiilto Ventures spearheaded Jälle Technologies’ latest investment round, joined by a consortium of investors that includes Norrsken Evolve and 2C Ventures. Additionally, the company secured grant funding from Enterprise Estonia (EIS) and the Environmental Investment Centre (KIK), alongside equity financing.

While the whole world is geared towards electrification, energy storage needs are inevitably on the rise. What happens with these batteries once they’ve reached end of life? With Jälle we are looking a few steps ahead of the curve to be ready for the “tidal wave of dead batteries”. By achieving very high battery recycling efficiencies and enabling advanced applications through our graphene-like materials, we contribute to addressing Europe's critical raw materials challenge. We’re extremely glad that we have such investors who share our vision. It’s not just about funding, it’s about working together to take our technology from the lab to industry.

^{Erki Ani, CEO of Jälle Technologies}

With this new influx of funding, Jälle Technologies aims to expand pre-pilot-scale production, validate their recycling processes at an industrial scale, and build a world-class team in Estonia.