Altilium, a UK-based clean technology group focused on supporting the transition to net zero, has today attended a high level meeting with UK Minister for Investment, Baroness Gustafsson CBE, at the British Embassy in Tokyo, along with senior representatives from two of its strategic shareholders, leading Japanese trading and investment group Marubeni Corporation and Mizuho Bank.

During the meeting, Altilium co-founders Dr. Christian Marston and Kamran Mahdavi shared details of the company’s strategic partnership with Marubeni and highlighted the critical role that Japanese investment is playing in supporting the scale-up and commercialisation of UK clean tech innovation.

The UK and Japan are at the forefront of the transition to zero emission vehicles and the meeting underlined both countries’ commitment to achieving net zero by 2050. Strengthening international collaboration in the development of new battery technologies and sustainable industry supply chains will be critical to achieving these ambitions.

Following the publication of the UK’s Modern Industrial Strategy last month, the discussion also centred on the importance of creating a robust and dynamic investment landscape in the UK, supporting the creation of new green industries, skilled jobs and economic growth.

Dr. Christian Marston, COO of Altilium, commented: “We’re proud to be working with our foundation investors Marubeni and Mizuho, who share our vision for a sustainable energy future. Together, we are building the foundations of a secure and low-carbon battery supply chain, which is essential to the UK’s energy independence and industrial growth. Their investment is more than just financial—it’s a vote of confidence in UK innovation and the global potential of our green processing technology.”

Japan is one of the UK’s most important investment partners, with inward investment of more than £86 billion at the end of 2023 and bilateral trade of £31 billion in 2024.

Earlier this year, Altilium secured significant strategic investments from Marubeni and Mizuho, two of Japan’s most prestigious companies, under its Series B raise. By supporting the scale-up of Altilium’s innovative EV battery recycling technology, their investment is accelerating the growth of a new industry in the UK, creating a domestic circular economy for the critical raw materials needed for the transition to net zero and helping to decarbonise EV supply chains.

Altilium’s proprietary EcoCathode™ recycling process can recover over 95% of the cathode metals from EV battery waste, in a format that can be directly reused in battery manufacturing, with up to 74% lower GHG emissions compared to mined materials and 20% lower costs.

The engagement comes at a pivotal time for the UK battery sector, one of six priority manufacturing industries identified in the government’s Advanced Manufacturing Sector Plan. Employing 10,500 individuals across the UK, the sector is critical to driving innovation, economic growth and job creation.