Company Profile: tozero GmbH

Background

Overview

tozero GmbH, founded in 2022 and headquartered in Munich, Germany, specializes in sustainable lithium-ion battery recycling. The company's mission is to establish Europe's leading recycling facility, focusing on recovering critical materials such as lithium and graphite in an environmentally responsible manner. By reintegrating these materials into the supply chain, tozero aims to support the production of new batteries and promote a circular economy. The company has garnered global recognition, winning Hello Tomorrow's 2024 Global Challenge and Hong Kong's EPiC 2024 pitch competition, and has been named one of the Top 100 impact startups worldwide by Norrsken for two consecutive years.

Key Strategic Focus

Core Objectives

Sustainable Recycling: Develop and implement processes that efficiently recover critical materials from end-of-life lithium-ion batteries.

Circular Economy Promotion: Reintroduce recovered materials into the supply chain to reduce reliance on virgin resources.

Environmental Impact Reduction: Utilize methods that significantly lower carbon emissions compared to traditional mining and processing techniques.

Specialization Areas

Material Recovery: Focus on extracting high-purity lithium and graphite from battery waste.

Process Innovation: Employ proprietary hydrometallurgical processes that are feedstock-agnostic, allowing for the processing of various battery types.

Key Technologies

Hydrometallurgical Processing: A water-based carbonation recovery process that operates at lower temperatures and with reduced chemical intensity, achieving approximately 70% fewer emissions than conventional mining operations.

Primary Markets

Electric Vehicle (EV) Industry: Supply recycled materials for battery production.

Renewable Energy Storage: Provide materials for large-scale energy storage solutions.

Ceramics and Construction Industries: Expand the use of recycled battery materials beyond the energy sector.

Financials and Funding

Funding History

Pre-Seed Round (September 2022): Raised approximately €3.5 million to support the construction of a prototype plant in Munich.

EIC Accelerator Grant (July 2024): Secured a €2.5 million grant from the European Innovation Council to scale lithium-ion battery recycling efforts.

Seed Funding Round (November 2024): Closed an €11 million oversubscribed seed round led by NordicNinja, with participation from In-Q-Tel, Honda, JGC Group, Atlantic Labs, Verve Ventures, and Possible Ventures.

Total Funds Raised

As of November 2024, tozero has raised a total of €17 million, including the EIC Accelerator grant.

Notable Investors

Lead Investor: NordicNinja

Strategic Investors: In-Q-Tel, Honda, JGC Group

Existing Investors: Atlantic Labs, Verve Ventures, Possible Ventures

Utilization of Capital

Industrial Plant Construction: Build the first industrial-scale recycling facility (First-Of-A-Kind plant).

Production Scaling: Increase commercial production of recycled lithium.

Team Expansion: Grow the workforce to support operational and strategic goals.

Pipeline Development

Key Milestones

Pilot Plant Operations: Launched in July 2023, the Munich facility began delivering high-quality recycled lithium to European customers by March 2024.

Commercial Deliveries: Achieved first commercial delivery of recycled lithium in April 2024.

Industrial-Scale Graphite Recovery: By February 2025, successfully produced battery-grade recycled graphite at an industrial scale, with plans to produce over 2,000 tonnes by 2027 and scale beyond 10,000 tonnes by 2030.

Target Conditions

Lithium Recovery: Achieved an 80% recovery rate, meeting the EU's 2031 target ahead of schedule.

Graphite Recovery: Achieved more than 80% recovery while preserving morphological integrity, enabling refinement back to battery-grade quality.

Anticipated Milestones

Industrial Plant Operations: Aim to process 30,000 tonnes of battery waste annually by 2026.

Expansion of Recycled Graphite Production: Target over 2,000 tonnes by 2027, with plans to scale beyond 10,000 tonnes by 2030.

Technological Platform and Innovation

Proprietary Technologies

Hydrometallurgical Process: A water-based carbonation recovery method that efficiently extracts lithium and graphite from black mass, reducing emissions by approximately 70% compared to conventional mining.

Significant Scientific Methods

CO₂-Assisted Leaching: Converts lithium into water-soluble compounds for efficient separation, achieving 80% recovery rates.

Graphite Recycling: Preserves morphological integrity during recovery, allowing refinement back to battery-grade quality.

Leadership Team

Sarah Fleischer, Co-founder and CEO

Background: Mechanical engineer and serial entrepreneur with experience in the space sector.

Role: Oversees strategic direction and operations.

Dr. Ksenija Milicevic Neumann, Co-founder and CTO

Background: Metallurgy expert with research experience at RWTH Aachen University.

Role: Leads technological development and innovation.

Leadership Changes

As of July 2025, there have been no significant changes or appointments within the company's leadership team.

Competitor Profile

Market Insights and Dynamics

Market Size: The lithium-ion battery recycling market is projected to reach $101 billion annually by 2043.

Growth Potential: Driven by the rapid expansion of electric vehicles and renewable energy storage solutions.

Industry Trends: Increasing emphasis on sustainable practices and circular economy principles.

Competitor Analysis

Key Competitors: Other battery recycling companies focusing on lithium recovery.

Primary Focus Areas: Recovery of critical materials from end-of-life batteries.

Technologies: Various hydrometallurgical and pyrometallurgical processes.

Notable Achievements: Some competitors have achieved limited or lab-scale success in material recovery.

Competitive Landscape: tozero differentiates itself through industrial-scale operations, high recovery rates, and environmental benefits.

Strategic Collaborations and Partnerships

Significant Collaborations

Huayou Recycling: Partnership to process battery waste from end-of-life EV batteries and production scrap, enhancing recycling capacity in Europe.

BMW, MAN, and Webasto: Collaborated on a pilot project achieving an 80% lithium recovery rate, meeting the EU's 2031 target ahead of schedule.

Ceramics and Construction Industries: Expanding the use of recycled battery materials beyond the energy sector.

Operational Insights

Strategic Considerations

Market Position: tozero positions itself as a leader in sustainable battery recycling, addressing Europe's lithium supply gap.

Competitive Advantages: Proprietary technology, high recovery rates, environmental benefits, and strategic partnerships.

Strategic Opportunities and Future Directions

Strategic Roadmap

Industrial Plant Scaling: Establish and operate the first industrial-scale recycling facility by 2026.

Production Expansion: Increase recycled lithium and graphite production to meet growing market demand.

Market Expansion: Explore opportunities in additional industries and regions.

Opportunities for Expansion

Technology Licensing: Potential to license proprietary processes to other regions.

Product Diversification: Develop additional recycled materials for various applications.

Positioning for Future Objectives

tozero's current strengths in technology, partnerships, and market positioning provide a solid foundation to achieve future objectives in sustainable battery recycling and circular economy promotion.