Anferra
Anferra AB is a Gothenburg-based deep-tech startup that uses a proprietary hydrometallurgical process to recycle hazardous steel grinding sludge into ferric chloride for water treatment, green hydrogen, and recoverable alloys, serving steel manufacturers (SKF, Scania, SSAB) and water-treatment chemical buyers.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2024
- HeadquartersGothenburg, Sweden
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Anferra does
Anferra AB is a Gothenburg-based deep-tech startup, founded in 2024, that has developed a proprietary hydrometallurgical process for recycling hazardous steel grinding sludge and swarf into three saleable outputs: high-purity ferric chloride (FeCl3) for water treatment, green hydrogen for industrial energy use, and alloy concentrates (molybdenum, chromium) for stainless-steel production. The process, which combines leaching, purification, and filtration, has demonstrated up to 95% iron recovery in larger-batch demonstrations supported by SKF and Scania, and an independent life cycle assessment by IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute confirms a net climate benefit of approximately -350 kg CO2-equivalents per tonne of sludge processed under the Swedish Metals & Minerals Impact Innovation program.
The company's go-to-market is built on deep technical collaboration with large Nordic industrial manufacturers — primarily SKF, Scania, and SSAB — that supply waste streams, application knowledge, and increasingly strategic capital (notably the SKF Ventures-led round in June 2026, the inaugural deal of that vehicle, alongside Stephen Industries and Chalmers Ventures). Revenue is intended to come from ferric chloride sales via established coagulant resellers, sale or on-site use of hydrogen and recovered alloys, and potential licensing of the recycling technology to industrial partners as deployment moves from pilot to industrial scale. Commercial pricing has not been disclosed and the company remains pre-revenue, with activity in 2025–2026 centered on pilot demonstrations, accelerator programs (MassChallenge Switzerland, Kemira's EriCa Reactor, the SSAB/Dalarna Science Park Circular Industry Accelerator), independent validation, and grant funding (Women TechEU, Swedish Energy Agency/Formas/Vinnova).
The 1–10-person team is led by co-founders Ebba Adolfsson (CEO), Max Lumetzberger (CTO), and Thomas Ottink (Head of R&D), with research recognized on the Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences (IVA) 100 List for two consecutive years and multiple 2025 awards (Renova Environmental Scholarship, Women TechEU Top 40, Företagarna 103 Young Ideas Top 10). Anferra targets a global addressable waste stream of roughly 12 million tonnes of steel grinding sludge generated annually and positions its technology within EU circular-economy and industrial-decarbonization policy frameworks.
Anferra firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Anferra
- Legal name
- Anferra AB
- Website
- https://anferra.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2024
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Anferra AB is a Gothenburg-based deep-tech startup that uses a proprietary hydrometallurgical process to recycle hazardous steel grinding sludge into ferric chloride for water treatment, green hydrogen, and recoverable alloys, serving steel manufacturers (SKF, Scania, SSAB) and water-treatment chemical buyers.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Anferra industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Industrial Recycling & Specialty Chemicals
- NAICS
- Primary Metal Manufacturing (331)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Ferrous Scrap Processing & Brokerage (Steel & Cast Iron) (IMAKAMAA)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Ferrous Scrap Processing & Recycling (Steel/Iron) (EUAIAJAA)
Keywords
Where Anferra is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Gothenburg
- HQ country
- Sweden
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Anferra business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Ferric Chloride Sales: Sale of high-purity iron chloride produced from recycled steel grinding sludge to water treatment facilities and chemical distributors. Works with established partners and resellers of iron-based coagulants, increasing availability of recycled water treatment chemicals and reducing dependence on virgin iron ore.
- Green Hydrogen and Alloy By-products: Sale or utilization of hydrogen gas generated in the process for industrial energy use and recovery of alloying elements (molybdenum, chromium) from solid by-products for reuse in stainless steel production.
- Technology Licensing and Industrial Services: Potential licensing of proprietary recycling technology to industrial partners for on-site implementation, as the company moves from pilot to industrial deployment.
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels4 records
Anferra product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Anferra operates a proprietary hydrometallurgical process that converts hazardous steel grinding sludge and swarf into three commercial outputs: high-purity ferric chloride (FeCl3) for water treatment, green hydrogen gas for energy use, and recoverable alloys containing molybdenum and chromium for stainless steel production. The process achieves up to 95% iron recovery and delivers a net climate benefit of approximately -350 kg CO2-equivalents per tonne of sludge processed.
Product overview
Anferra offers a unified steel waste recycling technology that employs a hydrometallurgical process to transform hazardous steel grinding sludge into three valuable outputs: ferric chloride (FeCl₃) for water treatment applications, green hydrogen (H₂) as an energy carrier, and recoverable alloys containing molybdenum and chromium for the steel value chain. The core technology achieves up to 95% iron recovery rates and delivers net climate benefits by displacing conventional disposal methods like landfill and incineration.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Anferra Steel Waste Recycling Technology Proprietary hydrometallurgical process (leaching, purification, filtration) that converts hazardous steel grinding sludge and swarf into high-purity ferric chloride (FeCl3), green hydrogen (H2), and recoverable alloys containing molybdenum and chromium. Achievable for licensing or partnered deployment to large industrial manufacturers (steel, bearings, cutting tools) and via chemical resellers.
- Ferric Chloride (FeCl3) High-purity iron chloride (FeCl3) produced from recycled steel grinding sludge, sold to water treatment facilities and chemical distributors for use as a coagulant in drinking water production and wastewater treatment. Distributed via established partners and resellers of iron-based coagulants, displacing ferric chloride produced from virgin magnetite.
- Green Hydrogen (H2)
Quantifiable outcome
- Up to 95% iron recovery rate from steel grinding sludge
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Anferra
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Anferra technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Anferra partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered core, supporting and major.
- KemiracoreSelected for first cohort of Kemira's EriCa Reactor accelerator with Kemira as main industry partner and sponsor. Kemira brings decades of experience in scaling innovations, deep industry insights, and R&I expertise with mentors providing hands-on guidance. Focus areas include water scarcity, PFAS removal, and material recycling.
- IVL Swedish Environmental Research InstitutesupportingCollaborative partner in environmental study evaluating climate performance of Anferra's process for recycling steel grinding sludge into ferric chloride. Study conducted as part of Swedish Metals & Minerals Impact Innovation program.
- Scania GroupmajorProvided grinding swarf and financial support for larger-batch-scale demonstration achieving 95% iron recycling rate. Working with Anferra to advance sustainable solutions for managing industrial steel waste, with Anferra producing high-purity iron chloride meeting European standards for drinking water treatment.
- SSABmajorStrategic partnership through Dalarna Science Park's Circular Industry Accelerator Program. Anferra is matched with SSAB to explore innovative solutions for their byproducts, working together over nine months to identify and evaluate circular solutions that are both monetarily and environmentally sustainable.
- Dalarna Science ParkmajorPartner in Circular Industry Accelerator Program that matches established industries with startups to promote circularity by transforming industrial waste streams into sustainable business opportunities.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Anferra competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Befesa: Befesa is a European-based recycling company that recovers valuable materials from steel industry waste streams (notably EAF dust) using thermal and hydrometallurgical processes. It is the closest commercial analogue to Anferra's hydrometallurgical steel-waste recycling model.
- Aurubis: Aurubis is a leading European multi-metal recycler using hydrometallurgical and electrolytic refining to recover copper and other nonferrous metals from scrap and complex feedstocks. Anferra applies the same hydrometallurgical process discipline to ferrous steel grinding sludge.
- Boliden: Boliden operates smelters and refineries that use hydrometallurgical processing of metal-bearing industrial residues to recover base metals. The technology overlap with Anferra's leaching, purification, and filtration process is direct, even though the feedstock (steel sludge) differs.
- Zochem: Zochem (formerly Horsehead) recycles zinc from steel EAF dust using pyrometallurgical and hydrometallurgical steps. The end-to-end concept — converting hazardous steel-mill waste into a marketable chemical product — directly parallels Anferra's ferric chloride output model.
Broad incumbents
- SSAB: SSAB is a major Nordic steel producer and one of Anferra's core industrial partners; it is also a broad incumbent driving fossil-free steel via its HYBRIT initiative. It overlaps as both a feedstock source/validator for Anferra and as a long-term potential competitor/partner in circular steel.
- Kemira: Kemira is a global water treatment chemicals incumbent and the lead industry partner in Anferra's EriCa Reactor accelerator cohort. It supplies iron-based coagulants and could either become Anferra's main ferric chloride distribution partner or compete at scale with recycled input.
- Outokumpu: Outokumpu is the world's largest stainless steel producer and a leading recycler of stainless steel scrap into high-alloy products. Its closed-loop recycling approach competes for the same Mo/Cr-bearing alloy residues that Anferra recovers from steel grinding sludge.
- ArcelorMittal: ArcelorMittal is the world's largest integrated steelmaker, with growing investments in EAF-based recycling and circular steel. It is both a potential large-volume customer for Anferra's sludge recycling technology and a competitive force with deep balance-sheet resources.
- Nucor: Nucor is the largest EAF-based steelmaker in North America and a major recycler of ferrous scrap into new steel. It is relevant as a comparator for scrap-based, lower-emission steelmaking and as a potential large-scale customer for circular ferrous recycling technology.
Emerging players
- Stegra (formerly H2 Green Steel): Stegra is an emerging green steel producer using hydrogen-based direct reduction and large-scale scrap recycling. It represents a future off-taker of Anferra's hydrogen byproduct and a comparable deep-tech circular steel entrant in the Nordics.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Anferra social profiles
Digital presenceAnferra financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Anferra leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
Anferra funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds4 records
Investors4 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Anferra M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Anferra
What does Anferra do?
Anferra operates a proprietary hydrometallurgical process that converts hazardous steel grinding sludge and swarf into three commercial outputs: high-purity ferric chloride (FeCl3) for water treatment, green hydrogen gas for energy use, and recoverable alloys containing molybdenum and chromium for stainless steel production. The process achieves up to 95% iron recovery and delivers a net climate benefit of approximately -350 kg CO2-equivalents per tonne of sludge processed.
Is Anferra a public or private company?
Anferra is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Anferra founded?
Anferra was founded in 2024. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Anferra based?
Anferra is headquartered in Gothenburg, Sweden, in the Europe region.
How does Anferra make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Ferric Chloride Sales are the primary driver. The others are green Hydrogen and Alloy By-products and technology Licensing and Industrial Services.
Who are Anferra's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Befesa, Aurubis, Boliden and Zochem. Broad incumbents are SSAB, Kemira, Outokumpu, ArcelorMittal and Nucor. Stegra (formerly H2 Green Steel) is listed as an emerging player.
Does Anferra have an API?
No public API is recorded for Anferra.
What industry is Anferra in?
Anferra's product category is Industrial Recycling & Specialty Chemicals. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMAKAMAA, Ferrous Scrap Processing & Brokerage (Steel & Cast Iron), with a secondary code of EUAIAJAA, Ferrous Scrap Processing & Recycling (Steel/Iron). Its NAICS code is 331.