The commercialization of direct recycling technology for spent LFP (lithium iron phosphate) batteries is set to accelerate in Korea. The goal is to complete a "full-cycle circular platform" spanning from resource recovery from spent batteries to recycled cell production and performance verification.
According to the Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST) on Wednesday, its Research Center for Seawater Resourcification Technology has been selected as one of two hub research institutes nationwide under the "2026 University Research Institute-Startup Joint Innovation R&D Support Program," organized by the Korea Institute for Advancement of Science and Technology Commercialization under the Ministry of Science and ICT. Through this selection, UNIST will receive a total of 6 billion won ($4.4 million) in government funding over the next four years and lead industry-academia R&D collaboration.
The program is a commercialization-linked initiative designed to ensure university research outcomes do not remain confined to laboratories but translate into practical product development and market validation. Four promising startups — Easymining, Poseidon Battery, Deckers Solution, and Korea Battery Safety — have joined the collaboration to pursue multifaceted technological advancement.
UNIST plans to go beyond providing basic research and offer hands-on support to help participating companies overcome technological limitations they face in entering the market. In particular, led by its Industry-Academic Cooperation Foundation, UNIST intends to operate a comprehensive customized support network — covering business model (BM) development, market expansion, and investment matching — to help companies successfully establish themselves in the market.
"LFP battery direct recycling technology will be a crucial key for Korea's secondary battery industry to secure global competitiveness," said Kang Seok-ju, director of the Research Center for Seawater Resourcification Technology.
"We will support both the cultivation of innovative talent required by industry and the growth of startups, nurturing UNIST into a true frontline base for industry-academia cooperation," UNIST President Park Jong-rae said.
