Recupere Metals, a French recycling deeptech, announced on 30 January 2026 a €5 million seed round. The round is led by SistaFund, with participation from Endgame Capital, Ring Capital, Triple Impact Ventures and Dutch business angel Sake Bosch. The funding will industrialise a patented mechanical process that turns copper waste directly into high-purity electrical wire, bypassing the energy-intensive smelting and refining stages.
A deal that marks an industrial milestone for the young deeptech
According to Maddyness, the deal is led by SistaFund, a fund specialising in financing gender-balanced and female-led teams, alongside Endgame Capital (climate tech), Ring Capital and Triple Impact Ventures (impact). Bird & Bird advised on the transaction.
Recupere Metals was founded in March 2025 by Katie Marsh, CEO and formerly of J.P. Morgan and Field (an energy start-up), and Julien Vaïssette, a PhD in engineering and INSA Toulouse graduate. The company employs a small technical team focused on industrial development, building on the process patent filed by the founders.
A mechanical process to bypass the smelter
Conventional copper recycling relies on very high-temperature smelters (around 1,200 °C for melting, plus pyrometallurgical processes to reach the purity required for electrical cables, above 99.9%). These facilities consume large amounts of energy and emit CO2 — partly offset by the value of the metal, but which still drags down the carbon footprint compared with primary copper from mining (around 4 tCO2/tonne for primary cathode).
Recupere Metals claims a patented mechanical process that converts industrial copper offcuts and waste directly into electrical wire, with no melting stage. The company reports a 90% reduction in CO2 emissions per tonne produced and a final purity above 99%, suitable for common electrotechnical applications. Industrial development still needs to be validated at scale — a key step the funding round is meant to finance.
Target: 6,000 tonnes per year by 2028
The stated target is to reach 6,000 tonnes of recycled copper wire per year by 2028. For comparison, France's annual copper consumption is around 250,000 tonnes according to data from the Bureau de Recherches Géologiques et Minières (BRGM), with only a minority share of that coming from recycling. Recupere Metals would therefore be targeting a modest initial market share, but one positioned in a high-value-added segment (green, traceable copper with a reduced carbon footprint) sought after by industrial companies subject to the European taxonomy and CSRD reporting.
The copper market context: a structural supply squeeze
According to the International Energy Agency and several sector studies, global copper demand could double by 2035 to reach around 50 million tonnes per year, driven by the energy transition (electric vehicles, charging networks, wind, solar PV) and the rollout of computing infrastructure (AI-related data centers). A structural shortfall of 30 to 40% of demand is expected by that horizon, given the insufficient pace of new mine openings.
Europe is particularly exposed. The continent extracts little primary copper and relies heavily on imports (Chile, Peru, and the DRC for mining, China for refining). The European recycling sector is considered strategic by the European Commission under the Critical Raw Materials Act adopted in 2024, which sets the target that 25% of critical raw materials consumed in the EU come from recycling by 2030.
Competition in green copper recycling
Recycled copper is nothing new. Aurubis (Germany, Europe's refining leader), Boliden (Sweden), and several French players such as Veolia and Suez already operate recycling chains. The breakthrough claimed by Recupere Metals lies in eliminating the smelting stage, where established players remain committed to pyrometallurgy. Direct competitors on this mechanical approach remain rare, which is both an opportunity (differentiating tech) and a risk (unproven industrial validation).
Key milestones to watch
- Validating the process at industrial scale: moving from the lab to several thousand tonnes per year is the classic pitfall for materials deeptech. The learning curve and industrialization costs can exceed the initial budget.
- First customer contracts: electrical equipment, automotive and battery manufacturers will look for product certifications (NF standard, OEM manufacturer qualifications) before committing to any major purchase.
- Next round: to reach 6,000 tonnes per year, a Series A to B round of several tens of millions will be required, likely with industrial investors and infrastructure funds coming on board.
Why this deal matters for French reindustrialization
The deal illustrates the trajectory of French industrial deeptechs in the wake of the Critical Raw Materials Act: fast seed funding, backing from impact investors, early industrial partnerships. Beyond copper alone, the aluminium, lithium and rare earth sectors are seeing regular fundraising rounds in France and across Europe. This movement is gradually shaping a European supply chain that is less dependent on Chinese imports.
For marketing and operations leaders at industrial scale-ups, this type of deal opens up workstreams in key account acquisition, regulatory communication (taxonomy, CSRD) and sales structuring. This is typically the remit of an applied artificial intelligence agency and B2B growth marketing, which combine data, automation and acquisition.
FAQ
How much exactly did Recupere Metals raise?
On 30 January 2026, Recupere Metals announced a €5 million seed round led by SistaFund, with Endgame Capital, Ring Capital, Triple Impact Ventures and business angel Sake Bosch.
Who are the founders of Recupere Metals?
The company was founded in March 2025 by Katie Marsh (CEO, ex-J.P. Morgan and Field) and Julien Vaïssette, an engineering PhD and INSA Toulouse graduate, who brings the process patent.
What is Recupere Metals' technological breakthrough?
Recupere Metals' patented mechanical process turns copper waste directly into electrical wire, with no melting stage at 1,200 °C. The company reports a 90% reduction in CO2 emissions per tonne and a final purity above 99%.
What is Recupere Metals' production target?
The stated target is to reach 6,000 tonnes of recycled copper wire per year by 2028, in a French market of around 250,000 tonnes annually. The company is targeting a premium "green copper" segment that emphasizes traceability and a reduced carbon footprint.
Why is recycled copper a sovereignty issue?
Europe extracts very little primary copper and relies heavily on imports. The Critical Raw Materials Act, adopted in 2024, requires 25% of the critical raw materials consumed in the EU to come from recycling by 2030. With global demand growing by 5 to 7% a year, the recycling sector is becoming strategic.