Reclinker Raises £10M ($13.2M) Funding to Turn Demolition Waste Into Zero-Carbon Cement

Reclinker, the Cambridge-born climate tech startup recycling demolition waste into low-carbon cement, has raised £10 million ($13.2 million) in Series A funding to scale its breakthrough process to full commercial production. The oversubscribed round was co-led by Clean Growth Fund and AP Ventures, with participation from the Development Bank of Wales, Kibo Invest, and existing investors including Zero Carbon Capital and Cambridge Enterprise .

The funding comes as Reclinker moves from successful industrial trials at 7 Steel UK’s Cardiff plant—where it has already produced thousands of tonnes and secured its first commercial sales—to replicating the process across electric arc furnace sites in Europe and the US. The company’s technology was developed at the University of Cambridge and described in Nature .

Reclinker Funding Overview By CREDX Media

Startup Name	Reclinker (formerly Cambridge Electric Cement)
Founders	Poppy Brewer, Philippa (Pippa) Horton
Founded	2022
HQ	Cambridge, UK (operations in Cardiff, Wales)
Round	Series A
Amount Raised	£10M ($13.2M)
Valuation	Not disclosed
Category	Climate Tech, Cement Recycling, Industrial Decarbonization
Lead Investors	Clean Growth Fund, AP Ventures
Key Investors	Development Bank of Wales, Kibo Invest, Zero Carbon Capital, Cambridge Enterprise
Total Funding Raised	~£15M+ (including grants and seed)
CEO	Bill Yost
Employees	~12
Production Target	120,000 tonnes per year in Cardiff
Key Partner	7 Steel UK (Cardiff electric arc furnace site)

💡 Use of Funds

• Cardiff Production Scale-Up: Expanding production toward 120,000 tonnes per year at 7 Steel UK’s site.
• European and US Expansion: Replicating the technology across additional electric arc furnace facilities.
• Green Jobs Creation: Building a skilled workforce in South Wales.
• Technology Deployment: Commercializing the LEAF (Low-Emission Arc Furnace Cement) product line.

Startup Overview: Reclinker

What Reclinker Is Building in Simple Words

Reclinker has developed a process that turns demolition waste back into cement—without a kiln, without quarried limestone, and without fossil-fuel heat. The technology recovers cement paste from construction and demolition waste and converts it back into clinker, cement’s key ingredient, inside the electric arc furnaces (EAFs) already used to recycle steel .

• No Kiln Required: Conventional cement production uses fossil-fuel-powered kilns at extreme temperatures. Reclinker’s process runs inside existing EAF infrastructure.
• No Quarried Limestone: The process recovers cement paste from demolished buildings instead of mining new limestone.
• Simultaneous Steel and Cement: The same furnace produces recycled steel and new cement at the same time—industrial symbiosis at scale.
• 50% Emissions Reduction: The cementitious slag delivers an immediate 50% reduction in emissions, with further reductions as the technology scales, at cost parity with conventional cement .
• LEAF Product: The company has launched LEAF (Low-Emission Arc Furnace Cement) in partnership with CEMBLEND LTD, now commercially available .

Why Reclinker Matters

1. Cement Is a Massive Climate Problem Cement is responsible for approximately 7% of global CO₂ emissions—roughly three times those of aviation. Most of these emissions come from producing clinker, with emissions derived from limestone calcination and fossil fuels burned in high-temperature kilns .
2. Blast-Furnace Slag Is Running Out As steelmakers shift from blast furnaces to electric arc furnaces, supplies of blast-furnace slag—traditionally used to make low-carbon cement blends—are declining. Reclinker’s product steps directly into this supply gap .
3. Existing Infrastructure, Low Capital Requirements Because Reclinker uses EAFs already in operation, the company can scale with comparatively low capital investment. This is a structural advantage over competitors building new production facilities .
4. Commercial Traction Validates the Model Reclinker has produced thousands of tonnes at 7 Steel UK’s Cardiff plant, secured first commercial sales, and been validated through Innovate UK’s Advance Market Commitment, where major concrete users have committed to adopting significant volumes of low-carbon materials .

Startup Story: From Cambridge Lab to Cardiff Steel Plant

Reclinker began as research at the University of Cambridge, where scientists developed a process to recover cement paste from demolition waste and recycle it back into clinker. The technology was published in Nature and won the Manufacturing Technology award at The Engineer’s C2I 2024 awards .

The company was founded in 2022 Poppy Brewer and Philippa (Pippa) Horton who saw the potential to commercialize a process that could solve two problems at once: cement emissions and demolition waste .

The breakthrough came when the team realized their process could run inside electric arc furnaces already used for steel recycling. Instead of building new infrastructure, Reclinker could piggyback on existing steel industry capital equipment. This insight dramatically reduced the capital required to scale .

By 2026, Reclinker had moved from lab to industrial scale. At 7 Steel UK’s Cardiff plant, the company produced thousands of tonnes of material and secured its first commercial sales. The Series A funding now supports scaling production in Cardiff toward 120,000 tonnes per year, before replicating the model across Europe and the US .

Bill Yost (CEO) of Reclinker, framed the milestone: “This oversubscribed round sends a strong signal that UK investors are serious about decarbonisation. We are particularly glad this investment will support the growth of green industries in Wales” .

Our Take on Reclinker

Reclinker is solving the hardest problem in climate tech—decarbonizing cement—and doing it with a capital-efficient model that leverages existing infrastructure.

Cement is the backbone of modern construction, and its emissions are deeply embedded in process chemistry and energy use. Most approaches to low-carbon cement require new production facilities or significant capital expenditure. Reclinker’s insight is that the infrastructure already exists—electric arc furnaces are being built across the steel industry, and they can produce cement as a byproduct .

The £10 million ($13.2 million) Series A is justified on multiple fronts: commercial traction (thousands of tonnes produced, first sales secured), strong investor syndicate (climate tech specialists plus Welsh development bank), and a clear path to scale. The Innovate UK Advance Market Commitment provides demand-side validation—major concrete users have committed to adopting low-carbon materials .

The real risk isn’t technical feasibility—Reclinker has demonstrated industrial-scale production. The risk is market adoption velocity. Cement is a commodity business with entrenched suppliers and conservative buyers. Convincing the construction industry to switch to a new material requires proving not just emissions reductions but also performance, availability, and cost parity. Reclinker’s cost parity claim is critical here .

For now, Reclinker has a proven process, commercial traction, and capital to scale. The next 18 months will determine whether it can become a meaningful supplier to an industry that produces 4 billion tonnes of cement annually.

Founder Background: The Team Commercializing Cambridge Research

Reclinker was founded in 2022 by Poppy Brewer and Philippa (Pippa) Horton who moved the technology from Cambridge labs to commercial deployment .

Bill Yost serves as CEO, leading the company’s scale-up and commercial strategy. His background in industrial operations and climate tech positions him to navigate the complex stakeholder landscape of steelmakers, cement producers, and construction companies .

The founding team’s ability to translate academic research into industrial-scale production—within four years—demonstrates the kind of execution that attracts top-tier climate investors.

The Cement Decarbonization Race Nobody Expected

Reclinker operates in a growing field of startups rethinking cement production.

Material Evolution, a UK-based competitor, has raised £15 million in Series A funding for its low-carbon cement made from industrial waste. Its alkali-fusion process is designed to reduce cement’s carbon footprint by 85%. Reclinker’s differentiation is its use of existing steel-recycling infrastructure to address cement emissions simultaneously .

The competitive moat is infrastructure leverage. While competitors build new production facilities, Reclinker integrates into existing steel recycling operations. As electric arc furnace steelmaking expands globally, Reclinker’s addressable market grows with it—without requiring new capital-intensive plants .

Founder Intelligence: What Founders Can Learn from Reclinker

• Leverage existing infrastructure: Reclinker didn’t build new facilities—it integrated into electric arc furnaces already recycling steel. This dramatically reduced capital requirements and accelerated commercialization.
• Solve two problems at once: The process produces recycled steel and new cement simultaneously. Industrial symbiosis creates value on multiple fronts, making adoption more attractive.
• Commercial validation before scale: Reclinker produced thousands of tonnes and secured first sales before raising Series A. Traction de-risked the round and attracted top climate investors.
• Align with demand-side commitments: Innovate UK’s Advance Market Commitment provided public commitments from major concrete users. Demand visibility is as important as technology for hard-to-abate sectors.

Investor Intelligence: Why This Round Gets Premium Capital

Clean Growth Fund and AP Ventures co-led the round, bringing deep climate tech and industrial expertise.

Stephen Price, Investment Partner at Clean Growth Fund, framed the thesis: “Cement is one of the most challenging sectors to decarbonise, with emissions deeply embedded in both process chemistry and energy use. Reclinker’s approach is a compelling example of how industrial symbiosis can unlock meaningful emissions reductions by leveraging existing infrastructure” .

Andrew Hinkly, Managing Partner at AP Ventures, added: “Reclinker has developed a unique, scalable, and cost-competitive route to low-carbon clinker production that can be deployed using existing steel industry capital equipment” .

The Development Bank of Wales participated, supporting green jobs and industrial growth in South Wales. Gareth Mayhead noted: “This investment demonstrates the power of co-investment in bringing innovative, high-growth businesses to Wales” .

The Road Ahead for Reclinker

Expansion Targets

With £10 million ($13.2 million) in capital, Reclinker will:

• Scale Cardiff production toward 120,000 tonnes per year
• Replicate the technology across additional EAF sites in Europe and the US
• Create skilled green jobs in South Wales
• Expand the LEAF product line in partnership with CEMBLEND LTD

Competitive Response

Expect:

• Material Evolution and other low-carbon cement startups to accelerate commercialization
• Traditional cement producers to explore partnerships or acquisitions
• Steelmakers to integrate cement production into their EAF operations
• Reclinker’s moat: existing infrastructure leverage + proven industrial scale + cost parity

Conclusion

Reclinker’s £10 million ($13.2 million) Series A validates the thesis that industrial symbiosis can decarbonize the hardest-to-abate sectors. The company’s process—recovering cement paste from demolition waste and recycling it inside steel furnaces—has been proven at industrial scale, with commercial sales already secured.

Market tailwinds favor Reclinker: cement’s massive carbon footprint, declining blast-furnace slag supplies, and growing demand for low-carbon materials. The company’s capital-efficient model and existing partnerships with steelmakers position it to scale without building new infrastructure.

For deep analysis of climate tech funding, industrial decarbonization, and companies reshaping heavy industry, explore CREDX Media for comprehensive coverage of startup funding trends, valuation intelligence, and founder playbooks.

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Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is Reclinker’s total funding and latest round size?
Reclinker has raised approximately £15 million+ in total funding. Its £10 million ($13.2 million) Series A was co-led by Clean Growth Fund and AP Ventures in October 2026.

2. How much did Reclinker raise in its Series A round and who led the investment?
Reclinker raised £10 million ($13.2 million) in Series A funding co-led by Clean Growth Fund and AP Ventures, with participation from Development Bank of Wales, Kibo Invest, Zero Carbon Capital, and Cambridge Enterprise.

3. What is the valuation of Reclinker?
Reclinker did not disclose its post-money valuation in the Series A round. The company has raised approximately £15 million+ in total disclosed funding including grants and seed.

4. Who are the major investors in Reclinker?
Major investors include Clean Growth Fund and AP Ventures (Series A co-leads), Development Bank of Wales, Kibo Invest, Zero Carbon Capital, and Cambridge Enterprise .

5. What traction justifies Reclinker’s Series A funding?
Reclinker has produced thousands of tonnes of material at 7 Steel UK’s Cardiff plant, secured its first commercial sales, and been validated through Innovate UK’s Advance Market Commitment with commitments from major concrete users .

6. Who are Reclinker’s founders?
Reclinker was founded in 2022 by Philippa (Pippa) Horton and Poppy Brewer. The technology was developed at the University of Cambridge and described in Nature .

7. What is Reclinker’s business model?
Reclinker produces and sells low-carbon cementitious slag through its LEAF product line, with production integrated into steelmakers’ electric arc furnace operations. The company targets cost parity with conventional cement .

8. How does Reclinker’s technology work?
Reclinker recovers cement paste from construction and demolition waste and converts it back into clinker inside electric arc furnaces already used to recycle steel—producing new cement and recycled steel simultaneously without a kiln, quarried limestone, or fossil-fuel heat .

9. What are Reclinker’s plans for the £10 million Series A capital?
Reclinker will scale production in Cardiff toward 120,000 tonnes per year, replicate the technology at additional EAF sites in Europe and the US, and create skilled green jobs in South Wales .

10. What problem does Reclinker solve for the cement industry?
Reclinker addresses cement’s massive carbon footprint (approximately 7% of global CO2 emissions) by recycling demolition waste into new cement using existing steel infrastructure, while also filling the supply gap created by declining blast-furnace slag availability .

11. Who is the CEO of Reclinker?
Bill Yost serves as CEO of Reclinker, leading the company’s scale-up and commercial deployment strategy .