Tallinn-based Jälle Technologies has secured €2 million in pre-seed funding to further develop its battery recycling and material upcycling processes. The round includes equity investments from Kiilto Ventures, 2C Ventures, EIS, KIK (Environmental Investment Centre), and angel investors Andrus Purde and Priit Viru, as well as grants from Enterprise Estonia (EIS) and the Environmental Investment Centre (KIK). Jälle focuses on recovering critical raw materials from end-of-life lithium-ion batteries and converting graphite waste into graphene-like materials. The company plans to use the funding to expand pilot-scale production, validate its proprietary technology at an industrial level, and grow its technical team.
Europe is bracing for a surge in battery waste, with lithium-ion batteries reaching end-of-life projected to hit over 230 kilotonnes annually by 2030—a sharp increase from 2020 figures. In response, updated EU regulations now require a minimum 70% recycling efficiency, prompting demand for more advanced and sustainable recycling methods.
Erki Ani, CEO of Jälle Technologies: “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 to have 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.”
Estonian startup Jälle Technologies is addressing this challenge through a science-led approach rooted in research from the National Institute of Chemical Physics and Biophysics. The founding team—Kerli Liivand, Martin Jantson, Reio Praats, Erki Ani, and Ivar Kruusenberg—has developed proprietary processes to recover critical raw materials and upcycle graphite waste into few-layer graphene-like materials. These ultra-thin materials are known for their strength, conductivity, and flexibility, making them suitable for use in sectors such as electronics, energy storage, and composite manufacturing.
Kerli Liivand, CTO of Jälle Technologies: “Recovering critical materials at scale is a real challenge. Our focus is on making sure what we build isn’t just great science but something the industry can rely on. Producing graphene-like materials could improve everything from composites to construction, making materials stronger, lighter, more conductive, and more efficient.”
Matti Rönkkö, Managing Partner at Kiilto Ventures: “Jälle Technologies’ vision to turn battery waste into valuable resources through cutting-edge recycling is exactly the kind of scalable, sustainability-driven innovation we want to champion.”
Hendrik Reimand, Founding Partner at 2C Ventures: “Battery recycling is no longer optional. Jälle’s team combines deep technical expertise with a clear commercialization strategy, making them exactly the type of founder-led, high-impact company we strive to support from our fund.”
Angel investors Andrus Purde and Priit Viru also bring significant experience. Purde is a seasoned entrepreneur and marketer, known for co-founding Outfunnel, while Viru has a background in tech and finance with extensive experience in executive leadership and growth strategies.
With this new funding, Jälle Technologies will focus on expanding pilot-scale production, validating our recycling processes at industrial scale, and building a world-class team in Estonia.
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Read the orginal article: https://arcticstartup.com/jalle-technologies-raises-e2-million-pre-seed/
