Global Queen — Sarah Fleischer

Founding a start-up is easy, but persevering can prove tricky - says Sarah Fleischer, CEO of tozero, one of Europe's first companies to recycle lithium from car batteries. Together with her co-founder, she is making her mark in an industry previously dominated by men. Last year, they won a global competition for deep-tech start-ups, which brought them a lot of international attention. “tozero” is the third company that Sarah Fleischer has founded.

 

Fighting the climate crisis

She and her co-founder were clear that they wanted their start-up to help combat the climate crisis. The Munich-based company wants to recover 80% of the raw materials from lithium-ion batteries using a specially developed process. The energy transition has led to a rise in global demand for lithium – it could triple by 2030. There are very few lithium deposits in Europe, making recycling all the more important. However, only 5% of all batteries worldwide are recycled, resulting in 8 million tons of toxic waste. tozero uses organic additives in the recycling process to avoid chemical waste. Sarah Fleischer's assertiveness and motivation are infectious; she has found her own take on building a start-up, and on the failures along the way, especially as a woman. Failure is crucial, she says, as it is the only way to develop the necessary resilience. Because “work-life balance” is an allusive concept for start-up founders, she has to constantly remind herself to take care of her body and mental health.

 

Building the future

The sector is set to expand over the coming years thanks to the contribution recycling lithium makes to the circular economy. It also reduces a need for mining, cuts water usage and CO2 emissions. Both China and the USA already boast established markets and a high-level of interest.
The 32-year-old Harvard alumna says she allows her intuition to guide her – and tries not to be too hard on herself. Both qualities that bode well for a rosy future.