UNIST will partner with four startups to develop an integrated recycling platform for lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries, advancing technologies that connect the full recycling cycle—from battery recovery and material separation to regenerated cell manufacturing and performance evaluation.

The Seawater Resources Technology Research Center at UNIST has been selected as one of two lead university research hubs nationwide for the 2026 University Research Institute–Startup Collaborative Innovation R&D Program (tentative translation), supported by the Ministry of Science and ICT (MSIT) and the Commercializations Promotion Agency for R&D Outcomes (COMPA). The initiative will provide approximately KRW 6 billion in funding over four years.

Under the program, UNIST will lead a project focused on accelerating the commercialization of direct recycling technologies for LFP batteries, an area of growing strategic importance amid rising global demand for electric vehicle batteries and sustainable energy systems.

The project brings together four UNIST-affiliated startups—EZ Mining, Poseidon Battery, Deckers Solution, and Korea Battery Security & Certificate—to collaborate across the full research and commercialization pipeline. The platform is designed to integrate resource recovery from spent batteries with regenerated cell production and performance verification, establishing a more sustainable and commercially scalable recycling framework.

Unlike conventional research-focused programs, the initiative places particular emphasis on commercialization. In addition to joint R&D, participating institutions will receive support for technology validation, industry partnerships, investment linkage, and market entry, helping translate laboratory technologies into commercially viable products and services.

UNIST also plans to provide participating companies with technical and commercialization support throughout the project, including pilot-scale validation, business model development, market strategy consulting, and industry networking through its broader industry-academic cooperation infrastructure.

“The direct regeneration of LFP batteries is expected to become a key competitive technology for Korea’s secondary battery industry,” said Seok Ju Kang, Director of the Seawater Resources Technology Research Center at UNIST.

UNIST President Chong Rae Park said the initiative reflects the university’s broader commitment to building an innovation ecosystem that connects academia, entrepreneurship, and industrial demand. “Universities must not only cultivate talent, but also create environments where startups can access research expertise, investment opportunities, and industry partnerships,” he said. “UNIST will continue strengthening its role as a platform for meaningful technological innovation and industry-academic collaboration.”