DREV Raises €2.8 Million Seed to Scale Contamination Control Technology for Battery Manufacturing
Swedish climate‑tech startup DREV has raised a €2.8 million seed funding round to accelerate the development and commercial deployment of its patented contamination control technology designed for the global battery manufacturing and recycling industry. The investment reflects strong investor confidence in DREV’s mission to enhance safety, operational efficiency and circularity in gigafactories and other advanced industrial facilities.
Founded in 2023 and headquartered in Gothenburg, Sweden, DREV is pioneering solutions that address a long‑overlooked challenge in battery production: microscopic “black dust” that is generated during manufacturing and recycling processes. This fine particulate matter — containing valuable metals such as nickel, cobalt, lithium and copper — poses health risks to workers, can degrade equipment performance and leads to loss of critical materials if not properly managed.
At the heart of DREV’s technology is its Vault series, a suite of mobile and stationary systems that capture and recover these hazardous particles at the source. By transforming what was once an industrial by‑product into a recoverable resource, Vault enhances workplace safety while enabling manufacturers to recoup valuable metals that would otherwise be lost to waste. The result is a solution that helps drive sustainable production and supports compliance with increasingly stringent regulatory frameworks such as the EU Battery Regulation and the Critical Raw Materials Act.
The €2.8 million seed round was co‑led by Butterfly Ventures, a Nordic deep‑tech venture capital firm with a focus on transformative industrial and sustainability technologies, and Almi Invest GreenTech, one of Sweden’s leading greentech investors that backs companies accelerating the transition to a more sustainable society. Participation in the round also came from S‑E‑Bankens Utvecklingsstiftelse, a Swedish development foundation, and Battle Born Venture, a U.S. state‑backed venture fund sponsored by Nevada.
In addition to these headline investors, DREV’s funding build‑up has been supported by early contributors including Unconventional Ventures, a venture firm known for backing diverse founders in impact tech, as well as participation in programmes like the Norrsken Accelerator, which included equity and mentorship support, and grants from public innovation funds such as EIT Manufacturing.
The infusion of capital will enable DREV to expand its engineering and product development capabilities, scale production of its Vault product line, and establish manufacturing operations in Gothenburg to support in‑house production. With gigafactories and recycling facilities rapidly increasing around the world to meet rising demand for electric vehicle batteries and energy storage systems, DREV’s solution is positioned to play a key role in ensuring both worker safety and efficient resource use across Europe and North America.
DREV’s founders bring deep industrial and technical expertise to the venture. Arelys Sosa, CEO and co‑founder, previously led major engineering and operational initiatives at Panasonic Energy Corporation of North America, including commissioning of multiple production lines at Tesla’s Gigafactory in Nevada. Co‑founder Thomas Tingelöf, serving as CTO/COO, holds a PhD in electrochemistry and has led development of next‑generation fuel cell power conversion systems in clean energy sectors. Their combined experience underpins the company’s credibility and strategic direction as it tackles complex manufacturing challenges.
Industry observers note that DREV’s technology arrives at a critical juncture for the battery sector, which faces dual pressures to expand capacity while meeting tighter environmental, social and governance (ESG) standards. By focusing on contamination control and material recovery — areas often overshadowed by core production and recycling technologies — DREV is carving out a niche that aligns with broader industry priorities including worker health, resource efficiency and regulatory compliance.
With the backing of its seed investors and strategic supporters, DREV is now preparing to scale both its technology and commercial operations. Future plans include broader deployments of its Vault systems across gigafactories and recycling sites, further product enhancements, and continued international expansion — moves that aim to bolster safety and sustainability across the rapidly evolving battery value chain.
The successful round marks a significant step for DREV as it transitions from early development to commercial execution, exemplifying the growing investor interest in innovative solutions that support the energy transition and sustainability imperatives of advanced manufacturing ecosystems.
