Amid the energy and digital transition, Europe is facing a strategic vulnerability: its dependence on imported critical raw materials. To help address this challenge, M.I.R.A. s.r.l. (Microwave Innovation for Resource Activation) has officially been launched as a new spin-off of the University of Brescia.
The new company will focus on the development and industrial deployment of cutting-edge technologies for the circular economy. Its primary objective is to recover valuable and critical metals—such as lithium, nickel, cobalt, and manganese—from end-of-life materials, with particular emphasis on spent batteries from electric vehicles and consumer electronics.
The official announcement was made in Brescia during the conference “Batteries and Critical Raw Materials – Challenges and Opportunities for the Circular Economy”, the closing event of the Tech4Lib research project, funded by Fondazione Cariplo and carried out in partnership with the INSTM Consortium and the Sant’Anna School of Advanced Studies.
Bridging Science and Industry
M.I.R.A. brings together academic excellence and industrial expertise. The founding partners include:
- Elza Bontempi
- Laura E. Depero
- Maria Antonietta Vincenti
- Alberto Mannu (researchers and professors at the University of Brescia)
- Cristian Fracassi, renowned Italian engineer and entrepreneur, who will serve as Chief Executive Officer (CEO).
“Our goal is to transform research into practical solutions capable of addressing the challenges of sustainability, secure raw material supply, and industrial competitiveness,” the founders stated.
From Research to Market
M.I.R.A. builds on the results of the Tech4Lib and CARAMEL research projects, which developed innovative hydrometallurgical and low-impact thermal processes for recycling end-of-life batteries.
Professor Laura E. Depero emphasized:
“Every technology that reaches the market begins with fundamental research. The challenge for universities is to create the conditions that allow scientific results to generate value for society, support businesses, and contribute to the ecological transition.”
Beyond Batteries
Although electric mobility is the company’s initial target market, M.I.R.A.’s technologies have much broader applications. According to co-founder Alberto Mannu, they can also be used to recover valuable resources from other complex waste streams.
One particularly promising application is the recovery of phosphorus from sewage sludge ash. Phosphorus is an essential element for agriculture and fertilizer production, yet it is also classified as a critical raw material by the European Union due to limited natural reserves. Recovering it from waste represents a significant step toward a truly circular urban economy.
Strengthening Europe’s Strategic Autonomy
The launch of M.I.R.A. aligns with the European Union’s increasingly ambitious recycling targets under the EU Batteries Regulation and broader efforts to secure the supply of critical raw materials. Developing a local recycling value chain is no longer only an environmental objective—it is also a strategic necessity for ensuring Europe’s industrial resilience and competitiveness.
With this new spin-off, the University of Brescia further strengthens its position as a leading scientific and technological hub supporting Italy’s energy transition and the development of a sustainable circular economy.
The news was positively considered by newspapers and websites devoted to energy innovation (as ANSA). See for example:
https://www.instagram.com/p/Daw8DVStS7O/
https://www.canaleenergia.com/rubriche/economia-circolare/nasce-mira-universita-brescia-lancia-spin-off-recupero-materie-prime-critiche/
https://30science.com/2026/07/news/innovazione-nasce-m-i-r-a-lo-spin-off-delluniversita-di-brescia-per-recuperare-le-materie-prime-critiche/
https://www.energiamercato.it/notizie/enertech/mira-spin-off-unibs-recupero-materie-prime-critiche
https://www.ansa.it/canale_scienza/notizie/energia/2026/07/17/tecnologia-italiana-per-recuperare-litio-e-nichel-da-fanghi-e-batterie-esauste_8e7aeb8e-f53f-47fd-802d-e77fbff2d73c.html
