We are excited to feature Raffaele Nacchiero, CEO of AraBat, a circular economy startup that has developed a cost-effective and sustainable hydrometallurgical process to recycle lithium batteries using agri-food waste. The venture was co-founded by Raffaele Nacchiero, CEO, Giovanni Miccolis, COO, Leonardo Binetti, CTO, and Vincenzo Scarano, CMO.
The company provides recycling services to battery manufacturers and sells recovered critical raw materials like lithium, cobalt, and nickel. Beyond recycling, it engages in renewable energy production, circular process development, and green economy consultancy, with sustainability at the core of its strategy.
AraBat is one of the 54 selected companies in Cohort 2 and part of the Circular Models for Cities & Regions group.
What’s the biggest industry problem that you’re tackling and how?
The biggest problems in battery recycling are the inefficiency, high costs, and environmental impact of existing processes. Pyrometallurgy consumes extreme amounts of energy (>1000°C) and releases high CO₂ emissions, while conventional hydrometallurgy relies on toxic inorganic acids and complex waste management. These methods also typically recover only ~70% of lithium, leading to material losses.
AraBat solves this by developing a bio-based hydrometallurgical process that replaces harsh chemicals with organic acids and plant waste (like orange peels!), operating at low temperatures (<90°C), cutting CO₂ emissions, and eliminating NOx/SOx emissions.
Our solution ensures higher metal recovery, lower costs, and full regulatory compliance, making battery recycling truly circular and sustainable.
What keeps you awake at night about your startup?
Inspired by Rust Cohle’s iconic words in True Detective, as CEO of AraBat, I can say: “I don’t sleep; I just dream.”
What keeps me awake at night is not fear, but the excitement of waking up the next morning to chase new technologies, new visions, new capital, and new partners, building our Orange Dream from Puglia into something even greater. We are driven by a mission to decarbonize the planet, reduce waste, and bridge the widening gap between humanity and nature.
Our goal is to close the loop with bio-based recycling systems, creating a truly circular and sustainable economy. It’s an ambitious, disruptive vision, too bold for some, but if it weren’t, it wouldn’t be worth the fight. We are risking everything to challenge the status quo, to break through the barriers of power and industry lobbying, and to redefine what’s possible in the world of sustainable innovation.
In your wildest dreams, what would success look like for your company?
In my wildest dreams, AraBat becomes a unicorn, one of Italy’s first truly innovative startups, born in the deep South yet rising to global relevance.
We would stand as a leader in critical raw materials recovery, pioneering sustainable solutions for end-of-life batteries and industrial waste, and shaping the future of the circular economy.
But beyond the numbers and milestones, I dream of AraBat as a symbol, not just of business success, but of cultural and social impact. A story of resilience, proving that a company can rise without capital, without connections, only with vision, courage, and relentless persistence. A story of five young minds from Puglia daring to challenge the status quo, proving that innovation can come from anywhere, and that business can be empathetic, poetic, and deeply connected to nature and humanity.
To support our growing network and its startups, we invite potential stakeholders (investors, lead customers, mentors, and supporting partners) to apply here.
This project has received funding from the European Union under grant agreement Nº101121100. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Innovation Council and SMEs Executive Agency (EISMEA). Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.