Who we are

Celle di pannelli fotovoltaici riciclate

9-Tech is a start-up
developing and improving technologies
to recover strategic raw materials from waste

silicio-recuperato-da-pannelli-fotovoltaici

From recycling

to upcycling

9-Tech is a start-up made up of a team of engineers and researchers who study and create prototypes, in particular develop new solutions to recover strategic materials from electronic waste.

9-Tech’s mission is to guarantee waste upcycling, i.e. the valorisation of the critical materials it contains. Among the technologies under study, the one with the highest TRL concerns the recycling of photovoltaic waste.

Thanks to the close collaboration with the Depuracque company, 9-Tech aims to sell photovoltaic panel recycling plants in Italy and Europe that will allow the recovery of more materials and with higher purity compared to existing solutions.

9-Tech also works in other research projects in the field of circular economy and ESG (Environmental – Social – Governance), supporting the design and construction of prototypes and developing technologies for which it holds patents.

Our history

Since its foundation on January 30, 2020, 9-Tech has been working on the construction of a pilot plant for recycling photovoltaic panels with the support of the EIT Raw Materials Booster and Accelerator project (1st and 2nd phases) (85k euros).

Authorizations for the pilot plant were requested in 2021 with the support of the Veritas group hosting the prototype. In addition, the company won the first prize in the competition held by VeNiSIA.

In 2022 the company won first prize in the Intesa SanPaolo ESG challenge which allowed the start-up to modify the pilot plant making it operational, carry out experiments on thermal and mechanical treatment, develop and patent a treatment to recover silver using reagents with low environmental impact and increase and extend patents.

The company currently owns 2 EU patents on photovoltaic recycling and another 4 have been filed.

The Depuracque company became a shareholder of the company with the aim of supporting the industrialization of the prototype.

In 2023 the company won Fortune Italy‘s Change the World Italia award and was included among the 10 best companies in the business sector for the circular economy (sustainable development award).

Since January 2023 it has started coordinating the European project PARSIVAL, a RIS Capacity Building project financed by EIT RawMaterials and since October it is participating in the horizon EVERPV project.

Furthermore, at the beginning of 2024 the testing in the experimental plant and the design of the 3000 ton/year plant in Porto Marghera (PV Lighthouse project) were completed.

The authorization process for the plant began in 2024.