Circularity of Critical Metals – Collaborative Projects
Circularity of Critical Metals – Collaborative Projects supports research teams developing scalable recovery, reuse, and recycling solutions for critical metals to advance circularity in end-of-life products.
Funder: Volkswagen Foundation
Due Dates: January 14, 2027 (Online Q&A) | February 15, 2027, 2:00 p.m. CET (Application)
Funding Amounts: Up to €1.2 million in direct project costs for up to three years, plus eligible supplementary funding
Summary: Supports collaborative research developing scalable recovery, reuse, and recycling solutions for critical metals in end-of-life products and electronic waste.
Key Information: Teams need two to three doctoral-qualified investigators, with the lead PI holding a position in Germany beyond guest status.
Description
The Volkswagen Foundation supports innovative technologies and concepts for circular reuse and recycling of rare earth elements and other critical metals. Part of its Societal Transformations profile area, this call focuses on end-of-life products and collected electronic waste. It addresses rising demand from the energy transition and digitalisation, limited natural reserves, and the early stage of industrial recycling for many metals.
Research may improve recovery rates, separate complex material composites, develop electrochemical or biotechnological recovery, scale laboratory pilots, or optimise product design for recycling. Practical relevance and scalability should shape projects from the outset. The programme centres on engineering and natural sciences, potentially combined with computer science or economics/business, and favours interdisciplinary teams engaging industry or other stakeholders. Funding is exclusively for scientific research, not company support or innovation funding.
