Will Barker

For Will Barker, the world’s growing e-waste problem wasn’t just a technological challenge, but a chance to change how the world thinks about metals. Will has spent his career developing technologies that deliver meaningful environmental outcomes, and Mint Innovation was founded in 2016 as the culmination of his life’s work.

The company recovers high-value metals such as gold and copper from old electronics, using locally deployable, low-carbon chemistry. The innovation lies not only in the science, but in the model. Mint buys e-waste from the open market, extracts valuable metals via its proprietary process, and sells them back into supply chains - turning waste into resource, locally. Unlike traditional smelting, Mint’s tech is fast to deploy, significantly lower in cost, and avoids harmful by-products. Recycling facilities are already up and running in Australia and the US, with the Texas site able to process 4,000 tonnes of waste per year. Plans are underway to expand recovery to lithium, cobalt and nickel from batteries.

Under Will’s leadership, Mint has raised over NZD $93M, has been recognised by the World Economic Forum as a Technology Pioneer, and has embedded ESG at every level of the business. Will also gives back through roles with Outset Ventures and KiwiNet, helping the next wave of clean tech start-ups get off the ground.

Will’s ambition is not just to recover metals, but to reshape global supply chains from the bottom up. By making recovery local, affordable, and environmentally responsible, he is proving that the raw materials for the future don’t need to come from a mine - they’re already in the waste we leave behind.