14. dets 2022
Early recognition and €20,000 grant fuel the launch of innovative battery recycling solution.
Jälle Technologies, originally known as BatCycle, has been named one of the three winners of the 29th round of the prestigious Prototron fund. Selected from a competitive field of early-stage technology ideas, the team was awarded €20,000 in non-dilutive funding to further develop its innovative solution for recycling end-of-life lithium-ion batteries.
The final event, held at the Proto discovery center in Tallinn, recognized BatCycle for its groundbreaking approach to transforming battery waste into valuable, reusable materials — a critical step toward reducing environmental impact and advancing the circular economy for energy storage.
Prototron’s expert panel highlighted BatCycle, along with fellow winners Smarif and Wayren, as the most promising and impactful ideas of the batch.
Brait Pilvik, CEO of Prototron, emphasized the importance of supporting early-stage innovation:
“We see strong potential in these teams to turn ambitious ideas into real-world solutions. Supporting this early stage is crucial for driving technological progress and sustainable impact.”
About the Team: Jälle Technologies was founded by a team of scientists with deep expertise in battery recycling, materials science, and sustainable technologies:
Kerli Liivand, PhD (Chief Technology Officer): A specialist in energy storage and carbon-based materials with over 15 years of research experience. Kerli leads technology development, focusing on advanced processes for battery material recovery and graphite upcycling.
Martin Jantson, MSc (Hydrometallurgical Engineer): With a background in metallurgical engineering, Martin specializes in optimizing hydrometallurgical processes for recovering critical materials from battery waste.
Reio Praats, MSc (R&D Manager): A materials scientist and chemist with experience in battery recycling and graphite valorization. Reio coordinates research activities and experimental development to drive innovative, efficient recycling solutions.
Ivar Kruusenberg, PhD (Advisor): An experienced deeptech entrepreneur and researcher specializing in battery technologies, carbon materials, and commercialization of scientific innovation. Ivar provides strategic guidance on process development and scaling.
About Prototron: Prototron is a joint initiative by Swedbank, TalTech, and the Tehnopol Science and Business Campus designed to help early-stage technology ideas reach market readiness faster. Since its launch, Prototron has supported nearly 100 teams with over €1.3 million in grant funding, helping those teams secure more than €85 million in follow-on investments and bringing impactful innovations to market.
This recognition marks an important early validation of Jälle Technologies’ mission to develop sustainable, scalable solutions for critical material recovery, supporting Europe’s transition to a low-carbon, circular economy.