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San Francisco-based startup Tuurny has built and deployed a robotic system that harvests RAM chips from discarded electronics, aiming to address a growing shortage of memory components affecting consumer electronics manufacturers across the United States.
Semiconductor Squeeze Creates Opening
The shortage stems from a shift in global semiconductor manufacturing priorities. Major producers including Micron and Samsung have been redirecting production capacity toward high-tier AI data centre chips, leaving PCB and consumer electronics companies struggling to source the RAM integrated circuits (ICs) they need.
Tuurny’s response is a proprietary robotic cell called Nantul, which combines vision AI with precision robotics to identify, heat-process and extract intact RAM ICs from circuit boards found in electronic waste. The company claims each cell can process up to 300 chips per hour.
The startup has secured its first six-figure commercial contract, which it points to as validation of demand for an alternative hardware supply chain.
Software-Defined, Component-Agnostic
While memory chips represent the company’s entry point, Tuurny’s system is not limited to RAM extraction. Because the process is software-defined rather than dependent on fixed mechanical tooling, Nantul can be reconfigured to target different components as supply chain priorities shift.
“Our immediate focus is keeping consumer electronics manufacturers alive during this memory squeeze, and RAM is just the beginning,” Sina Ghashghaei, Founder of Tuurny, explained. “Because our robots see and understand the board layout dynamically, we can push an over-the-air update to immediately begin targeting and stockpiling specific components rich in critical minerals like copper coils, palladium-heavy RF shields, or specialized processors.”
Ghashghaei described Tuurny as “an agile, onshore strategic reserve” rather than a recycling operation.
Stemming The Flow Of E-Waste Exports
The United States currently exports the bulk of its electronic waste to developing nations, sending valuable rare earth metals and critical minerals offshore because domestic manual dismantling has historically been too expensive to justify.
Tuurny argues its autonomous system changes that economic equation by turning what has been an unprofitable process into one that can scale. By automating the work of stripping components from printed circuit boards, the company aims to make onshore recovery of materials viable.
The potential benefits extend beyond component reuse. Recovering critical minerals domestically could reduce dependence on resource-heavy mining operations that require significant capital investment and water usage.
Scaling Up
With its first commercial deal in place, Tuurny is now working to expand its robotic footprint to meet what it describes as growing demand for localised, circular supply chain solutions in the US tech sector.
The company is based in San Francisco and focuses on developing autonomous, software-defined robotic cells for circuit board depopulation, supplying manufacturers with onshore components while aiming to reduce the carbon footprint of the critical mineral supply chain.
