Refacture proudly took home first place at the 2023 SWITCH Conference, winning the prestigious Viking Hall Pitch Final in Bergen, Norway. Held annually, SWITCH is a gathering point for innovators, industrial leaders, investors, and changemakers across Europe focused on solving the climate crisis through real technology, not buzzwords.
Refacture’s winning pitch, delivered by Founder & CEO Nick Narsavidze, showcased the company’s advanced plasma manufacturing platform and modular approach to critical material production. The judges praised Refacture’s ability to bridge climate impact with real commercial value, calling it one of the most complete business cases presented at the event.
“This is the kind of technology that doesn’t just solve one problem — it solves many,” said Hilde Holdhus, Viking Hall Panelist/SARSIA. “You're not just talking about circularity, you're producing high-demand products with real value.”
The Viking Hall Pitch Final featured ten finalists selected from a broad pool of applicants across Europe. The competition emphasized scalable solutions, deep tech hardware, and economic viability. Refacture’s presentation highlighted its ability to transform hazardous industrial byproducts like Spent Pot Liner (SPL) into beta-phase silicon carbide (3C-SiC), synthetic graphite, and aluminum fluoride — all manufactured inside a proprietary high-temperature plasma furnace.
“We were honored to be among such a strong field of companies building real solutions,” said Narsavidze. “This recognition underscores the urgency of rethinking how critical materials are sourced and manufactured, especially for electrification, defense, and energy storage. It also reaffirms that there is real appetite in the market for industrial innovation that delivers both impact and return.”
The SWITCH Conference represents a powerful convergence of industry and sustainability, and Refacture’s win positions it as a leader in the new wave of climate-resilient, materials-focused industrial tech. With its demo facility in Høyanger nearing launch and a growing pipeline of international partnerships, Refacture continues to demonstrate how plasma systems can unlock scalable, circular manufacturing for the strategic materials economy.