About us
Who we are
Mission
9-Tech’s mission is to ensure the upcycling of waste, that is, the valorisation of the critical materials it contains.
Among the technologies under study, the most advanced one concerns the recycling of photovoltaic waste.
Thanks to the cooperation with Depuracque, 9-Tech will sell in Italy and Europe plants for PV panels recylcing, recovering more raw materials and with higher purity compared to the existent solutions.
9-Tech is also engaged in other research projects in the fields of the circular economy and ESG (Environmental – Social – Governance), supporting the design and construction of prototypes and developing technologies for which it holds patents.
Our team
We are a young company that unites the efforts of different research engineers and professionals working together and supporting our projects!
Download 9-Tech’s Gender Equality Plan. Our commitment to gender equality.
Pietrogiovanni Cerchier
CEO
Francesco Miserocchi
CTO
Rosa Lubrano
Financial director
Depuracque
Alessio Carraro
President of the board
Depuracque
Luca Pezzato
CSO
CNR – ICMATE
Pietro Causin
dsi
Francesco Nisato
Prototypes design and building
Veritas
Asja Giallombardo
Accounting
Depuracque
Vittorio Cerchier
Project Manager
ITS Engineering
Graziano Tassinato
Advisor
Veritas
Margherita Turatello
Eu project support
Our history
Since its foundation, on 30th January 2020, 9-Tech started to work on the realisation of a pilot plant for PV panels recycling thanks to the support of the Booster and Accelerator projects (1st and 2nd phase) of EIT Raw Materials (85k euros).
In 2021, authorisations were requested for the construction of an experimental plant, with the support of the Veritas group, which hosts the prototype. In addition, 9-Tech won first prize in the competition organised by the VeNiSIA Accelerator Program.
In 2022, the company won first prize at the Intesa SanPaolo ESG challenge, which enabled the start-up to modify the pilot plant and make it operational, carry out thermal and mechanical treatment testing, develop and patent a treatment to recover silver using low-environmental-impact reagents, and increase and extend its patents.
The company currently holds 2 EU patents on photovoltaic recycling, and 5 more are pending registration.
The Depuracque company became a shareholder of the company with the aim of supporting the industrialization of the prototype.
In 2023, the company won the Fortune Italy Change the World Italia award and was included among the 10 best companies in the circular economy business category (sustainable development award).
Since January 2023 it has started coordinating the European project PARSIVAL, a RIS Capacity Building project financed by EIT RawMaterials and since October it is participating in the horizon EVERPV project.
In the first months of 2024, the testing at the experimental plant and the design of the industrial plant were completed.
In 2024, the authorisation process for the construction of the plant was started, and it was successfully concluded in 2025.
At the end of 2025, Veneto Innovazione awarded a grant of 1M to the 9PV-up project.
Following the withdrawal of investors who had committed to supporting the project in 2024, a new industrial site was identified in 2026 that was better suited to the initiative’s operational and development needs.
The plant is currently scheduled to be completed and commissioned in 2027.
An overview of our milestones
2020
- 30 January 2020: foundation
- June: Start of development of the 9PV experimental plant (EIT RawMaterials booster project)
- September: Pilot plant design completed
- October: Application for the first two patents (furnace and separation method)
2021
- May: Environmental authorisation requested for the experimental plant;
- October: Process patents granted;
- November: 1st prize at the VeNiSIA contest.
2022
- July: 1st prize at the Intesa SanPaolo InAction ESG contest (€250k)
- July: Environmental authorisation received to operate the 9PV experimental plant
- September: Extension of the patents’ intellectual property (EU)
- October: Agreement concluded with Depuracque (Joint Venture contract)
2023
- January: Start of the PARSIVAL project.
- February: Start of testing at the 9PV plant
- February: 1st prize at Fortune Italia.
- October: Start of the EVERPV project
- November: Sustainable Development Award at Ecomondo
2024
- January: Completion of experimental plant tests.
- January: Extension of the silver recovery patent to the EU, USA and CN.
- February: Patent application for the separation machines.
- April: Authorisations requested for the construction of the industrial plant
- August: Patent application for the ultrasonic washing machine.
- December: Silver recovery patent granted.
2025
- February: Environmental authorisation received for the construction of the industrial plant
- May: Building permit received for the plant
- December: Funding granted by Veneto Innovazione for the 9PV-up project
2026
- January: Identification of a new site for the plant
- April: Lease of the new warehouse
- July: Environmental authorisation requested for the new site
- Ongoing: Discussions with potential investors to finance the plant.
