recalm ensures less noise and more communication
Noise is not only annoying when you are constantly exposed to it, it also causes serious health problems. The startup recalm has developed a technology that reduces noise in the cabs of construction and agricultural machinery and also facilitates radio communication. This year, the company received millions in funding for this.
It all started with noise at the fish market
The fish market in Altona is one of the most popular meeting places in Hamburg. It is particularly busy on Sunday mornings, but at other times of the week it is usually turbulent and noisy as well. When Marc von Elling left his bedroom window open on a hot summer evening in 2016, a peaceful night's sleep was out of the question, as his flat was located in the immediate vicinity of the fish market. There must be a solution to block out the noise without headphones or earplugs, he thought to himself.
It actually exists and is called anti-noise. Other common terms are Active Noise Reduction (ANR) and Active Noise Cancellation (ANC). In each case, this refers to the creation of destructive interference, an overlap of waves that weaken or even cancel each other out. In the case of sound waves, this means a noticeable reduction in noise, albeit not its complete neutralisation. The process is not really suitable for bedrooms, but it is applied in headphones, where the technology has been in use for decades. For example, by pilots in the cockpit for air traffic control.
From aeroplanes to construction machinery
The startup recalm, which Marc founded in autumn 2016, also took its first steps in the aviation industry. In addition to his experience with noise, the engineer was also motivated to take this step by the successful project work he had done to optimise a milling machine at his employer at that time. He wanted to bring this experience to his own company. Right at the beginning of its history, recalm secured a place in Airbus BizLab, an accelerator programme run by the aircraft manufacturer for a while. Out of around 90 applications, only six startups made it into the support programme, a first sign that recalm had struck a chord.
In the beginning, the business idea was to equip passenger seats in airplanes with an anti-noise system to reduce the noise caused by the turbines. This met with great interest in the industry, but practical implementation proved difficult. On the one hand, the decision-making processes in companies were too long, and on the other hand, the cost of certifying the hardware was too high for a young startup without large financial reserves. A new target group was therefore needed, and fortunately, the answer was not difficult to find. Ralf Ressel, a business angel and temporary member of the management team, had good contacts in the construction and agricultural machinery industry.
Noise protection is a major issue in this sector. Employees in construction, agriculture and forestry are often exposed to high noise levels throughout the day, which can cause serious health problems. Noise-induced hearing loss is the most common recognised occupational disease in Germany. So, there was a market here that was also much more accessible than the aviation industry. Appearances at trade fairs such as bauma, the world's largest construction machinery trade fair, in 2019 deepened contacts and provided valuable feedback. In the same year, recalm also won the German Occupational Safety Award in the newcomer category.
How recalm works
Not only did the company's reputation and customer base grow over time, but its product range also expanded to become what is now known as ANCOR. The standard version is called Headrest and is accordingly mounted on the headrest of a vehicle seat. Noise reduction remains the central element. Flexible microphones pick up the disturbing noise, and software calculates the required anti-noise, which is then emitted by loudspeakers. All this happens continuously within fractions of a second and reduces the noise level by approximately ten decibels. That may not sound like much, but it actually reduces noise perception by up to 50%.
Feedback from the industry led to the development of another feature that is at least as popular as noise reduction. Smooth communication between workers, who are often located at a considerable distance from one another, is a key factor, particularly in forestry. This is usually achieved using radio devices that can be connected to a radio module via ANCOR, that can be operated using a foot pedal. This leaves the hands free, which offers a decisive safety advantage in dangerous situations. Work in forestry is considered particularly accident-prone, and the same applies to the construction industry. Music, which can also be played via the system, provides the necessary relaxation. Of course, it stops as soon as calls come in via radio or mobile phone.
ANCOR Custom offers the same functions as Headrest, but can be tailored more closely to customer-specific needs. For example, not all vehicles used in agriculture have seats with headrests. In this case, microphones and speakers must be positioned in such a way that an optimal quiet zone can be created with a normal head posture. On the other hand, recalm is aiming for series production in which ANCOR is already installed in the vehicles ex works. A major step in this direction was the strategic partnership with agricultural machinery manufacturer KRONE announced at the beginning of 2024. This was accompanied by financing from Silver Crown Capital, KRONE's investment arm, and VC GREENEERING INVEST AG from Switzerland.
recalm manufactures in Saxony-Anhalt and plans for the future in Hamburg
Previously, recalm had only raised small amounts of money, for example through an EXIST founding grant and the InnoRampUp programme run by IFB Innovationsstarter GmbH. The biggest coup came at the beginning of 2025, when the startup completed a Series A financing round worth 3 million euros, in which Silver Crown Capital and GREENEERING INVEST AG were once again involved. Other investors included IBG Risikokapitalfonds IV, managed by bmp Ventures AG, and SymbiaVC, the investment arm of the Barbara Peifer Private Foundation. The money was mainly used to set up the company's own production facility with 800 square metres of floor space in Barleben near Magdeburg.
The increasing demand and listing with renowned machine manufacturers such as SENNEBOGEN, KAISER and Menzi Muck made this step necessary, according to a press release. Production started there in July, while development and administration remain in Hamburg. But there has also been a change of scenery here, with recalm moving out of the Startup Port in Harburg, where it had been based for eight years, and into a larger office in Altona. The team, which currently consists of just over 20 people, is therefore on a growth path in several respects. This includes internationalisation beyond the borders of the DACH region and the development of a software solution that could also be marketed without hardware. The original idea of using the system in aeroplanes has not been completely ruled out either. There is far too much noise in the world, so recalm still has a lot to do.
