Enkei secures oversubscribed pre-seed at €3 million valuation
Female-founded Swedish startup Enkei, based in Stockholm, has closed an oversubscribed pre-seed funding round at a €3 million valuation to accelerate its circular material platform. The company transforms construction waste into refined, low-impact materials suitable for high-end architecture and interior design.
The round brings together a group of prominent Nordic industry leaders and impact-focused investors, underscoring growing confidence in circular solutions for the built environment.
Strategic investors from architecture, recycling and materials
The investor syndicate includes Danish architect Anders Lendager, founder of the sustainability-driven Lendager Group, known for pioneering upcycled building projects. He is joined by Christina Åqvist, co-founder of recycling group Vinning and former CEO of pan-European distributor Distrelec, bringing deep expertise in recycling value chains and industrial scaling.
Seasoned materials executive Ulf Mattsson, former CEO and President of Tarkett Inc, a major global surface materials group, has also invested, adding decades of experience in flooring, surface technologies and international distribution. Investor and private equity chairman Fabian Månsson, a former board member of Sanitec, joins as well, contributing strategic and governance know-how.
The round is further strengthened by RadCap, a Swedish investment firm owned by 81 women and dedicated to backing female-led early-stage startups. RadCap’s participation highlights the gender-diversity dimension of Enkei’s growth story.
Turning demolition debris into design-grade materials
Enkei is developing a scalable platform that converts demolition and construction-site waste into design-grade materials with a significantly reduced carbon footprint. By sourcing and processing discarded concrete, ceramics, glass and other building components, the startup aims to replace virgin materials in architecture, interiors and product design.
The company collaborates closely with researchers and industry experts, including Professor Thomas Granfeldt, a specialist in bio-based materials and industrial processes. This academic partnership supports Enkei’s ambition to create traceable, standardized materials that meet strict performance and safety requirements while enabling circular construction at scale.
Advancing circularity in the built environment
The fresh capital will be used to advance Enkei’s material R&D, expand its pilot production capabilities and deepen partnerships with architects, developers and construction firms. With the building sector responsible for a major share of global CO2 emissions and waste, Enkei’s model seeks to integrate circular economy principles directly into material supply chains.
By turning what was once costly waste into premium, market-ready products, Enkei positions itself at the intersection of cleantech, design innovation and sustainable construction, aiming to become a reference point for next-generation circular materials in Europe and beyond.