Currently, 90% of lithium-ion batteries are decommissioned prematurely, despite most retaining over 80% capacity. At NOWOS, we view this as a massive financial and material inefficiency. Since 2020, our mission has been to replace the "disposable" battery misconception with a profitable, industrial-scale circular economy.

We are proud to highlight our mission MOBIRE, a strategic collaboration with Dott and EIT Urban Mobility. While EIT Urban Mobility financed this project and supported with structure, Dott provides their fleet hardware with real-time operational needs for this project, NOWOS provides the technical blueprint and infrastructure to ensure those assets stay on the road longer.

The project focused on two critical aspects, digital tracking and physical life-extension by restoring modular battery components. The aim was to prove that a scalable, economically viable repair process can align the interests of Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs), fleet operators and repair partners, preventing premature recycling and extending battery lifespans at scale.

NOWOS implemented a digital Battery Passport into their industrial repair workflow using a 3rd-party platform. This system creates a digital twin for each battery, tracking its technical history, state of health (SOH) and service logs as required per upcoming Battery Regulations. Dott supported this by providing the fleet hardware and real-world usage data to validate the passport’s accuracy and lifecycle tracking capabilities.

The consortium also worked on improving battery repair processes at NOWOS’s industrial hubs, processing a total of more than 2000 batteries from Dott’s urban fleet. The scope covered thousands of batteries from Dott’s fleet, specifically targeting the Ninebot C1/A200 batteries but also OKAI E400A models.

RESULTS & IMPACT

The pilot demonstrated a high-throughput repair line where units are triaged, repaired and safety-certified at scale, moving modular battery maintenance from an individualised 100% manual process to a scalable process with semi-automated diagnosis, sensitive repair steps and quality/functional control steps.

The results showed measurable benefits across the value chain. Certified repair delivered a 30% cost reduction compared to purchasing new OEM batteries, creating a strong economic incentive for fleet operators and OEMs alike. The project diverted 500 batteries from premature disposal, significantly reducing material waste and associated emissions. Beyond environmental gains, the initiative supported regional economic development, with a new repair centre planned to open in 2026, 20 new local jobs will be created, demonstrating that circular battery repair can scale as a sustainable industrial activity.

• Improved Repair Protocols

• Commissioning of a new Repair Hub in Poland, optimized for fleets and part of the expansion of NOWOS ecosystem. 

• A functional Battery Passport system integrating NOWOS diagnostic data to ensure total transparency.

• A proven, scalable solution (TRL 9) ready for adoption across the micromobility industry

We are honored and excited to announce NOWOS's participation in the prestigious Solar Impulse Pioneers Forum & Pioneer Awards 2025. This event, championed by entrepreneur Bertrand Piccard, is a critical gathering for innovators delivering profitable solutions for environmental protection.

Piccard, a renowned Swiss adventurer and climate activist, who has circumnavigated the world in both a balloon and a solar-powered plane, devotes time and resources to encourage and recognize sustainable solutions.

The Solar Impulse Foundation gathered 350 innovators, corporates, investors and policymakers for the third Pioneers Forum at the Maison de la Poste in Brussels, with one clear goal: turning clean and profitable solutions into concrete action by connecting those who develop them with those who can implement them.

Case Study Pitch

During the event, NOWOS and Swapfiets pitched their case study on impact, taking home the mobility category prize.

Description

Swapfiets, a European leader in e-bike subscriptions, partnered with NOWOS to extend battery life through expert repair and reuse. Faced with rising maintenance costs and growing battery waste, Swapfiets adopted NOWOS's circular repair service. Faulty batteries are collected, diagnosed, and repaired using original parts, then returned to the fleet. This reduces waste, prevents downtime, and avoids unnecessary production of new batteries, supporting a sustainable and cost-effective business model in urban mobility.

Impact & Result

In 2024, 2,800 out of 4,000 Swapfiets batteries were repaired, saving ~140 tons of CO₂eq and ~9.3 tons of lithium ore. With €160 saved per repair, this resulted in €448,000 in cost savings and immediate ROI. The solution reduces downtime, waste, and raw material use, demonstrating the economic and environmental value of circular battery management.

Solution Spotlight

Battery Life Extension by NOWOS is a solution that gives lithium-ion batteries a second life by expertly repairing, reusing, and tracking them instead of replacing them. This approach reduces waste, conserves raw materials like lithium, and supports a circular economy. With certified processes and pan-European logistics, NOWOS ensures safe, compliant, and sustainable battery lifecycle management for businesses in mobility, logistics, energy storage, and beyond.

At the New Mobility Congress in Katowice (23–25 September 2025), NOWOS Chief Impact Officer Alix Armour joined a panel on “Cross-Border Investments – battery reverse value chain and new mobility innovation.” The conversations reflected a maturing market: less hype, more operating detail. Below is a deeper dive on the two questions posed to Alix, and how they connect to NOWOS’s approach. 

1) What’s the biggest cross-border challenge for scaling battery repair and reuse?

Three barriers dominate: Closed Ecosystem, Regulatory Complexity, and Confidence.

• Closed ecosystem. Historically, OEMs have tightly controlled repair networks and diagnostic software, often for good reasons tied to safety and liability. But the side-effect is a slow, narrow pathway for legitimate independent repair, which limits circularity and keeps costs high for fleets and OEM after-sales teams. The remedy is not to lower the bar on safety; it’s to codify an OEM-grade repair standard that manufacturers trust and that can be applied consistently across borders. 

• Regulatory complexity. Move a lithium-ion battery across one border and you can encounter a thicket of requirements: ADR for transport of dangerous goods plus country-level rules and guidance that vary in practice. That variability injects delay, cost, and risk. The operational answer is local capacity with pan-EU logistics know-how. In other words, hubs that are fluent in compliance and configured for scale.

• Confidence. Without data-backed processes and transparent quality control, buyers and insurers hesitate. Confidence is earned through outcomes (repair success rates, safe storage, compliant transport) and traceability that follows batteries through their lifecycle. This is precisely what the EU Battery Regulation (Regulation (EU) 2023/1542) is driving: measurable performance, safety, and end-of-life management. 

How NOWOS tackles them:

• A single repair blueprint applied across our network (Netherlands, France, and next up: Poland) creates the consistency OEMs need to open up. In 2024, we achieved an 89% repair success rate with industrial capacity to process ~120,000 batteries/year, demonstrating that quality and scale can coexist. 

• Compliant logistics and storage: ADR-ready packaging and procedures, with safe, certified storage options integrated into the service. 

• A forthcoming battery passport will stitch the data layer together—health, usage, repair, and end-of-life pathways—and align with regulatory expectations to give partners the auditable trail they need.

Bottom line: Reduce complexity, build confidence, and open up the ecosystem. That’s the formula that turns cross-border friction into scalable throughput. 

2) How can new business models attract international investment in battery circularity?

Investors are shifting from point solutions to system enablers.

• Digital infrastructure that closes the trust gap. The winners will power the operating system of circularity: battery passports with verifiable data; analytics that quantify degradation, remaining useful life and carbon savings; and marketplaces that match verified used assets with qualified buyers. Capital is drawn to the scalable, asset-light margins of these platforms, and regulators are creating demand. The EU Battery Regulation requires lifecycle transparency and performance tracking, which is exactly the kind of governance a battery passport enables. In parallel, the EU’s Right to Repair initiative strengthens access to repair, parts, and information, further cementing repair over replacement and increasing the value of data-rich service networks. Member states will implement over the next two years, pulling the market toward repair-friendly models. 

• Physical infrastructure that converts policy into capacity. Digital rails are not enough; Europe needs more advanced, at-scale hubs for diagnostics, remanufacturing, and second-life integration. That means safe handling, compliant storage, high-throughput chains, and the ability to triage across chemistries and form factors. These are investable, cash-generating assets.

How NOWOS fits:

• Hubs + Passport. Our roadmap combines physical scale with a digital traceability layer (battery passport), built to meet EU compliance and partner reporting needs. 

• Proof in operations. Beyond micromobility, we support energy storage and EV second-life projects, including sourcing/refurbishing EU modules for BESS pilots and validating and supplying second-life EV modules for integrators.

• Scalable outcomes. With 89% repair success in 2024 and pan-EU logistics, we help OEMs and fleets avoid capex, reduce downtime, and cut CO₂ relative to replacement. These are impact metrics that align with investor and policy priorities. 

Why this attracts capital: 

• System-level models reduce customer risk and regulatory exposure while improving asset economics. They are defensible (standards combined with data); repeatable (i.e. multi-market Standard Operating Procedures), and measurable (e.g. repair rate, CO₂ avoided, recycling efficiency). That’s the combination investors look for.

The New Mobility Congress delivered quality dialogue and clear momentum across policy, industry, and investment. We’re grateful to the organisers and fellow panellists for a standout 2025 edition and we’re excited to return in 2026 with more progress to share on hubs, our Battery Passport, market partnerships, and more! 

References & further reading:

• EU Battery Regulation (Regulation (EU) 2023/1542) 

• EU “Right to Repair”

PRESS RELEASE

Amersfoort, NL
April 9th, 2025

ENGLISH VERSION (DUTCH BELOW)

Press release

NOWOS raises €6 million to accelerate battery repair and circular economy expansion across Europe

Amersfoort, Netherlands – April 9, 2025 – NOWOS, Europe’s leader in lithium-ion battery repair and maintenance, today announced the successful closing of a €6 million equity funding round. The round was led by Impact Venture Fund Shift4Good, with participation from Dutch investors Fair Capital Impact Fund and Goeie Grutten Impact Fund. An additional €3 million in debt financing is currently being raised.

This funding marks a major milestone for CEO and serial entrepreneur Prins Doornekamp, who launched NOWOS five years ago. In 2024 alone, the company repaired 310,000 kilograms of 98 different battery models, the equivalent of 90,000 batteries. Doornekamp explains: “This funding not only recognizes the work we’ve done so far but also gives us the resources to accelerate our mission: making battery repair and reuse the standard across Europe. We especially want to acknowledge our customers—those who trust and work with us in this complex and rapidly evolving space since the beginning.”

Expansion in the battery sectors and Europe
Since the company’s launch in 2019, NOWOS initially focused on micro-mobility: repairing batteries for e-bikes, e-mopeds, and kick-scooters for our pioneering customers across Europe such as vehicle manufacturers and fleet operators including Swapfiets, Dott, Felyx, Qwic from the Netherlands, Voi from Sweden, Dance in Germany and France, Fifteen in France, plus naming NIU, Phylion, TWS, Segway-Ninebot among Chinese manufacturers repairing with NOWOS, showing dedication to sustainability and collaboration.

NOWOS has since grown into a leading specialist in the repair and maintenance of lithium-ion batteries. With the new funding, the company will continue to expand into additional sectors such as material handling equipment (e.g., forklifts and AGVs), energy storage systems (ESS), power tools and garden electronics, automated drones, robotics, and medical devices.

Repair instead of replacement
Newly appointed Chief Impact Officer Alix Armour points out, “Today, more than 80% of the batteries we receive can be repaired, saving both energy and materials that would otherwise be wasted through premature recycling. In a rapidly growing sector like micro-mobility, repair isn’t just sustainable, it’s economically strategic. With the EU pushing for 70% material recovery by 2030, companies can no longer afford to treat batteries as disposable. Repair is now on average 55% cheaper than replacement due to rising raw material costs, storage, regulations, and growing pressure to extend product life cycles.”

NOWOS now has hubs in the Netherlands, France and a partner in the UK. With the new funding the company plans to open new repair hubs in Poland in 2025 and in Germany in 2026 to support growing demand across Europe. Additional investments will go towards further developing a Battery Passport system and scaling repair protocols to serve more battery types and use cases. Ultimately, the funding supports NOWOS’ ambition to build a European-wide infrastructure for battery repair, tracking, and reuse.

Strategic partnerships for impact
The round’s lead investor, Shift4Good, is a global impact venture capital fund based in Paris and Singapore, dedicated to sustainable transportation. To Doornekamp, partnering with Shift4Good goes far beyond capital. “We’re gaining a mission-aligned investor with deep knowledge of the transportation and circular economy sectors. Their strategic support, network, and shared vision give us a powerful platform to scale, innovate, and lead in a rapidly evolving industry. This is the kind of partnership that creates long-term impact.”

Shift4Good’s founder Yann Marteil, confirms this. “The circular economy is becoming a standalone sector, especially within transportation, which is a major consumer of raw materials and manufactured goods. The investment and partnership with NOWOS presents a unique opportunity to support solutions that reduce waste, extend product life, and preserve critical resources. We believe that the B2B model NOWOS is building, with large clients at its core, is the right approach to structure the market. At the same time, their localized repair facilities are especially compelling. It allows them to adapt to local needs and client-specific constraints, which is key in this space.”

Shift4Good is joined by two Dutch impact investors that bring unique strategic value: the Fair Capital Impact Fund and Goeie Grutten, both dedicated to supporting companies that create measurable impact in the circular economy. “NOWOS is a leader in sustainable battery solutions, through extending battery lifespans and reducing waste. They emphasize the importance of repair for the transition towards a circular economy. Their pioneering position and ability to scale across Europe make them a strong fit for our impact-driven investment approach.” – Marije Schasfoort, impact investor at Fair Capital Impact Fund

[end]

Note for the editor, not for publication

About NOWOS
Founded in 2019, NOWOS is the leader in battery repair and maintenance in Europe, with a capacity to repair over 120,000 batteries a year, across two hubs in The Netherlands and in France as well as a UK partner. NOWOS’ mission is to extend the life of batteries, reducing energy and material waste, by specialising in the repair, remanufacturing, diagnostics & maintenance of batteries using original parts. Other services include eco-engineering, storage and logistics to support the full lifecycle of a battery.

NOWOS began its journey in the micro-mobility sector repairing batteries for electric bikes, mopeds, and kick-scooters. It is already expanding into markets such as Backup Power Solutions, Energy Storage Systems (ESS), Renewable Energy, Heavy Equipment and Machinery, Logistics and Warehousing (Forklifts & AGVs / AMRs), Marine, Consumer Electronics, E-Mobility (e-bikes & scooters/mopeds), Medical Devices, Robotics and Automated Drone Systems.

For questions or other inquiries, you can contact:

📩 Alix Armour: alix@nowos.com
🌐www.nowos.com
📸 Logos & photos

About the investment partners

About Shift4Good
Shift4Good is an impact venture capital fund with €220 million in assets under management, focused on the decarbonization of the transportation sector. It invests in the transport for goods and people, which alone accounts for around 25% of global CO2 emissions. Backed by top-notch institutional financial investors and major mobility players, Shift4Good has built a unique model to identify and support the best entrepreneurs—those capable of developing and deploying the radical innovations required by the climate emergency. Shift4Good has offices in Paris and Singapore.
For further information please see www.shift4good.com

About the Fair Capital Impact Fund
The Fair Capital Impact Fund, based in The Netherlands, invests growth capital in young companies that contribute to a sustainable world. These companies help combat climate change by focusing on renewable energy, fair and sustainable food systems, and a circular economy. With the Fair Capital Impact Fund, investors deploy their assets to create lasting positive impact.
For further information please see faircapitalimpactfund.nl

About the Goeie-Grutten Impact Fund
Goeie Grutten Impact Fund is a Dutch family investment fund, founded in 2015 with the ambition to make a positive impact on the world. The fund focuses on two themes: sustainable energy transition and global access to responsible, healthy, and diverse nutrition, supporting companies that contribute to these goals.
For further information please see stichtinggoeiegrutten.nl

DUTCH VERSION

Persbericht

NOWOS haalt €6 miljoen aan funding op om batterijreparatie en uitbreiding van Europese circulaire economie te versnellen

Amersfoort, 9 april 2025 – NOWOS, Europees marktleider in reparatie en onderhoud van lithium-ion batterijen, kondigt vandaag aan nieuwe funding ter waarde van €6 miljoen te hebben opgehaald. De investeringsronde werd geleid door Impact Venture Fund Shift4Good, met deelname van de Nederlandse investeerders Fair Capital Impact Fund en Goeie Grutten Impact Fonds. Er wordt momenteel nog eens €3 miljoen aan financiering opgehaald.

De financiering markeert een belangrijke mijlpaal voor CEO en serie ondernemer Prins Doornekamp, ​​die NOWOS vijf jaar geleden oprichtte. Alleen al in 2024 heeft het bedrijf 310.000 kilo aan 98 verschillende modellen batterijen gerepareerd, wat neerkomt op 90.000 batterijen. Doornekamp licht toe: "Deze financiering onderstreept niet alleen ons werk tot nu toe, het geeft ons ook de middelen om onze missie te versnellen: batterijreparatie en -hergebruik de standaard maken in heel Europa. We zijn onze klanten bijzonder dankbaar voor hun vertrouwen sinds het begin, en de voortdurende samenwerking met hen in deze complexe en snel veranderende sector."

Uitbreiding in batterijsectoren en Europa
Sinds de oprichting in 2019 richtte NOWOS zich aanvankelijk op micromobiliteit: het repareren van batterijen voor e-bikes, e-bromfietsen en kick-scooters voor vooruitstrevende klanten in heel Europa, zoals voertuigfabrikanten en vlootbeheerders. Klanten van NOWOS zijn onder andere Swapfiets, Dott, Felyx en Qwic uit Nederland, Voi uit Zweden, Dance uit Duitsland en Frankrijk, en Fifteen uit Frankrijk. Daarnaast werken ook Chinese fabrikanten zoals NIU, Phylion, TWS en Segway-Ninebot samen met NOWOS voor batterijreparaties, wat de toewijding aan duurzaamheid en samenwerking onderstreept. 

NOWOS is inmiddels uitgegroeid tot een toonaangevende specialist in de reparatie en het onderhoud van lithium-ionbatterijen. Met de nieuwe financiering zal het bedrijf zich verder uitbreiden naar aanvullende sectoren, zoals materiaalbehandelingsapparatuur (bijv. heftrucks en AGV's), energieopslagsystemen (ESS), elektrisch gereedschap en tuinapparatuur, geautomatiseerde drones, robotica en medische apparatuur.

Reparatie in plaats van vervanging
Nieuw aangestelde Chief Impact Officer Alix Armour vertelt: “Vandaag de dag kan meer dan 80% van de batterijen die we ontvangen gerepareerd worden, wat zowel energie als materialen bespaart die anders verspild worden door voortijdige recycling. In een sterk groeiende sector als micromobiliteit is reparatie niet alleen duurzaam, het is ook economisch slim om te doen. De EU streeft naar 70% materiaalherwinning in 2030. Bedrijven kunnen het zich dus niet meer veroorloven om batterijen als wegwerproducten te behandelen. Reparatie is nu gemiddeld 55% goedkoper dan vervanging, door stijgende grondstofkosten, opslag, regelgeving en de toenemende druk om de levenscyclus van producten te verlengen.” 

NOWOS heeft inmiddels hubs in Nederland, Frankrijk en een partner in de UK. Met de nieuwe financiering zal het bedrijf in 2025 een reparatiehub openen in Polen en in 2026 in Duitsland, om zo de groeiende vraag naar reparaties in heel Europa te ondersteunen. Daarnaast wordt geïnvesteerd in de verdere ontwikkeling van een Battery Passport-systeem en in het opschalen van reparatieprotocollen om meer batterijtypes en toepassingen te bedienen.Uiteindelijk ondersteunt de financiering de ambitie van NOWOS om een ​​Europese infrastructuur te bouwen voor batterijreparatie, tracking en hergebruik.

Strategische partnerschappen voor impact
De hoofdinvesteerder van de ronde, Shift4Good, is een wereldwijd impact-risicokapitaalfonds gevestigd in Parijs en Singapore, dat zich toelegt op duurzame mobiliteit. Voor Doornekamp gaat de samenwerking met Shift4Good veel verder dan kapitaal. "We krijgen een missiegerichte investeerder met diepgaande kennis van mobiliteit en circulaire economie. Hun strategische ondersteuning, netwerk en gedeelde visie geven ons een krachtig platform om te schalen, innoveren en leiden in een snel evoluerende industrie. Dit is het soort partnerschap dat impact op de lange termijn creëert."

De oprichter van Shift4Good, Yann Marteil, beaamt dit: “De circulaire economie wordt steeds meer een op zichzelf staande sector, met name binnen de transportsector, die een verbruiker is van grondstoffen en vervaardigde goederen. De samenwerking met NOWOS biedt een unieke kans om oplossingen te ondersteunen die afval verminderen, de levensduur van producten verlengen en kritieke hulpbronnen behouden. Wij geloven dat het B2B-model dat NOWOS aan het opbouwen is, met grote klanten als kern, de juiste benadering is om de markt te structureren. Tegelijkertijd zijn hun lokale reparatiefaciliteiten bijzonder aantrekkelijk. Daarmee kunnen ze zich aanpassen aan lokale behoeften en klant-specifieke eisen, wat essentieel is in deze sector.”

Shift4Good wordt vergezeld door twee andere investeerders die een unieke strategische waarde bieden: Fair Capital Impact Fund en Goeie Grutten Impact Fonds, beide gericht op het ondersteunen van bedrijven die meetbare impact creëren in de circulaire economie. "NOWOS is een koploper in duurzame batterijoplossingen door de levensduur van batterijen te verlengen en afval te verminderen. Ze onderstrepen het belang van reparatie voor de transitie naar een circulaire economie. Hun pioniersrol en schaalbaarheid in Europa maken hen een sterke match voor onze impactgedreven investeringsaanpak," aldus Marije Schasfoort, impact investeerder bij Fair Capital Impact Fund.

[einde bericht]

Noot voor de redactie, niet voor publicatie

Over NOWOS
NOWOS is de leider in batterijreparatie en -onderhoud in Europa, met een capaciteit om meer dan 120.000 batterijen per jaar te repareren, verdeeld over twee hubs in Nederland en Frankrijk, en een Britse partner. De missie van NOWOS is het verlengen van de levensduur van batterijen, waardoor energie- en materiaalverspilling worden verminderd. Het bedrijf specialiseert zich in de reparatie, herfabricage, diagnose en onderhoud van batterijen met gebruik van originele onderdelen. Andere diensten zijn eco-engineering, opslag en logistiek om de volledige levenscyclus van een batterij te ondersteunen.

NOWOS begon zijn reis in de micromobiliteitssector met het repareren van batterijen voor elektrische fietsen, bromfietsen en kick-scooters. Het breidt zich al uit naar markten zoals Backup Power Solutions, Energy Storage Systems (ESS), Renewable Energy, Heavy Equipment and Machinery, Logistics and Warehousing (Forklifts & AGVs / AMRs), Marine, Consumer Electronics, E-Mobility (e-bikes & scooters/bromfietsen), Medical Devices, Robotics en Automated Drone Systems.

Voor vragen of verzoeken naar aanleiding van dit bericht, kunt u contact opnemen met:

📩  Alix Armour: alix@nowos.com
🌐 www.nowos.com

De Bruijn PR
Roos Bouws
📩 roos@debruijnpr.nl
📞 +31202440075

Over de investeringspartners

Over Shift4Good
Shift4Good is een impact-risicokapitaalfonds met €220 miljoen aan beheerd vermogen, gericht op de decarbonisatie van de transportsector. Het investeert in het transport van goederen en mensen, wat alleen al goed is voor ongeveer 25% van de wereldwijde CO2-uitstoot. Ondersteund door top-institutionele financiële investeerders en grote mobiliteitsspelers, heeft Shift4Good een uniek model ontwikkeld om de beste ondernemers te selecteren en te ondersteunen die in staat zijn de radicale innovaties te ontwikkelen die nodig zijn vanwege de klimaatcrisis. Shift4Good heeft kantoren in Parijs en Singapore.
Voor meer informatie: https://www.shift4good.com/ 

Over Fair Capital Impact Fund

Het Fair Capital Impact Fund, gevestigd in Nederland, investeert groeikapitaal in jonge bedrijven die bijdragen aan een duurzame wereld. Deze bedrijven helpen de klimaatverandering te bestrijden door zich te richten op hernieuwbare energie, eerlijke en duurzame voedselsystemen, en een circulaire economie. Met het Fair Capital Impact Fund zetten investeerders hun middelen in om een blijvende positieve impact te creëren.
Voor meer informatie: https://faircapitalimpactfund.nl/

Over Goeie Grutten Impact Fonds
Goeie Grutten Impact Fonds is een Nederlands familie-investeringsfonds, opgericht in 2015 met de ambitie om een positieve impact op de wereld te maken. Het fonds richt zich op twee thema's: de duurzame energietransitie en wereldwijde toegang tot verantwoorde, gezonde en diverse voeding, door bedrijven te ondersteunen die bijdragen aan deze doelen.
Voor meer informaatie: https://stichtinggoeiegrutten.nl/