Nordic Salt Cycle, a Copenhagen-based cleantech startup, has raised €3.5 million in pre-seed funding to bring its molten-salt mineral recovery technology to market — a method designed to reclaim critical materials from end-of-life batteries, turbines, and electronic waste at far lower cost and greater scale than existing processes.
The round was backed by EIFO, Denmark’s state-owned green transition investor, along with The Footprint Firm and Ananda Impact Ventures.
A New Approach to Recovering Critical Minerals
Founded in 2024, Nordic Salt Cycle is developing a modular molten-salt platform that can break down end-of-life components and extract key minerals — such as lithium and rare earth elements — with high purity and substantially reduced energy use.
Unlike conventional recycling chains, which rely heavily on energy-intensive smelting or chemical-heavy hydrometallurgy, the startup’s process operates at lower temperatures, uses fewer reagents, and is designed for rapid deployment.
The goal is to help secure Europe’s access to strategic materials essential for EVs, renewable energy systems, and consumer electronics.
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Early Results Show Strong Unit Economics
The company’s first prototype is already running, and initial trials suggest its molten-salt separation technique can isolate valuable elements far more efficiently than traditional methods while cutting operational costs.
CEO and co-founder Stefan Vilner says the technology could reshape how industries source metals needed for the energy transition:
“We’re starting with the recovery of minerals from electric vehicle batteries, and the platform can expand into other waste streams over time. Our aim is to close the loop with a process that is scalable, low-cost, and highly selective.”
Aiming for Circular Mineral Supply Chains
Nordic Salt Cycle plans to use its fresh funding to scale its technology, deepen industry partnerships, and prepare for commercial pilots. By turning discarded batteries, magnets, and other components into a dependable supply of critical minerals, the startup hopes to strengthen Europe’s materials independence as global demand accelerates.
About Nordic Salt Cycle
Nordic Salt Cycle develops a scalable molten-salt technology for recovering critical and strategic minerals from end-of-life products. The company focuses on low-cost, energy-efficient recovery methods that support the shift toward a circular and resilient clean-energy mineral economy.
