KARLSRUHE, Germany — R3 Robotics (formerly Circu Li-ion) has closed a €20 million funding round to industrialize the automated dismantling of electric vehicle (EV) drivetrains. The capital, a mix of a €14 million Series A and €6 million in public grants, signals a major shift in the European circular economy from simple battery recycling to full-system recovery.
The round was led by HG Ventures and Suma Capital, with participation from the EIC Fund, Oetker Collection, and BONVENTURE.
From Batteries to Drivetrains
The rebranding to R3 Robotics (Repair, Reuse, and Recycle) marks an evolution in the company’s technical scope. While initial efforts focused on lithium-ion cells, the new injection of capital will scale AI-driven platforms capable of disassembling complete power electronics and e-motors.
“The bottleneck for the circular economy isn’t the recycling chemistry; it’s the feedstock,” said Antoine Welter, CEO of R3 Robotics. “Manual disassembly is too slow and hazardous to meet the 2030 targets. We are providing the industrial infrastructure to automate the safety-critical first step of the recycling chain.”
Strategic Industry Alignment
The company’s growth is anchored by its flagship facility in Karlsruhe, which serves as a blueprint for planned expansion into France and, eventually, the United States in 2026.
R3 Robotics has fortified its leadership by appointing Peter Mohnen, former CEO of robotics giant KUKA, to its advisory board. This move, alongside a strategic partnership with Fortum Battery Recycling, positions the company at the intersection of high-end industrial automation and waste management.
Navigating the EU Mandate
The timing of the raise is strategic. As the EU Critical Raw Materials Act places stricter requirements on domestic sourcing, R3’s technology offers a way for OEMs to recover rare-earth magnets and copper directly from end-of-life vehicles.
By automating the extraction of high-value components, R3 Robotics enables a “clean feedstock” supply that traditional shredding methods cannot match, preserving the purity of materials for direct reuse in new EV production lines.
About R3 Robotics
Based in Luxembourg and Germany, R3 Robotics develops AI-powered robotic systems for the circular economy. Founded by Antoine Welter and Dr. Xavier Kohll, the company specializes in the automated disassembly of electrified systems to secure sustainable supply chains.
Website: r3robotics.ai
