Tozero targets Europe’s battery bottleneck with new plant
Female-founded startup tozero has launched an industrial battery recycling plant designed to strengthen Europe’s domestic supply of critical raw materials. As demand for lithium-ion batteries accelerates across electric vehicles, energy storage and consumer electronics, the company is positioning itself as a key player in Europe’s emerging circular battery economy.
Based in Europe, tozero focuses on recovering high-value materials such as lithium, nickel, cobalt and manganese from end-of-life and production-scrap batteries. These materials are essential for modern battery cathodes yet are largely imported from outside the EU, exposing manufacturers to price volatility and geopolitical risk.
Closing the loop on critical raw materials
The new industrial-scale facility is designed to process significant volumes of spent batteries and production waste from European gigafactories and automotive suppliers. By converting this waste into high-purity secondary raw materials, tozero aims to reduce reliance on mining-intensive supply chains and cut the carbon footprint of battery production.
The plant’s process is expected to combine advanced mechanical pre-treatment with optimized hydrometallurgical steps to maximize recovery rates while meeting strict European environmental regulations. The output can be fed directly back into the battery manufacturing value chain, supporting EU targets for local content and recycled material in new cells.
Female-led climate tech with strategic timing
As a female-founded company in the climate tech and cleantech space, tozero stands out in an industry still dominated by male-founded industrial players. The launch comes at a pivotal moment: the EU’s Critical Raw Materials Act and Batteries Regulation are pushing manufacturers to secure sustainable, traceable and local sources of key inputs.
By scaling industrial battery recycling inside Europe, tozero is not only addressing the growing mountain of battery waste but also helping build a resilient, circular supply chain that underpins the continent’s energy transition and electromobility ambitions.