How one startup is using probiotics to try and ease the copper shortage | TechCrunch

Transition Metal Solutions, a startup, has developed a method to increase copper production by 20% to 30% using additives to enhance microbial performance, aiming to mitigate the impending copper shortage. The company has raised a $6 million seed round led by Transition Ventures, with participation from several other investors. Transition Metal Solutions' approach involves applying a proprietary cocktail of low-cost, inorganic compounds to boost the entire microbial community, rather than focusing on a few strains, which has shown to increase copper extraction from ore by up to 90% in lab samples.