Founder Spotlight: Katie Marsh & Julien Vaïssette, Co-Founders of Recupere Metals

📰 Who are you, and what company have you founded?

I'm Katie Marsh (CEO), and I'm Julien Vaïssette (CTO). We are the co-founders of Recupere Metals. We’ve developed a process to turn 100% recycled copper scrap directly into electrical-grade wire, without mining or smelting, enabling a cleaner, more resilient domestic supply for applications including EV motors, wind turbines, data centres, and industrial equipment.

🔥 Founder's Spark: Origin, Drive & Identity

What’s your “why” - the moment or realization that set you on this path?

Katie: I have always enjoyed pushing boundaries and no following the ‘roadmap’ but I did get the entrepreneurial bug being a founding employee at Field, battery storage scale-up, where I loved the scale-up journey. On the impact side that started early in my career as I wanted to merge my values, science (I studied chemistry) and business / financial skillset together

Julien: Once I have identified a flaw in a system, I find it very difficult not to work on fixing it. Founding a startup is the best way to work directly on a solution, rather than trying to implement one from within a large organisation.

Was there a single event, book, or experience that fundamentally shaped who you are today?

Katie: Squiggly career is a great book which makes you think differently about your career! But i wouldn’t say books = for me its people I meet on the way!

Julien: Dozens of books by several authors with no connection to entrepreneurship, but they have helped me to develop my own system of reference: Albert Camus, Milan Kundera and Alain Damasio, to name a few.

If you weren’t building this startup, what would you be doing instead?

Katie: Building another one…

Julien: I would be a researcher.

🌍 The Mission: What You’re Building & Why It Matters

What problem are you solving - and what happens if we don't?

Katie: Our ambition is to support solve the copper supply gap, enabling electrification, by unlocking scrap copper for re-use again for electrical uses

Julien: We are addressing the urgent issue of the copper supply gap. There are insufficient reserves to meet the growing demand and inadequate recycling infrastructure to bridge the gap. If we don’t solve this problem, electrification will be slower and fossil fuels will remain in our lives for longer, causing further degradation of our systems.

What’s the endgame? What does success really look like for your company?

Katie: Multi-metal, global company that has changed the way we use and re-use metals, driving circularity and resilience.

Julien: We supply large industries with recycled copper, this means that the LME market price doesn't skyrocket, and copper is no longer a problem.

The Startup Journey: Grit, Decisions & Lessons

What's one hard decision you made that changed everything?

Julien: I proposed this research topic to my academic lab, but I decided not to develop it there. Instead, I joined Marble Studio to develop the idea, where there was no job security, as the entrepreneurial adventure could have ended at any time. It was a huge leap of faith!

What's a moment that nearly broke you - and what you learned from it.

Julien: My PhD thesis was rejected because one of the chapters was too weak, which I agreed with. I had to rewrite it, which took four months while I was working as a lecturer and running my previous start-up. Failing at that moment was the worst possible timing, but I decided to keep pushing, and I don't regret it. Rewriting the weak chapter gave me a much more robust understanding of my research topic, which has led me to where I am today: I now use the scientific concepts I developed there directly.

Momentum: Wins, Signals & What's Next

If you can tell us, what’s something on your roadmap that no one’s expecting, but everyone should be excited about?

Katie: We are not just going to be a copper business: Multi-metal!

🧠 Perspective & Personality: Lighter Touch, Deeper Insight

What’s the best advice you’ve received - and the worst?

Katie: Whatever you do in life don’t meander…. go after it!

Julien: Best: Read novels. Worst: Read non-fiction

Who, outside the climate world influenced how you think or lead?

Julien: Albert Camus

What’s one opinion you hold that most people in climate tech would disagree with?

Julien: I love paying taxes and contributions that fund public services, because public services are the only form of wealth available to the poorest citizens. I'm not sure if this is a very common opinion in our industry!

🎤 For the Closer: Inspire & Amplify

If you had 30 seconds with every policymaker / investor / student in climate, what would you say?

Katie: Take action and iterate.

Julien: As I was a teacher at an engineering school, I would spend 30 seconds talking to a student. I would strongly encourage this student to pursue a PhD in order to become an expert in their field and then consider whether this area could help solve climate challenges.

How can people help - or get involved?

Katie: Talent joining climate tech start-ups

Julien: We love talking to people in our industry, so we'd appreciate any introductions!

Anything else you want to share about the work you’re doing or your hot takes on climate?

Julien: Hot take on climate: Climate startups signal the end of tech bros' dominance of the startup ecosystem. From now on, real scientists will solve real problems with more diverse teams.

I'm not sure it's an easy one to publish.

How have you found working with Endgame Capital?

Julien: It was extremely efficient and your questions were very relevant, which unfortunately is not that common. They allowed us to consider all aspects of our start-up and decide whether we want to work together for the coming years.