Luxembourg’s R3 Robotics raises €20m for EV disassembly

R3 Robotics, formerly Circu Li‑ion, has secured €20m to industrialise automated electric vehicle (EV) system disassembly, combining a €14m Series A with €6m in European grants. The fundraising coincides with the company’s rebrand and broadening scope from battery packs to full EV systems, including e‑drives and power electronics. Its long‑term goal is to achieve fully automated disassembly across entire vehicle systems.

How the funding strengthens the company’s trajectory

The Series A was co‑led by HG Ventures and Suma Capital, with participation from Oetker Collection KG and the European Innovation Council Fund, as well as existing investors including BonVenture, FlixFounders and EIT Urban Mobility. European public grants bring the total to €20m.

With these funds, the company is now scaling deployments across Europe, expanding capacity at its existing sites, hiring additional engineering and robotics talent and preparing for entry into the US market. The rebrand from Circu Li‑ion to R3 Robotics took place alongside the fundraising and reflects its industrial focus on repair, reuse and recycle.

From policy demand to practical industrial capability

Europe’s dependence on imported critical minerals, together with rising end‑of‑life EV volumes, creates an urgent need for cost‑effective, safe disassembly that feeds recycling and reuse. Policy is accelerating this shift, notably the Critical Raw Materials Act, the EU Battery Regulation with a 70% recycling target for lithium‑ion batteries by 2030 and the End‑of‑Life Vehicles Directive. 

R3 Robotics’ automation platform combines computer vision, AI and specialised robotic tooling to dismantle battery packs, e‑drives, motors, power electronics and other high‑voltage components at industrial throughput, reducing human exposure and improving unit economics. The company operates a site in Karlsruhe, Germany, with 1,500‑tonne annual battery processing capacity and maintains an R&D and pilot facility in Luxembourg. 

Enabling growth from Luxembourg

The company participated in the 12^th edition of the Fit 4 Start programme, Luxembourg’s leading accelerator, which supports early‑stage ventures in building solid commercial and technical foundations. It was later selected for the Fit 4 Scale pilot programme helping advanced-stage start-ups on an accelerated growth trajectory that have plans for international expansion. Its progress highlights how startups can benefit from Luxembourg as an ideal starting point for operating across Europe. The ability to attract international investors, respond to strategic European challenges and scale beyond national borders reflects the advantages of building from a well‑connected and supportive environment.