Zurich, Switzerland — Grensol has been selected to participate in the prestigious SPRIN-D Tech Metal Transformation Challenge in Germany. The program aims to improve the onshore recovery of critical metals from waste streams such as smartphones in an economically and ecologically sustainable manner.

Under this initiative, Grensol will apply its Minerals and Photolysis technologies to end-of-life smartphones to recover critical metals on a laboratory scale. The project will be carried out in partnership with Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI), ETH Zurich, and HEIG-VD, combining expertise in materials science, engineering, and advanced recycling processes.

This participation marks an important step for Grensol in expanding its technology applications beyond automotive waste and demonstrates the company’s commitment to enabling circular material flows across different industries.

Click here for more information on SPRIN-D
About Grensol 
Founded in 2021, Grensol is an innovative recycling company committed to addressing the challenge of recovering valuable materials from highly complex waste streams. Grensol has developed a novel three-step process for extracting metals, minerals, and polymers from automotive shredder residues (ASR), reprocessing them into circular raw material inputs. The company’s first specialised facility is now operational in Solothurn.
In collaboration with research partners HEIG-VD, ETH Zurich and Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Grensol continues to push the boundaries of materials separation technology for waste that is currently incinerated or landfilled, while actively exploring new industry partnerships and expanding use cases for its platform — advancing a future where even today’s most difficult waste can be transformed into valuable resources. 
Grensol is supported by Innosuisse, the Swiss Federal Office of Environment, the Swiss Climate Foundation, the City of Zurich and BlueLion through their KlimUp programme, the Foundation of Swiss Auto Recyclers, Venture Kick, EPFL Innovation Park’s Tech4Regen accelerator, Impact Hub’s Circular Economy Transition incubator, and the W.A. de Vigier Foundation.