UK battery innovation benefits from Japanese trip

UK cleantech company Altilium has met Japanese investors to boost battery recycling.

Altilium plans to scale up its EcoCathode battery recycling technology by securing a new round of backing. Company co-founders Christian Marston and Kamran Mahdavi pitched their strategy to leading trading and financial groups at an event organised by the British embassy in Tokyo.

UK Minister for Investment Baroness Gustafsson was part of the delegation.

Fast-growing market

Altilium’s technology recovers over 95% of battery cathode metals. Its approach does so while boasting 74% lower emissions and 20% lower costs than virgin materials.

The recycling innovator sees the UK electric vehicle battery market as a rapidly growing sector. It was was worth EUR 2.3 billion in 2023 with analysts expecting it to top EUR 8.6 billion by 2030. This represents compound annual growth of 21.2%.

Innovative future

Marston, chief operating officer of Altilium, comments: ‘We’re proud to be working with our foundation investors Marubeni and Mizuho. Their investment is more than just financial – it’s a vote of confidence in UK innovation and the global potential of our green processing technology.

‘Together, we are building the foundations of a secure and low-carbon battery supply chain, which is essential to the UK’s energy independence and industrial growth.’

Japan represents one of the UK’s most significant investment partners. Total inward investment exceeded EUR 98 billion in 2023, with bilateral trade worth EUR 35 billion in 2024.