Investor Day: Fueling the Future of Raw Materials Innovation
Europe's raw materials innovators often battle the perilous "valley of death" for scaling finance. The Investor Day at the 7th EIT RawMaterials Summit brought 30 selected startups together with 40 leading investors to bridge this gap and pave the way to commercial maturity.
Fireside chat, Investor Day 2025 with Rita Sousa (centre), Partner at Faber VC; Sofia Delgado(right), CEO of SeamoreTech, moderated by Anna Gambau.
The race to secure a sustainable, resource-efficient future is intensifying, and Europe's raw materials innovators are leading the charge toward a climate-neutral, industrially competitive tomorrow. Yet these pioneers face a persistent challenge: the perilous "valley of death", where startups, despite having proven their technology in labs, struggle to secure the capital needed to scale up production and reach commercial success.
At the 7th EIT RawMaterials Summit in Brussels, Europe's leading raw materials event, a dedicated Investor Day was held to address this critical challenge. The event provided a vital platform for facilitating connections between promising startups and the investors needed to scale their solutions.
From circular economy disruptors to game-changing advanced materials technologies, 30 selected startups from the EIT RawMaterials portfolio delivered rapid-fire pitches to an audience of 40 investors representing leading venture capital firms including Alpha Future Funds, Bpifrance, and Finindus.
Bringing together a thriving ecosystem
“I feel great energy here, which is a good reflection of the innovation ecosystem around the raw materials sector,” said Rita Sousa, partner of Faber VC. The Lisbon-based venture capital firm is a specialist investor in early-stage deep-tech startups, driving digital transformation, ocean sustainability and climate action. “We see an increasing number of startups and flow of investment into this space, driven by industry needs” she added.
The firm was an early supporter of Seamoretech, a Portuguese startup pioneering the recovery of critical raw materials like magnesium and lithium from desalination brine while generating fresh water. The startup also pitched their solution at the event. “Investor Day allows us to not only access startups but also to network with potential co-investors and corporate partners for the startups in our portfolio,” Sousa added.
Long-lasting Exposure and Impact
Helias Andriessen, Phos Cycle pitching their phosphorus recycling solution to investors.
Among the innovators presenting was Phos Cycle, a UK-based startup, which has developed an innovative technology to recover phosphates. Phosphates are a key fertiliser component critical to EU food security; however, the region has no large-scale phosphate mining operations and is highly dependent on imports. Phos Cycle's process extracts phosphates from industrial waste streams, such as expired fire extinguisher powder, and converts them into a high-quality, clean, sustainable fertiliser, helping reduce Europe’s reliance on geopolitically sensitive supply chains. “Events like this help us fast-track connections, investment, and partnerships,” said Helias Andriessen, Managing Director of Phos Cycle.
With an upcoming Series A funding round to support its expansion from the UK into the Netherlands, Phos Cycle used the Investor Day to connect with both investors and industry players through the pitch session and one-on-one meetings. “Many investors and two companies that mine phosphate rock approached us. This type of exposure is critical for us, not just on the day itself, but also in the weeks to follow,” Andriessen said.
The startup has also received equity investment from EIT RawMaterials, helping to accelerate its path to market. “EIT RawMaterials’ support has been absolutely critical in bridging the gap from R&D to scaling as a profitable business,” Andriessen said.
Closing the Gap as an Impact Investor
“Startups that have shown success often find themselves in a difficult position — they are often too junior for banks, yet already too big for traditional venture capital. This leaves them falling between the cracks,” explained Antony Slotboom, Director of Access to Finance at EIT RawMaterials, at the opening of Investor Day.
EIT RawMaterials is actively bridging this gap through a multi-faceted approach. The organisation has built a global network of more than 100 investors, helping startups gain access to crucial capital and find partnerships.
Beyond facilitating connections, EIT RawMaterials leads the ERMA Booster Call programme, offering startups, scale-ups, and mining projects for up to €2.5 million in funding.
To date, EIT RawMaterials has supported over 800 startups, launched 40 spin-offs, and brought 300 new products to market.
“Raw materials is a tougher road than many other sectors, and we see ourselves as a partner to these startups on this long journey," Slotboom said.
Explore EIT RawMaterials' funding programmes and connect with the Access to Finance team.
