October 2024
All good things must come to an end, and it was time for REEcover to graduate from the Talent Kick Program, during an amazing graduation ceremony hosted by Switzerland Innovation Park Zurich. Thank you for believing in us and guiding our first steps in our entrepreneurial journey !
September 2024
Our patent has been nominated among the top 5 most promising technologies developed at ETH in 2024, the prestigious Spark Award !
After defending our nomination in front of a panel of experts, the winner will be announced in November during the ETH Industry Days.
August 2024
REEcover is in the news ! Following our report on the recovery of europium from spent energy saving lamps, our discovery was highlighted in the ETH news and in several news articles in English (ChemEurope), German (Das Spiegel and F.A.Z), French (RTS and Le Temps), Italian and even in Swedish.
July 2024
This month, Marie attended the European Chemistry Congress in Dublin to present her work on rare earth elements recycling. This conference is organized every two years by the European Chemical Society (EuChemS) and is the largest chemistry conference in Europe with over 1600 participants from all over the world, including two Nobel Laureates.
Marie had been selected as a finalist for the European Young Chemists’ Award, the highest recognition for PhD students in Europe, and could convince both the jury and the audience of the importance of recycling critical ressources and that the process we develop at REEcover lays ground for very promising achievements. She was awarded the gold medal as a recognition of her work !
The conference was also the opportunity to connect with other entrepreneurs in the field of green chemistry, with its founding father John Warner, who gave a talk along side Sonja Jost, co-founder and CEO of DUDE Chem.
June 2024
The first publication relevant to our recycling process was published in Nature Communications and is available in Open Access ! Thank you to everyone who has made this possible. Our patent as also been filled after corrections at the European level and should be published by the end of the year.
Then our co-founder Marie successfully presented her PhD work during her PhD Public Presentation on the 4th of June.
The presentation was held on the Hönggerberg campus of the ETH Zurich, and was followed by a lovely apero. Her work will lay the foundation of REEcover, and the expertise she has built in the chemistry of Rare Earth Elements will be much needed.
The activity of the startup will slow down as she is now focusing on writing her thesis and defend in November. But we are always available to discuss with industrial collaborators !
And of course, as the song goes, collect funding for scientific research ;)
April 2024
We kicked off April with a first impactful client meeting, laying the groundwork for exciting partnerships and collaborations ahead. These discussions underscored the growing recognition of the importance of sustainable solutions in the tech industry.
April also marked the end of the Circular Economy Incubator. The Demo Days, held in the Kraftwerk, was a momentous occasion for REEcover. We are humbled and thrilled to be awarded the best pitch by the audience, a validation of our dedication to sustainability and innovation. This honor also secured our extended membership at Impact Hub Zurich, further amplifying our resources and support network.
The momentum continued as Marie, our co-founder, showcased REEcover's vision and impact at the Polypitch event organized at ETH by the tele job student-run association. In front of a distinguished panel of experts, our pitch resonated strongly, earning us the 2nd place and a prize money of 2500 CHF. This achievement not only reaffirms the viability of our business model but also bolsters our financial resources, bringing our total funds raised to an impressive 7500 CHF.
As we reflect on the whirlwind of April, we're energized by the recognition and support we've received. These milestones fuel our determination to push boundaries, innovate relentlessly, and drive meaningful change in the clean tech landscape. Thank you to everyone who has been part of our journey so far. Together, we're building a more sustainable future, one rare earth element at a time.
March 2024
We were honored to be invited to the Spring Symposium of the young German Chemical Society (JCF) in Ulm, Germany. Marie, our co-founder, participated in a dynamic panel discussion on entrepreneurship in chemistry, alongside esteemed representatives from successful startups like Cyclize, venture capital funds, industry leaders, and even the pioneering founder of Green Chemistry, John Warner. It was an inspiring opportunity to exchange ideas, insights, and visions for the future of sustainable chemistry.
We're thrilled to announce that REEcover was selected to participate in the prestigious >>venture>> competition. While our early-stage status meant we didn't advance to the finals, we're excited to be part of the competition's mentoring program. This invaluable opportunity provides us with access to a diverse range of experts who will guide us as we navigate the challenges and opportunities ahead.
February 2024
Our CEO joined the Talent Kick 2024 Kick-off event at the University of Bern, where she could inspired the new generation of entrepreneurs during a panel discussion on entrepreneurship and studies.
This year, TK partnered with the >>venture>> competition, Switzerland’s leading startup competition, giving the opportunity to pitch in front of a panel of experts. REEcover was awarded the best pitch award from the jury !
Finally, we got the recording of the pitch made during the Startup Nights last November. We are still looking to recruit a Head of Process with a chemical engineer background and a strong drive to help us implement REEcover at an industrial scale.
December 2023.
The Ecosystem Connect Event in Zürich marked the end of the three-month Business Concept course from Innosuisse. REEcover was awarded the third place for the public vote for best pitch, winning the STARTUP CAMPUS Award after pitching in front of a panel of industry professionals, coaches, and investors.
We were warmly welcomed at the BLUBOX site of Veolia in Rubigen, which specializes in the mechanical recycling of spent lamps to recover glass and metal. On the other hand, the phosphor powder rich in REEs and contaminated with mercury is being landfilled. We could collect some of that phosphor powder to study our recycling process on a larger scale.
November 2023.
Thanks to the Talent Kick program, our CEO was able to pitch for REEcover in front of a large audience of entrepreneurs and investors at the biggest startup event in Switzerland: The Startup Nights, in Winterthur. It was un unvaluable opportunity to meet and connect with experienced and successful entrepreneurs.
After pitching during the Circular Economy Incubator Jury Night in Zurich in front of a panel of experts, REEcover was selected to join the National cohort for 23/24. This brings us closer to the Swiss recycling ecosystem and it was truly inspiring to see all the other amazing projects revolving around bringing circularity into our economy.
August 2023.
Eurecycle, rebranded as REEcover, joins the amazing Talent Kick program and with that gains it’s first financial support of CHF 5,000. Being part of the TK community allowed to bring together the co-founding team, and with the guidance and support of mentors to help us set our goals and reach them as effectively as possible.
