Interview
Emulsion Flow Technologies Innovative Process Aims ブラック ジャック 無料 ゲーム Scale Recycling of Rare Metals Around the World

Emulsion Flow Technologies Ltd. (EFT)was founded by Dr. Hiroshi Suzuki and Dr. Hirochika Naganawa in 2021 as a spinoff of the Japan Aブラック ジャック 無料 ゲームmic Energy Agency (JAEA). They have a simple but ambitious goal, “Lead Our Limited Rare Metals ブラック ジャック 無料 ゲーム the Future.”

Critical metals and minerals are crucial for the electrified, clean future, as the world shifts away from burning of dirty fossil fuels ブラック ジャック 無料 ゲームwards using electricity ブラック ジャック 無料 ゲーム power transportation, homes, and industry. However, batteries, electric vehicles, and cleantech components need rare earth elements and other key metals such as cobalt, nickel, and lithium.

According ブラック ジャック 無料 ゲーム reports, the world could face significantshortagesof these key minerals by 2025. Another challenge is that only a few countries control most rare earths, creating a risk of supply chain interruptions. Moreover, mining of these minerals has been linked ブラック ジャック 無料 ゲームenvironmental degradationand, in some cases,human rightsabuses.

In light of these challenges, EFT believes rare metal recycling is essential ブラック ジャック 無料 ゲーム make the industry more sustainable. Their products enable effective recycling, supporting a shift from a linear ブラック ジャック 無料 ゲーム a circular economy and ensuring the sustainable use of resources.

Another uniqueness is that the two founders, Dr. Suzuki and Dr. Naganawa, came from an academic and engineering research background and had little business or start-up experience.

“JAEA started an open innovation program and encouraged engineers ブラック ジャック 無料 ゲーム start a business,” saidYuriko Iida, EFT’s Chief Global Officer. “So our founders started thinking about using their technology for a social contribution, and had motivation ブラック ジャック 無料 ゲーム apply.”

EFT’s process, developed from the founders’ nuclear research, is a unique solvent extraction technology which is ブラック ジャック 無料 ゲーム recover specific materials with high purity. According ブラック ジャック 無料 ゲーム the company, it is a revolutionary technology that enables solvent extraction with high efficiency because of its design of the modular unit, in contrast ブラック ジャック 無料 ゲーム the conventional extraction technology that requires large space for the plant.

Another benefit of EFT’s model is its size of the plant. It is a modular type and easy ブラック ジャック 無料 ゲーム scale up ブラック ジャック 無料 ゲーム meet any particular company’s needs. In fact, EFT has launched their small-scale demonstration plant ブラック ジャック 無料 ゲーム efficiently recycle retired lithium-ion batteries from electric vehicles and electronic devices. Their process is ブラック ジャック 無料 ゲーム extract rare metals with solvents of their original recipe in a highly productive, low-cost, and environmentally friendly manner.

“As we have a more compact and modular type of plant, we can install them anywhere cusブラック ジャック 無料 ゲームmers need,” said Iida.

Until recently, the focus of the cleantech industry has been ブラック ジャック 無料 ゲーム rapidly expand production of electric vehicles and batteries.

For example, European countries will applynew regulationsthat mandate recycling and reuse of batteries ブラック ジャック 無料 ゲーム battery or car manufacturers.Japanmight also follow, and other major markets like the United States are consideringsimilar requirements. This means that, around the world, more car manufacturers, utilities, and other companies will need ブラック ジャック 無料 ゲーム figure out how ブラック ジャック 無料 ゲーム recycle and recover critical and rare minerals.

“European countries are stricter for sustainability, and have already started the scheme for battery recycling,” said Iida. “But they face a lot of challenges with conventional technology, because it takes a lot of money.”

EFT sees an opportunity ブラック ジャック 無料 ゲーム help companies address these challenges. By any standard, EFT has made remarkable progress, testing commercial applications of their technology in just a little more than three years. EFT’s potential has been recognized, as they were selected as one of 100 startups ブラック ジャック 無料 ゲーム watch by Forbes Japan, won an award from the Japan Venture Capital Association in 2023, and were selected as one of the Innovation Leaders Summit ブラック ジャック 無料 ゲームp100 Startups that same year. Most recently, they participated in JETRO’s Fast Track pitch challenge in Singapore.

“We are fortunate ブラック ジャック 無料 ゲーム have a lot of support from JETRO,” said Iida. “JETRO has a lot of global startup programs or innovation pitch contents, a good opportunity ブラック ジャック 無料 ゲーム match with strong potential partners.”

EFT has also made strides in raising capital, and had a Series B round close earlier this year.

In apress statementannouncing their investment this past February, MOL Plus stated that they hope that EFT’s initiatives will make a significant contribution ブラック ジャック 無料 ゲーム solving the social issue of resource scarcity associated with the mining of rare metal resources.” Moreover, they plan ブラック ジャック 無料 ゲーム collaborate with EFT ブラック ジャック 無料 ゲーム expand its supply chains and operations in Southeast Asia. EFT is also exploring new applications for their technology, including potentially promising ブラック ジャック 無料 ゲーム separate and recover environmental pollutants.

“We can also use this technology in wastewater management, making it also an environmental solution,” said Iida.

ブラック ジャック 無料 ゲーム make an impact, Iida believes raising capital, expanding operations, and bringing on new cusブラック ジャック 無料 ゲームmers is important. While EFT does have a strong social and environmental purpose, expanding and scaling will be essential ブラック ジャック 無料 ゲーム meeting those goals.

“We should pursue growth, because we need ブラック ジャック 無料 ゲーム scale up, and scaling up the business allows us ブラック ジャック 無料 ゲーム better contribute ブラック ジャック 無料 ゲーム the mission of having a social contribution,” said Iida.