What does it take to build a circular business in practice? In this final interview episode of The Circular Coffee Break, we welcome back Jaakko Nauha, CEO of Tracegrow, who was the very first guest on the podcast in early 2023. Almost three years later, Jaakko returns to reflect on Tracegrow’s journey from a battery recycling innovator to a broader clean technology company, and what it really means to scale circular solutions in the real world.
Jaakko shares how Tracegrow has evolved from recovering micronutrients like zinc and manganese from used alkaline batteries to processing industrial side streams, such as manganese sludge from zinc smelters. He discusses the company’s expansion into seed treatment, which has shown remarkable results in improving crop resilience and yield, as well as the development of battery-grade manganese sulfate for electric vehicles and industrial energy storage systems. The conversation also explores the challenges of finding product-market fit in agriculture, entering the European battery ecosystem, and scaling under regulatory, logistical, and cost constraints.
Why listen?
Whether you are an entrepreneur, a sustainability leader, or simply curious about the realities of building and scaling circular businesses, this episode offers practical insights and inspiring reflections from the frontlines of circular innovation.
Keywords: circular economy, Tracegrow, Jaakko Nauha, circular business, battery recycling, industrial side streams, seed treatment, battery-grade manganese, electric vehicles, energy storage, scaling circularity, product-market fit, regulatory challenges, logistics, leadership
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