Lightcycle

What Lightcycle does

Lightcycle Retourlogistik und Service GmbH is a Munich-based, non-profit take-back system (Gemeinnütziges Unternehmen der Lampenhersteller) founded in 2005 that operates Germany's leading compliance scheme for end-of-life lighting products under the ElektroG (Electrical and Electronic Equipment Act) framework. The company coordinates a nationwide network of more than 6,600 collection points spanning municipal recycling centers, hardware stores (toom, hagebaumarkt), drugstores, supermarkets, and specialist electrical trade shops, where consumers can dispose of LED and gas-discharge lamps free of charge. Lightcycle routes collected material through two specialist recycling consortia — LARS (Lampen Recycling und Service GmbH) and RSL (Recycling Service Langer GmbH) — which apply four specialized recovery processes (centrifugal separation, glass-break washing, shredder, and cap-separation) to achieve up to 90% material recovery, including rare earth elements (Yttrium, Europium, Thulium, Ytterbium) from luminescent powders and up to 99.9% pure mercury recovery.

Lightcycle's business model is a manufacturer-funded collective compliance scheme: lamp producers and distributors that place products on the German market fund the take-back system through member contributions, while end-consumers receive collection services at no charge. The organization operates with a lean staff of 1-10 employees, outsourcing logistics and recycling to specialist partners. Consumer-facing tools include the sammelstellensuche.de postal-code locator for finding nearby collection points and the iOS Recycling Master educational app, supplemented by the Rohstoffwochen school program conducted in partnership with the German Environment Agency (UBA), the Bavarian Ministry of Environment, Germanwatch, and Geoscopia, with UNESCO Action Days recognition. B2B services include ElektroG compliance advisory for manufacturers and distributors (with active preparation for ElektroG3 effective 01.01.2026), a dedicated Rücknehmer (collector) portal for scheduling pickup of small, large, or spot-quantity collections, and energy-efficiency transition guidance. Lightcycle is a founding member of EucoLight, the European WEEE lighting collection and recycling association whose members collectively process approximately 80% of lamp waste across 19 countries, supporting cross-border policy engagement and shared recycling R&D (notably a Fraunhofer IZM feasibility study on automated lamp-type detection). Consumer awareness has grown to a record 84% in 2026 (from 79% in 2023), driven by celebrity-led campaigns featuring Eko Fresh, Stefan Gödde, Britta Steffen, and others.

Name

Lightcycle

Legal name

Lightcycle Retourlogistik und Service GmbH

Website

https://lightcycle.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

2005

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Lightcycle is a Munich-based non-profit compliance scheme that operates Germany's leading take-back system for end-of-life LED and gas-discharge lamps through 6,600+ collection points, funded by lamp manufacturers under the ElektroG regulatory framework and serving both consumers and B2B distributors.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Lighting Waste Recycling and ElektroG Compliance Services

NAICS

Materials Recovery Facilities (56292)

SIC

Sanitary Services (4950)

akta.pro primary industry

PV & Energy Device Recycling (Solar Panels, Inverters, Power Electronics) (EUAIAIAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Material Reuse & Upcycling Services (Non-recycling Transformation) (EUAIANAJ), Hazardous Materials Handling & Compliance (EHS, Transport, Permitting, Reporting) (EUAMALAI)

Keywords

• Lamp recycling services
• WEEE compliance solutions
• ElektroG take-back system
• Lighting waste management
• Rare earth recovery

Headquarters

HQ city

Munich

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Lampenhersteller Collective Take-Back System: Lightcycle is a non-profit entity (gemeinnütziges Unternehmen) of lamp manufacturers. It organizes the nationwide collection, logistics, and recycling of LED and gas-discharge lamps under the ElektroG framework. The system is funded by its member manufacturers, with collection free of charge for consumers at designated points. Revenue is derived from contributions from member manufacturers who place lamps on the German market, covering the costs of the take-back, logistics, and recycling infrastructure.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Lightcycle operates Germany's leading nationwide take-back and recycling system for end-of-life LED and gas-discharge lamps, coordinating collection from 6,600+ free drop-off points, logistics, and specialised recycling through partner recyclers LARS and RSL to recover up to 90% of lamp materials (including rare earths and mercury). It additionally provides ElektroG compliance advisory, B2B take-back logistics for manufacturers, distributors and professional collectors, and consumer-facing educational tools such as the Sammelstellensuche locator and the Recycling Master app.

Product overview

Lightcycle is Germany's leading take-back system for lighting products, offering a unified service platform that combines a nationwide collection network, consumer-facing applications, and educational programs. The core offering centers on the Sammelstellensystem—a network of over 6,600 collection points—supported by the Sammelstellensuche finder tool and the Recycling Master mobile app for consumer engagement. Educational initiatives like the Rohstoffwochen program and celebrity campaigns complement the service portfolio. For industry clients, Lightcycle provides ElektroG compliance advisory services. The company organizes lamp recycling through partner facilities LARS and RSL, achieving up to 90% material recovery rates.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Lightcycle Sammelstellensystem (Collection Point Network) Germany-wide network of more than 6,600 collection points where consumers can dispose of old LED, compact fluorescent and energy-saving lamps free of charge. Operates through municipal recycling centers, hardware stores, drugstores, supermarkets, and electrical trade shops for German households.
• ElektroG Compliance Services Advisory and compliance support for lamp manufacturers, distributors (Vertreiber) and electrical wholesalers regarding the German ElektroG, including ElektroG3 preparation (effective 01.01.2026), compliance checking, and energy efficiency requirements.
• B2B Professional Collector Take-Back Service Logistics and collection service for professional returners/collectors (Rücknehmer) handling small quantities, large quantities, and spot pickups of accumulated lamps, scheduled via a dedicated B2B login portal and coordinated through Lightcycle's recycling partners.
• Recycling Master App Free gamified educational app for iOS that teaches proper waste sorting and disposal through interactive gameplay, with educational content aimed at consumers and schools for environmental learning.

Quantifiable outcome

• Up to 90% of lamp materials are recyclable and can be recovered through proper collection
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• EucoLightcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 January 2022Lightcycle is a founding member of EucoLight, the European association of WEEE lamp and lighting collection and recycling organizations. EucoLight members collectively collect and recycle approximately 80% of lamp waste across 19 countries. EucoLight advocates on WEEE Directive policy, legislation, and standards, and facilitates knowledge sharing across member organizations. Lightcycle participates in studies such as the 2022 Fraunhofer IZM research on automatic lamp type detection in recycling streams.
• Fraunhofer IZMcoreTechnology or Integration · 21 January 2022Partnered with EucoLight and Fraunhofer IZM to conduct a feasibility study on automated lamp type detection (LED vs. gas-discharge lamps) in recycling streams using blue light and electromagnetic induction. Fraunhofer IZM evaluated the electromagnetic approach and recommends combining it with optical detection to improve sorting accuracy to 100% for gas-discharge lamps.
• i!bk Ideenwerkstatt für Bildung und Kommunikation gGmbHcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducational partner organizing the Lightcycle Rohstoffwochen (Raw Materials Weeks) school program. i!bk coordinates school registrations, provides educational materials, and manages event logistics for the educational initiative on resource conservation and circular economy. Contact: +49 89 892676 16, presse(at)iibk.eu.
• Germanwatch (Rohstoffexpedition)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEnvironmental education partner providing the Rohstoffexpedition (Raw Materials Expedition) as part of the Rohstoffwochen program. Experienced environmental educators use live satellite imagery and comparisons with archive footage to make the global ecological and social consequences of resource extraction, transport, processing, use, and disposal visible to students.
• GeoscopiacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the Rohstoffexpedition educational program, providing scientific expertise and satellite imagery to help students understand the connection between lifestyle and the consequences of growing resource demand.
• Umweltbundesamt (UBA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOfficial supporter of the Lightcycle Rohstoffwochen educational program. The German Environment Agency promotes resource conservation and circular economy education, and supports the initiative's goal of integrating environmental education into school curricula.
• StMUV Bayern (Bayerisches Staatsministerium für Umwelt und Verbraucherschutz)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUnder the patronage of the Bavarian State Ministry for Environment and Consumer Protection, the Rohstoffwochen program is officially endorsed and promoted as part of the ministry's environmental education priorities.
• SoneparminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorElectrical wholesale partner offering sustainable take-back solutions in partnership with Lightcycle for electrical products including lamps. Sonepar provides access to collection infrastructure for B2B customers.
• ZVEH (Zentralverband Elektrotechnik- und Elektronikindustrie)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerCooperation partner (Kooperationspartner) providing industry representation and support for the lamp take-back system. ZVEH is the central association for electrical engineering and electronics industry in Germany.
• LARS (Lampen Recycling und Service GmbH)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRecycling partner (alongside RSL) that processes collected lamps from the Lightcycle take-back system. LARS is one of two recycling consortia receiving lamps for processing through various recycling procedures.
• RSL (Recycling Service Langer GmbH)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRecycling partner (alongside LARS) that processes collected lamps from the Lightcycle take-back system. RSL is one of two recycling consortia receiving lamps for processing through various recycling procedures.
• EAG GmbHminorGTM or Marketing PartnerListed as a cooperation partner (Kooperationspartner) on the Lightcycle website.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Lumiver: Belgian PRO for lighting WEEE, responsible for lamp and luminaire take-back in Belgium. Comparable in mission, scope, and EucoLight membership to Lightcycle.
• Recylum: French producer responsibility organization for lighting WEEE, operating the national lamp and luminaire take-back scheme in France. Direct functional peer to Lightcycle in the lamp-specific WEEE compliance space, and co-member of EucoLight.
• Recolight: UK-based lighting compliance scheme providing lamp and luminaire take-back and recycling services. Directly comparable to Lightcycle in scope (lighting-only WEEE), funding model (manufacturer-funded), and EucoLight membership.
• LightRec: Dutch WEEE PRO dedicated to lighting products, providing lamp and luminaire take-back across the Netherlands. Operates under the same European WEEE Directive framework as Lightcycle and is a co-member of EucoLight.
• Trilec: Nordic lamp and lighting WEEE collection and recycling organization covering Sweden and other Nordic countries. Direct functional peer to Lightcycle in lamp-only WEEE compliance and EucoLight co-member.

Broad incumbents

• take-e-back: German WEEE compliance scheme offering take-back services across multiple electrical equipment categories. Broader in scope than Lightcycle but operates under the same ElektroG framework and competes for the same manufacturer member relationships.
• Interzero Circular Solutions: Leading German circular economy services provider and WEEE PRO with multi-category take-back offerings. Comparable as a German PRO but with broader scope than Lightcycle's lighting specialization.
• Landbell Group: European WEEE, packaging, and battery compliance scheme provider operating across multiple countries. Broader scope than Lightcycle and competes in adjacent compliance categories.
• European Recycling Platform (ERP): Pan-European WEEE, battery, and packaging compliance scheme. Comparable in compliance-services business model to Lightcycle but operates across multiple WEEE categories and geographies.

Others

• Stiftung Elektro-Altgeräte Register (EAR): German government-registered foundation that maintains the national WEEE registry and oversees PROs under ElektroG. Not a direct competitor but the regulatory body with which Lightcycle interacts for compliance registration and reporting.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/LightcycleTeam
• Facebookfacebook.com/LightcycleTeam
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/lightcycle-retourlogistik-und-service-gmbh
• Instagraminstagram.com/lightcycle_team
• Xx.com/Lightcycle_Team

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Lightcycle