US start-up MacroCycle Technologies has successfully secured US$ 6.5 million (EUR 6.2 million) to enhance its chemical recycling process.

Source: RecyclingInternational

According to MacroCycle, this funding will enable a 50% increase in operations and the expansion of its pilot plant facilities, which is essential for meeting the rising customer demand for upcycled PET and polyester resin.

Founded in Cambridge, Massachusetts in 2023, MacroCycle utilizes innovative chemistry and selective non-toxic reagents that significantly streamline the plastics recycling process. This method is reported to consume approximately 80% less energy compared to fossil-based PET production and requires at least 50% lower capital expenditure than other chemical or biological recycling alternatives.

Growth Phase

The investment round was spearheaded by sustainability-focused venture capital firms Clean Energy Ventures and Volta Circle. MacroCycle’s goal is to recycle PET bottles and polyester textile waste from clients with significant packaging waste, spanning sectors such as cosmetics, textiles, home goods, food and beverage, as well as luxury and fast fashion brands.

The foundation for MacroCycle’s technology was established through the academic research of Jan-Georg Rosenboom, co-founder and CTO of MacroCycle, along with colleagues from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, ETH Zurich, and the Polytechnic University of Milan.

With initial backing from the Breakthrough Energy Fellows program, MacroCycle has scaled its technology by a factor of 100 from laboratory beakers to a pilot reactor at The Engine Accelerator’s facilities in Massachusetts.

To meet the increasing demand for its mPET product, the plant will facilitate large-scale product validation and manufacture bottles and garments entirely from MacroCycle’s recycled polyethylene resin.