"We are beyond excited to have the support of our investors trusting our idea and backing our mission to revolutionize the lithium-ion battery recycling industry,” said CEO and co-founder Yan Chao.

Ten firms (we've got the list) will be able to use the cash to pay for efforts toward the proof of concept and prototyping stages, allowing them to capture investment dollars to take their product off the ground.

Wonder Curl is teaming up with cleantech startup Cleanhub, which connects sustainable brands with collection partners on the ground that ensure waste gets recycled.