Shubham Vishvakarma, the Founder of Metastable Materials, recounts a journey that started with a blend of curiosity and chance rather than meticulous planning. As a third-year materials engineering student at IIT Roorkee, Shubham stumbled upon his future during a summer internship. It was 2017, and he was exploring the nascent world of lithium-ion batteries under the guidance of a newly arrived professor from the US, who was setting up an extractive metallurgical laboratory. This area of metallurgy deals with the process of extracting metals from ores—a field critical to the mining industry.
A curious encounter with his professor marked the beginning of Shubham's journey with lithium-ion batteries. Despite the lack of sophisticated equipment and chemicals, Shubham and his professor discovered a novel process that did not require any chemicals. Their discovery soon garnered attention at technical conferences, leading them to publish their findings in the Journal of Sustainable Metallurgy.
Industrial Recognition
Realising the commercial potential of his discovery, Shubham knew he needed industrial exposure and could not venture alone into the start-up world. He secured a job at a factory in Jaipur, where he was placed in a unique position to work on both day-to-day production and research and development. This experience proved invaluable, as he gained hands-on experience in solving complex problems and overseeing speciality projects.
After completing his training, Shubham was moved to the Advanced Materials Lab at the factory, a rare opportunity in India. There, he had unrestricted access to one of the most sophisticated materials engineering laboratories in the country, leading to several patents and near-product-launch research papers. This period of intense learning equipped Shubham with the skills to transition ideas from the laboratory to the factory floor.
While discussing his recycling innovations with Kartik Hajela, Co-Founder of Log9 Materials in Bangalore, Shubham was encouraged to pursue his start-up idea. Kartik's support, including a personal investment, convinced Shubham to resign from his job and move to Bangalore in late 2021. There, they began the arduous process of setting up Metastable, scouting industrial areas, and conducting initial research in a modest setting.
By early 2022, they secured funding and quickly moved into industrial engineering. Despite facing challenges in finding machines for their novel processes, they built their own and developed a functional model in Bangalore. Their innovative approach and progress attracted significant interest from investors, including Sequoia, leading to further investments and expansion into a larger facility.
Challenges & Opportunity
The core idea driving Metastable is that recycling should emulate the mining industry in both technological and business approaches. Traditional waste management focuses on disposal, often at the expense of efficiency and scalability. In contrast, Metastable aims to treat recycling as a process of material beneficiation similar to mining, which relies on physical properties rather than chemicals.
This approach not only reduces costs but also makes the process more sustainable. Shubham emphasises that the recycling industry should pay for its materials just as the mining industry does, ensuring that operations are economically viable. By producing commodities from recycled materials, Metastable aims to create a sustainable and profitable business model.
As Metastable prepares to commission its new facility with a capacity of 100 MWh, Shubham reflects on the broader industry challenges and opportunities. The EV and automotive battery recycling sectors are rapidly evolving, with significant potential for growth. Metastable's focus on scalability and efficiency positions it well to capitalise on these trends.
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