Katie Marsh (Recupere): Fixing Europe’s Copper Problem

Katie Marsh (Recupere): Fixing Europe’s Copper Problem

Author: Hugo Rauch February 2, 2026 Duration: 33:32

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🌊 Building a Sovereign Copper Supply

We’re joined by Katie Marsh, Co-Founder & CEO of Recupere Metals, a next-gen industrial company rethinking how copper is produced for electrification.

Fresh off a €5M seed round closed in just 30 days, Katie shares how Recupere is turning scrap copper into high-performance electrical wires, without smelting, without green premiums, and without compromising on quality.

In this episode, we dive into the coming copper supply crisis, and unpack what it really takes to build a climate-critical industrial company that can scale fast, compete on cost, and integrate directly into global supply chains.

In our conversation, we covered:

→ How to run a fast, disciplined fundraising process in a brutal market

→ Why copper supply, not batteries, may be the real bottleneck to electrification

→ The technical breakthrough that makes scrap copper competitive

→ Why smelting is the hidden carbon and cost villain in metals

→ How software and data create Recupere’s defensibility

→ What Europe gets wrong about sovereignty, supply chains, and resilience

→ The real risks founders face when moving from lab to first commercial plant

Katie also explains why price parity matters more than climate narratives, how OEMs think about supply-chain de-risking, and why the best climate businesses don’t rely on green premiums to win.



This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit newwavenewsletter.substack.com

Hugo Rauch hosts New Wave, a podcast that lives at the intersection of business ambition and scientific reality. This isn't about distant predictions or abstract science; it's a grounded exploration of the technologies and companies being built right now to address our environmental future. Each episode focuses on the practical journey, dissecting the models, the breakthroughs, and the hard decisions that define the climate tech landscape. You'll hear from founders, researchers, and investors who are actively shaping this space, getting into the specifics of what works, what doesn't, and why. The conversations move beyond hype to examine the tangible mechanics of creating viable solutions, from energy storage and sustainable materials to carbon removal and regenerative agriculture. It’s for anyone who thinks about the climate challenge not just as a crisis, but as a complex and urgent field of innovation. By tuning into this podcast, you gain a clearer understanding of the economic forces and scientific principles driving the next generation of environmental solutions. New Wave connects the dots between the lab, the boardroom, and the impact we need to see in the world, offering a sober yet optimistic look at where substantive progress is truly being made.
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