The German Federal Agency for Breakthrough Innovation (SPRIND) has announced the Tech Metal Transformation Challenge, marking an important milestone in the transatlantic partnership with the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF). The challenge aims to accelerate access to technology metals and critical materials recovered from complex e-waste streams.

The announcement follows the launch event held in Munich on July 30. The speech by Dr. Erwin Gianchandani, Assistant Director of the NSF Directorate for Technology, Innovation and Partnerships (NSF TIP), underlines the joint commitment to disruptive innovation in the field of critical metals. This effort builds on the NSF–SPRIND partnership established last year to foster disruptive innovation on both sides of the Atlantic. By applying the proven SPRIND Challenge model to this program, the initiative puts rapid execution, short time-to-money, and minimal administrative burden at the center — enabling innovators to focus fully on developing transformative solutions.

Technology metals are essential for modern technologies and industries, yet supply chains remain vulnerable and resource-intensive. The SPRIND Tech Metal Transformation Challenge provides up to six million euros per team over three years for up to eight interdisciplinary teams of researchers, entrepreneurs and industry to develop pioneering solutions that extract and transform valuable materials from complex waste. The goal is to boost the circular economy and build resilient, sustainable supply chains.

In parallel, the NSF Directorate for Technology, Innovation and Partnerships plans to announce a complementary U.S.-based effort under the NSF TIP Tech Metal Transformation Program in the coming months. Together, these initiatives will expand opportunities for cutting-edge research, technology development and knowledge sharing across the Atlantic.