UP Catalyst raises €18 million to advance the EU’s critical raw material production

UP Catalyst, a Tallinn-based business being experts in changing commercial carbon dioxide discharges right into in your area created vital basic materials, has actually safeguarded an EUR18 million finance from the European Financial Investment Financial Institution (EIB).

This funding is critical for scaling up the molten salt electrolysis procedure, making it possible for the exercise of carbon dioxide in bigger quantities to create high-performance products for batteries, support devices, paints, layers, polymers, and concrete. UP Stimulant procedure apparently calls for much less power than typical fossil-based options.

“ Protecting EIB’s funding is crucial turning point for UP Stimulant as it straight sustains the business’s calculated goal to attend to the expanding deficiency of graphite– an important resources in the EU, the United States, Korea and Japan,” stated UP Stimulant Ceo Rait Maasikas “ Dealing With the EIB not just verifies our cutting-edge modern technology and neighborhood manufacturing abilities however additionally signifies to the marketplace that UP Stimulant goes to the leading edge of enhancing the durability of EU sectors and production in the shift to an extra independent item supply chain.“

Established In 2019, UP Stimulant changes commercial carbon dioxide discharges right into expense affordable, high-grade and energy-efficient graphite and carbon nanotubes for electrical car batteries and a variety of various other applications, consisting of paints and layers, polymers and concrete.

In 2024, the business opened their very own internal item screening and recognition, and a brand-new manufacturing center for carbon products in Estonia. According to the business, they have actually accomplished the most affordable carbon impact for carbon nanotubes and among the most affordable for battery-grade graphite, as validated by its cradle-to-gate Life process Analysis (LCA).

UP Stimulant intends to transform a quarter of a million lots of carbon dioxide right into carbon-neutral basic materials by 2030. In March 2025, the business was picked as a critical task companion by the European Payment under the Important Raw Products Act (CRMA).

According to numbers offered to EU-Startups, the worldwide graphite supply void is forecasted to get to almost 800,000 statistics tonnes by 2030. With Europe bookkeeping for roughly 15% of that shortage, UP Stimulant intends to provide approximately 50% of the area’s graphite need void with its organized scale-up.

“ An essential column for us is to fund cutting-edge net-zero innovations that can aid to minimize damaging influence on our environment and atmosphere while enhancing Europe’s competition,” stated EIB Vice-President Thomas Östros “ UP Stimulant symbolizes this vision by introducing carbon capture and exercise options that are both cutting-edge and impactful. We are thrilled to sustain them in scaling their procedures and progressing lasting innovations that will certainly form the future of Europe’s environment-friendly shift“

The EIB financing, which takes the kind of endeavor financial obligation, will certainly be made use of to progress the European Union’s objectives of combating environment modification, minimizing import dependence and enhancing the sophisticated production field.

UP Stimulant has actually effectively scaled its modern technology from research laboratory to industrial range, with item efficiency being confirmed in massive battery cells making use of GEN3alpha in 2025.

The business has additionally just recently validated that its graphite satisfies the high quality requirements of fossil-based options, highlighting its prospective as a neighborhood and lasting substitute in the power storage space and support sectors.

With assistance from the EIB, the business prepares to better increase manufacturing to 270 tonnes of carbon nanotubes and 1,350 tonnes of environment-friendly graphite annually by 2027– a scale-up that will certainly need the exercise of roughly 6,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide yearly.

The EIB assistance is backed by the InvestEU campaign. The procedure belongs to the EIB InvestEU Warranty Contract, concentrating on lasting vital basic materials. The EU prioritises these products to make sure a protected supply for its sectors.

The message UP Catalyst raises €18 million to advance the EU’s critical raw material production showed up initially on EU-Startups.