​Ripple Hosts

​Andreas Heyl

​SPRIND

​Julia Pantel

​Circular Republic

​The future of Europe's green and digital transformation hinges on critical metals, yet we're alarmingly dependent on imports. This "Ripple" session dives into the SPRIND Tech Metal Transformation Challenge, a multi-million-euro initiative to redefine how we reclaim these vital resources from e-waste. Discover and discuss how disruptive technologies can forge a circular economy, reduce geopolitical risks, and secure Europe's industrial future. Join us to ignite new ideas and drive breakthrough innovation!

​Topic overview

​Why is the topic relevant?

​Critical metals are essential for Europe's green and digital transition, yet we import over 99% and recycle less than 1%. This dependence creates significant geopolitical risks, especially with growing e-waste streams still losing vast quantities of valuable materials. The EU's Critical Raw Materials Act mandates 25% recycling by 2030, demanding disruptive, interdisciplinary technologies. This challenge champions advances in biology, chemistry, and materials science - such as microbial metal binding, green solvents, and innovative pre-treatment methods - to enable efficient, scalable recovery, closing the loop on sustainability and securing Europe's industrial future.

• ​Strategic Independence: Reduce Europe's critical dependence on foreign suppliers and mitigate geopolitical risks.

• ​Circular Economy: Transform e-waste into high-value resources, giving materials new life and functionality.

• ​Technological Breakthroughs: Boost recovery rates with innovative pre-processing, bio-leaching, and selective extraction.

• ​Interdisciplinary Impact: Foster collaboration across diverse scientific and engineering fields to solve complex challenges.

• ​Question the Status Quo: Drive radical innovation beyond conventional recycling practices.

​What’s up for discussion?

​This interactive roundtable invites you to:

• ​Identify the most promising disruptive technologies for critical metal recovery from e-waste.

• ​Discuss key roadblocks to scaling these innovations and strategies to overcome them.

• ​Explore how interdisciplinary collaboration can accelerate the Tech Metal Transformation Challenge.

• ​Uncover opportunities for new partnerships and investments in Europe's circular economy.

​Dream outcome

​We aim to:

• ​Inspire top talent and powerful stakeholders to apply for SPRIND funding.

• ​Enrich the SPRIND challenge program with fresh perspectives and ideas.

• ​Identify and connect potential experts to drive future breakthroughs.

​Who should attend?

​This session is for visionary leaders, innovators, and experts eager to shape Europe’s sustainable future, including from VCs, industry (metals, electronics, aerospace, and defense and academia (biotechnology, engineering, chemistry, and materials science).