Fintech PR
SQM LITHIUM VENTURES COMPLETES ALTILIUM’S USD 12M SERIES A FUNDING THROUGH FOLLOW-ON INVESTMENT
PLYMOUTH, England , Feb. 21, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — SQM Lithium Ventures is proud to announce its follow-on investment of USD 9.43 million in Altilium, a UK-based clean technology group focused on supporting the energy transition to net zero, bringing its total investment to USD 12 million.
The investment completes Altilium’s Series A funding round and marks the largest investment to date for SQM Lithium Ventures, the corporate venture arm of the lithium business of Sociedad Quimica y Minera de Chile (SQM), one of the world’s leading producers of battery-grade lithium.
The additional funding follows a year of strong progress in the scaling up of Altilium’s proprietary battery recycling technology and underscores both companies’ commitment to developing a circular economy for sustainable and low carbon battery materials.
SQM Lithium Ventures made an initial investment of USD 2.57 million in Altilium last year. Since then the company has hit a number of key development milestones, including the expansion of its UK recycling facilities, enhancement of its proprietary EcoCathode™ hydrometallurgical process and strengthening of its senior management team.
Going forward, the additional funding will accelerate the scale-up of Altilium’s UK and European activities, paving the way for the roll-out of the company’s full battery circularity customer offering, encompassing zero-carbon EV battery collection, black mass recycling and chemical refining direct to cathode active material (CAM).
Key developments for 2024 will include:
Construction of Small-Commercial Plant: The 18,000-square-foot facility in Plymouth, Devon is scheduled to begin operations mid 2024, processing significant volumes of battery precursors and cathode active materials for qualification with automakers and cell manufacturers.
Battery Recycling Stations (BRS): The raised capital will be instrumental in building the first Battery Recycling Station to efficiently transform discarded EV batteries into high-quality black mass, a crucial feedstock for Altilium’s chemical refineries.
Commencement of European Hydrometallurgical Refining: Altilium are progressing with the retrofit of an existing plant in Eastern Europe, with plans to process 8,000 metric tons of black mass to EV battery intermediates later in 2024.
Finalisation of plans for the UK’s largest EV battery recycling facility: The planned Teesside plant will have capacity to process battery waste from 150,000 electric vehicles. This facility aims to meet 20% of the UK’s Cathode Active Materials (CAM) requirement by 2030.
Altilium President & COO, Dr Christian Marston, commented:
“We are delighted to continue our relationship with SQM and excited about the journey ahead as we build a UK and European leader in battery recycling. We are immensely grateful for their belief in our business and our shared vision for achieving the lowest carbon footprint in battery raw materials.”
Altilium CEO, Kamran Mahdavi, commented:
“This round of funding with SQM Lithium Venture has been a pivotal achievement for Altilium and reflects the significant strides the business has made over the past 12 months. We look forward to building on these achievements with the support of our partners and our dedicated team.”
Carlos Díaz, CEO of the Lithium-Potasium Division of SQM, commented:
“The investment in Altilium gives SQM the chance to participate in the creation of a new industry: the recovery of critical minerals such as lithium, nickel, and cobalt from recycled batteries. This will allow us to add value to the new battery supply chain, while at the same time maintaining sustainable levels of resource consumption, water use and carbon footprint. SQM’s top priorities include attracting technical talent to the company and associating ourselves with the world’s most innovative startups, allowing us to maximize our impact in the industry.”
David Rousselle, Engineering Manager at SQM and member of Altilium’s board of directors, added:
“Lithium batteries have become an essential component of modern society, as they’re used in electric vehicles and electronic devices. Despite the importance of the circular economy, most lithium-ion batteries are still not recycled. In the US and EU, less than 1% of lithium-ion batteries are recycled, compared to 99% of lead-acid batteries. Given the growth in the electromobility market, lithium-ion battery recycling will be essential in the coming years. The investment in Altilium allows SQM to get ahead of the global recycling curve, doubling down on the company’s commitment to developing solutions for human progress and working toward economic, social, and environmental sustainability.”
In addition to providing capital investment, SQM Lithium Ventures also brings considerable experience in large-scale project delivery and a commitment to innovation and sustainability.
With substantial backing from UK Government Innovation grants, Altilium is leading the charge in the UK’s journey towards establishing a national champion for EV battery recycling. Altilium’s proprietary EcoCathode™ process converts old EV batteries and manufacturing scrap into domestic, sustainable, battery precursors, cathode active materials (CAM) and cathode precursor (p-CAM) for direct reuse in new batteries.
Recovering over 95% of crucial metals from old EV batteries will contribute to a UK domestic and sustainable supply of battery raw materials, reducing carbon emissions by over 50% and reducing the cost of cathode active material by more than 20% compared to conventional virgin mining practices.
About Altilium
Altilium is a UK-based clean tech group that will reshape the UK and European automotive supply chain by offering high volume, low carbon domestic sources of cathode and anode materials from recycling waste streams already in circulation, such as lithium scrap.
The company’s proprietary EcoCathode™ process converts end-of-life EV batteries and manufacturing scrap into domestic, sustainable, battery precursors, cathode active materials (CAM) and cathode precursor (pCAM) for direct reuse in new batteries.
Altilium’s first mini-commercial plant is currently under construction in Plymouth while its planned Teesside plant will be one of the largest EV battery recycling facilities in Europe. The plant will have the capacity to process scrap from over 150,000 EVs per year, producing 30,000 MT of CAM, enough to meet around 20% of the UK’s expected needs by 2030.
More information is available at www.altilium.tech
About SQM Lithium Ventures
SQM Lithium Ventures, launched in December 2022, seeks to invest in growing companies solving challenges related to lithium, water, and electromobility. The up-to USD 40 million fund invests tickets averaging USD 3 million, plus follow-on investments, in companies across the globe, and also operates an acceleration program based in Antofagasta, Chile, for earlier-stage startups within the same three verticals. Parent company SQM is one of the world’s largest producers of lithium for use in electric vehicle batteries.
The fund has a global presence, with team members in North and South America, Europe, Asia, and Australia. After evaluating more than 500 companies and completing four investment committees to date, the fund is advancing rapidly in conversations with several of the most innovative companies in its verticals.
The selection process consisted of several months of diligence and meetings with the Altilium team, culminating with an investment committee with participation of SQM’s CEO, largest shareholders, and key company leaders. SQM plans to add value with its global presence and vast expertise in lithium value chains, as well as a role in the company’s board of directors.
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- Work is more important to professionals in ‘Global South’ countries than it is to their peers in Western countries.
- They also place more value on working longer hours, with a significant percentage of professionals in China and India willing to work more than 40 hours a week.
- Westerners lack leadership ambition – only 42% of respondents express a desire to lead or establish a business. In the Global South 65% hold this aspiration.
- Global executive search & leadership advisory firm Amrop surveyed 8,000 people in Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Poland, the UK, and US on the meaning of work.
BRUSSELS, Dec. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Professionals in Western countries are less ambitious and less interested in work than their ‘Global South’ peers, a new global study by Amrop, a leading global executive search and leadership consulting firm, reveals.
“The drive and ambition in India, Brazil, and China highlight a contrast with the aging societies in the West. As Western nations also face a scarcity of qualified professionals, the ambition of their workforce becomes a decisive factor for growth, economic success, and wealth preservation,” states Annika Farin, Global Chair at Amrop. “Stakeholders should encourage entrepreneurship and foster interest in both professional and personal growth in workers.”
Notably, 92% of Indians and 87% of Brazilians say they enjoy working, while the sentiment is lower in Germany (71%), the US (69%), and the UK (68%), as well as other European countries. Significant variations emerge in how respondents prioritize their careers: 84% in India assert that a successful career is crucial for a good life, with high agreement also in China (71%) and Brazil (70%). Conversely, only 43% in Germany, 40% in France and 37% in Poland share this perspective. In other Western countries such as the US and UK, over half of respondents consider their careers vital for a good life.
India Leads with Impressive Work Ethic and Work-Life Balance
However, divergent work ethics surfaced among Western countries as well, with 70% in the US prioritizing hard work, contrasting starkly with the 35% in France who share the same belief. In this context, India leads at 75%, surpassing Brazil (55%) and China (63%). Chinese professionals also lean more towards career over private life. Work hours reveal distinctions: 46% in China and 42% in India are willing to work over 40 hours, while 29% in the UK, 27% in Germany and only 16% in France, are open to longer working hours. At the same time 73% in India and 59% in China assert that they have a healthy work-life balance, contrasting with 45% in France and 49% in Germany.
“This observation is intriguing. Working fewer hours doesn’t necessarily improve one’s perception of work-life balance. If any connection exists, it appears to be the other way around – professionals willing to work longer hours also seem to have a greater sense of work-life balance. In Europe, especially, we need follow-up studies to find out where these sentiments are coming from, so we know how to reignite the passion for work,” says Farin.
The Lack of Leadership Ambition Extends to Politics
Further results from the survey show that the Global South countries demonstrate a higher aspiration for leadership roles and entrepreneurial ventures. Notably, 76% in India express a desire to run or manage a company, followed by 66% in Brazil and 54% in China. In contrast, the UK (52%), the US (49%), France (37%), and Germany (36%) trail in these aspirations. The global lack of leadership ambition extends to politics, with respondents deeming it the least desirable career across most countries. Only 19% express a motivation to make a positive impact, with 51% prioritizing financial stability and 39% aiming for a specific lifestyle.
Looking at these results, Farin emphasizes a further concern, “In surveying individuals with at least a bachelor’s degree across various countries, our results prompt a crucial question: If most professionals lack ambition for high-level leadership, who will shape the future of economies and societies? Our societies rely on people, their expertise, and motivation. Are we approaching a future where we question not only corporate leadership but also national leadership?”
About the Survey
An online survey was conducted and gathered insights from 8,000 participants, with 1,000 respondents from each of the following countries: Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Poland, the US, and the UK.
The survey aimed for representativeness across these diverse nations, capturing perspectives from individuals aged 20 to 60 (Gen Z: 20-26, Young Millennials: 27-34, Old Millennials: 35-42, Gen X: 43-60), all possessing at least a bachelor’s degree. Where applicable, reported results represent the top two answer sets (strongly agree/agree).
About Amrop
Amrop is a global leadership consulting firm, offering retained executive search, Board and leadership advisory services. We advise the world’s most dynamic, agile organizations on identifying and positioning Leaders For What’s Next – adept at working across borders, in markets around the world. Established in 1977, Amrop operates in Asia, EMEA and the Americas across 69 offices in 57 countries.
Contact:
The Amrop Partnership SC
Rue Abbé Cuypers 3
1040 Brussels, Belgium
T. +32 471 733 825
E. [email protected]
Brigitte Arhold, COO
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Fintech PR
Siraj Finance PJSC signs an agreement with Azentio for iMAL core and digital financial services solution subscription optimization
SINGAPORE, Dec. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Siraj Finance PJSC, a leading Islamic Finance Company in the UAE, has signed an agreement with Azentio, a pioneer in the core banking technology service provider. The agreement represents the collaboration for implementation of the core and digital banking solution to further enhance the operational capabilities and digitization of Siraj Finance’s product and service offerings. The step is directly in line with Siraj Finance’s goal of providing diversified Islamic financial products and services via channels that are innovatively utilizing latest technology while remaining customer centric and regulatory compliant.
Mr. Amjad Hijazi – Chief Operating Officer, Mr. Joseph Daniel – Chief Business Intelligence & Strategy Officer, Mr. Syed Moosa Kaleem Al Falahi – Chief Business & Investment Officer and Mr. Fazal Nassim – Chief Governance & Compliance Officer represented Siraj Finance, whereas Mr. Rahul Arora – Chief Sales Officer, Mr. Harkaran Singh – Senior Vice President, Middle East & Africa, Mr. Zaher El Khatib – Vice President Global Islamic Banking Sales, Mr. Alfred Quertier – Director Global Sales Engineering and Mr. Bhushan Kelkar – Vice President Sales represented Azentio, in the signing ceremony.
Commenting on the partnership, Mr. Amjad stated, “We are delighted to be working with Azentio as our technology partner of choice to empower our ongoing business growth. For us, iMAL and its comprehensive functionality coupled with the adherence to Islamic principles, align with our goals, allowing our team to streamline processes, enhance productivity and elevate the omnichannel customer journey.”
Mr. Rahul added, “We are extremely pleased to partner with Siraj Finance to deliver a user-friendly digital financial services experience to both their retail and corporate customers. This partnership reflects our ongoing commitment to empowering financial institutions in the region with cutting-edge technology designed to meet both current and future needs.”
About Siraj Finance
Siraj Finance is a private joint stock company based in Abu Dhabi and regulated by the Central Bank of the UAE. Established in 1999, it proudly offers a multitude of financial products, designed in compliance with the Sharia principles. It caters to Corporates, Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and individuals, with the objective of providing a variety of tailored product and service options that are best fit for their aspirations and needs.
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Fintech PR
DAZN ADVANCES GLOBAL EXPANSION WITH ACQUISITION OF FOXTEL, A LEADING AUSTRALIAN SPORTS AND ENTERTAINMENT MEDIA GROUP
- Milestone deal for DAZN’s position as the global home of sport.
- This acquisition establishes DAZN’s sports platform in Australia, one of the world’s most attractive sports markets.
- Foxtel Group will leverage DAZN’s global reach, industry-leading technology and extensive content portfolio to further enhance the viewing experience for Australian sports fans.
LONDON, NEW YORK, and SYDNEY, Dec. 22, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — DAZN, a world-leading sports entertainment platform, has today announced an agreement to acquire Foxtel Group (‘Foxtel’) from its majority shareholder News Corp and minority shareholder Telstra at an enterprise value of US$2.2 billion, subject to regulatory approval.
The acquisition establishes DAZN as a leader in sports entertainment in Australia – a highly attractive sports market – while also expanding DAZN’s global footprint and enhancing the group’s standing as the global home of sport. The addition of Foxtel to DAZN brings the Group’s pro-forma revenues towards US$6 billion and provides the additional content, expertise, and expansion opportunities to accelerate DAZN’s growth trajectory.
Foxtel is one of Australia’s leading media companies, with 4.7 million subscribers, who will benefit from DAZN’s extensive portfolio of sports content, platform technology, and global reach.
From its beginnings as Australia’s original pay-TV innovator, Foxtel has evolved to become a digital and streaming leader in sports and entertainment and the proposed transaction positions Foxtel for continued expansion as a digital-first, streaming-focused business. Foxtel will maintain its local character, led by the CEO, Patrick Delany, and his world-class management team.
DAZN, a sports streaming platform with a truly global reach, is committed to growing the global audience for domestic Australian sports across the 200 territories in which it is available.
Under the terms of the transaction, News Corp and Telstra will become minority shareholders in DAZN, enabling them to retain an interest in Foxtel.
Shay Segev, Chief Executive Officer of DAZN, said: “Australians watch more sport than any other country in the world, which makes this deal an incredibly exciting opportunity for DAZN to enter a key market, marking another step in our long-term strategy to become the global home of sport. Foxtel is a successful business that has undergone a remarkable digital transformation in recent years, and we are confident that our global reach and relentless pursuit of innovation will continue to drive the business forward and ensure long-term success.
“We are committed to supporting and investing in Foxtel’s television and streaming services, across both sports and entertainment, using our world-leading technology to further enhance the viewing experience for customers. We are also committed to using our global reach to export Australia’s most popular sports to new markets around the world, and we will continue to promote women’s and under-represented sports.
“We’re looking forward to working closely with Patrick Delany and his team, as well as News Corp and Telstra as shareholders in DAZN, to realise our ambitious vision for the future of sport entertainment.”
Siobhan McKenna, the Chairman of Foxtel, said the agreement with DAZN was international recognition of the transformation of Foxtel from an incumbent pay TV operator to a sports and entertainment digital and streaming leader. “Over the last seven years the Foxtel team, with the strong support of News, have achieved an extraordinary turnaround in an intensely competitive environment.”
Foxtel Group CEO, Patrick Delany, said: “Today’s announcement is a natural evolution for the Foxtel Group, having reinvented the company over the past five years as Australia’s most dynamic technology-led streaming company.
“Kayo and Foxtel provide Australian sports fans with access to the best Australian and international sport and shows, including AFL, NRL and Cricket with 4.7 million subscribers.
“We are excited by DAZN’s commitment to the Australian market. They are experts in the sports media business and can play a significant role in supporting Foxtel as the business grows its streaming capabilities, bringing a bigger and better service to customers across entertainment, news and sport. They are a perfect match for us as we look toward this next era of growth.
“We have been grateful for the support of News Corp while we reimagined the future of Foxtel. In 2019, when we merged Foxtel and Fox Sports we had many people questioning our future.
“After launching Kayo later in 2019 and BINGE in 2020, today we are the largest Australian-based streamer of sport and entertainment, we have stabilised our Foxtel base and launched Hubbl to help consumers find all the streamed content they love all in one place. This wouldn’t have been possible without the support and encouragement of News Corp.”
NOTES TO EDITORS
About DAZN
As a world-leading sports entertainment platform, DAZN streams over 90,000 live events annually and is available in more than 200 markets worldwide.
DAZN is the home of European football, women’s football, boxing and MMA, and the NFL internationally. The platform features the biggest sports and leagues from around the world – Bundesliga, Serie A, LALIGA, Ligue 1, Formula 1, NBA, Moto GP, and many more including the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup.
DAZN is transforming the way people enjoy sport. With a single, frictionless platform, sports fans can watch, play, buy, and connect. Live and on-demand sports content, anywhere, in any language, on any device – only on DAZN.
DAZN partners with leading pay-TV operators, ISPs and Telcos worldwide to maximise sports exposure to a broad audience. Its partners include Deutsche Telekom, Orange, Sky, Movistar, Telenet, Vodafone, and many more.
DAZN is a global, privately-owned company, founded in 2016, with more than 3,000 employees. The Group generated $3.2bn in revenue in 2023, having grown its annual revenues by over 50% on average from 2020 to 2023, through diverse revenue streams comprising subscriptions, advertising, sponsorship, and transactional. For more information on DAZN, our products, people, and performance, visit www.dazngroup.com.
About Foxtel
The Foxtel Group is one of Australia’s leading media companies with 4.7 million subscribers. Its businesses include subscription television, streaming, sports production and advertising. The Foxtel Group is owned 65% by News Corp and 35% by Telstra.
The Foxtel Group’s diversified business includes Fox Sports, Australia’s leading sports production company, famous for live sports and shows with the best commentators and personalities. It is also the home of local and global entertainment content and continues to be the partner of choice for the widest range of sports and international content providers based on established, long-term relationships, growing streaming audiences, and position as the largest Australian-based subscription television company.
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