Evergreen Lithium Recycling signs a technology‑licensing deal with IIT Bombay to cut battery‑recycling costs by 30–40% and strengthen India’s urban‑mining ecosystem.
Evergreen Lithium Recycling teams up with IIT Bombay
Battery‑recycling startup Evergreen Lithium Recycling (operating under the brand Recyclekaro) has entered into a technology‑licensing agreement with the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IIT Bombay) to advance the extraction of critical minerals from spent batteries. The partnership aims to strengthen indigenous innovation and accelerate India’s transition to clean energy by making battery recycling faster, cheaper, and more scalable.
Through this collaboration, Recyclekaro will adopt and deploy IIT Bombay’s patented process technologies for recovering battery‑precursor‑related critical minerals, such as lithium, cobalt, nickel, and manganese. The licensed methods are designed to streamline preprocessing, leaching, and purification stages, reducing energy use, chemical consumption, and overall operational complexity.
Lowering recycling costs and boosting efficiency
The core objective of the partnership is to cut battery‑recycling processing costs by 30–40% while improving yield and purity of recovered materials. By optimising reagent use, shortening processing cycles, and integrating automation‑friendly unit operations, IIT Bombay’s technology enables Recyclekaro to handle larger volumes of spent lithium‑ion batteries at lower unit cost.
This cost‑optimisation will directly benefit India’s electric‑vehicle (EV) and renewable‑energy storage sectors, which rely on stable supplies of critical minerals. Recycling batteries domestically at competitive prices reduces dependence on imported raw materials and strengthens the local value chain for battery manufacturing and reuse.
Building a scalable circular‑economy platform
The collaboration marks a key step in Recyclekaro’s broader mission to build scalable, technology‑driven solutions for India’s emerging circular economy. By combining IIT Bombay’s R&D capabilities with Recyclekaro’s industrial‑scale operations, the partnership aims to scale urban‑mining and resource‑recovery systems across the country.
The licensed technology supports end‑to‑end material‑recovery workflows, from battery collection and dismantling to hydrometallurgical treatment and final product formulation. Recyclekaro expects these upgrades to expand its capacity for processing consumer electronics, EV batteries, and industrial‑scale battery packs, turning waste streams into valuable inputs for new batteries and industrial chemicals.
Anchoring India’s critical‑minerals security
At a time when India is prioritising critical‑mineral security and the localisation of battery‑supply chains, the IIT Bombay – Recyclekaro partnership reinforces the country’s push toward self‑reliance in battery materials. Domestic recycling can supplement primary mining by supplying high‑grade, recycled precursors for cathode‑active materials and other battery‑grade chemicals.
By lowering the cost and improving the efficiency of recycling operations, the collaboration helps align India’s circular‑economy ambitions with its clean‑energy and electric‑mobility goals. The model also demonstrates how academic research can translate into commercial infrastructure that supports national policy priorities and global sustainability targets.
Industry‑ academia synergy for resource recovery
Rajesh Gupta, Founder and Managing Director of Recyclekaro, highlighted the importance of industry–academia collaboration in building a robust critical‑minerals ecosystem. “Building a robust critical minerals ecosystem in India requires strong collaboration between industry and academia,” he said. “Our partnership with IIT Bombay is a strategic step towards enhancing process efficiency while also investing in indigenous innovation, talent, and infrastructure.”
Gupta added that such R&D‑driven collaborations will play a pivotal role in shaping India’s position in the global resource‑recovery and recycling landscape. By embedding academic research into industrial operations, Recyclekaro gains access to cutting‑edge process‑design principles, while IIT Bombay sees its innovations deployed at real‑world scale, closing the loop between lab‑scale discovery and commercial deployment.
Driving innovation in battery recycling
Through this partnership, Recyclekaro aims to further strengthen its technological capabilities, drive innovation in battery‑recycling processes, and develop sustainable, commercially viable solutions for India’s future material needs. The company plans to integrate the licensed technology into its existing plants and replication models, then expand the platform to new geographies and battery‑chemistries as demand grows.
The initiative also supports workforce development by creating opportunities for students, researchers, and engineers to work on applied projects in hydrometallurgy, process optimisation, and circular‑design. Collectively, the collaboration positions India to emerge as a technology‑forward player in the global battery‑recycling and urban‑mining sectors, underpinned by strong science, indigenous innovation, and climate‑conscious industrial practice.
Disclaimer
The information in this article is based on available public sources and official statements as of the time of publication. While we aim for accuracy, we do not guarantee completeness or correctness. We advise readers to verify key details from official sources before making any decisions. The website (iitiimsamvaad.com) is not liable for any loss or damage arising from the use of this content. The authors are also not responsible for any such loss or damage.