ScrapBees closes € 4M financing round to revolutionize recycling with circular economy solutions
ScrapBees GmbH, operating under the brand name SchrottBienen, a leader in innovative recycling solutions for tradespeople and businesses, has successfully raised €4 million in a new financing round. Joining the effort are new investors NRW.BANK and EIT RawMaterials, alongside continued support from Munich-based impact investor BONVENTURE, Faraday Venture Partners and several Business Angels. This funding will enable ScrapBees to expand its regional operations and strengthen its position as a trusted service provider and partner for the skilled trades sector.
As raw material shortages grow and the transition to green steel accelerates, the need for efficient recycling becomes more urgent. ScrapBees addresses this challenge with a digital-first approach and hands-on service, offering transparent recycling solutions directly to customers. By managing the "first mile" of the recycling process - handling logistics from construction sites to recipients of unmixed materials - ScrapBees ensures resources are quickly and cleanly returned to the circular economy.
The backbone of the heat transition
Thilo Hamm, Co-founder of ScrapBees, explains: “Given the ongoing shortage of skilled workers, many trade businesses value our solutions for providing reliable, on-site support directly at construction sites. From removing old heating systems from basements to assisting with the installation of new systems and managing the recycling of all construction site waste, we aim to be an indispensable partner. Our mission is to become the backbone of the heating transition for the plumbing trade. With this new capital and the confidence of our investors, we are committed to advancing this mission by seamlessly integrating our services into the workflows of trade businesses across multiple sectors.”
Gonzalo Tradacete, CEO of Faraday Venture Partners, adds: “ScrapBees embodies the kind of innovative, sustainability-driven solutions we seek to support. Their approach to recycling not only addresses the critical issue of resource scarcity but also contributes significantly to efficiency in key industries like Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC). We are thrilled to support Scrapbees in this new phase, alongside new investors, in their mission to transform recycling into a cornerstone of the circular economy.”
With its commitment to the Sanitary, Heating and Air Conditioning (SHAC) industry, the startup ScrapBees is helping to achieve climate targets. “If 500,000 heat pumps are to be installed in Germany every year, that means around 300 kilograms of scrap metal each time. Compared to traditional recycling, our process saves 230 kilograms of CO2 per collected ton,” says Florian Kriependorf, Co-founder of ScrapBees.
Around 400 of ScrapBees' more than 900 business customers come from the HVAC sector. The start-up cooperates with the GC Group, one of the leading wholesalers for building technology, among others. The aim of this cooperation is to make the trade more efficient and thus accelerate the heating transition in Germany and beyond. ScrapBees' services are available in all major metropolitan regions in Germany. The start-up maintains its own fleet of over 30 vehicles and employs all drivers on a permanent basis. Accordingly, the services can be provided reliably, recurrently and absolutely on time, which is crucial when working with trade companies.
Transparency for the recycling industry
Companies can conveniently register for the service by email, phone, WhatsApp or at www.schrottbienen.de and have it collected at the desired time. The material is analyzed, weighed and digitally recorded on site. Electronic proof of disposal is part of the standard process, and the customer receives a credit note for valuable materials. ScrapBees sells the collected material to a network of national retailers and processors, sorted by type and with clearly documented origin.
Over the next 12 months, ScrapBees plans to gradually roll out its services under the ScrapBees brand throughout Germany. Thilo Hamm explains: “Over 400 customers from the HVAC sector, including many national suppliers, are already using our solutions in their processes. Together with them, we are aiming for strong growth and plan to expand further by acquiring new customers. We also want to relieve companies from other sectors with our efficient recycling services so that they can focus more on their core business.”
Sources in media: Capital Riesgo, Eu-Startups, Venture Capital Magazin, Business Insider Germany
