Plastic, Bio Waste, Electronics, Sewage, Medical Waste, Industrial, Agricultural...
New and recently funded Recycling Startups
1
Country: UK | Funding: $43.8M
Altilium operates ACT3, the country's first commercial recycling plant for critical minerals from spent electric vehicle (EV) batteries. Located in Plymouth, the plant can process 24,000 EV batteries annually using Altilium's proprietary EcoCathode hydrometallurgical process, which recovers over 95% of cathode metals and over 99% of graphite from battery waste. The resulting process yields critical intermediate materials used in battery cell production: mixed nickel hydroxide precipitate, lithium sulfate, and graphite - all essential components for the production of next-generation cathodes and anodes.
Altilium operates ACT3, the country's first commercial recycling plant for critical minerals from spent electric vehicle (EV) batteries. Located in Plymouth, the plant can process 24,000 EV batteries annually using Altilium's proprietary EcoCathode hydrometallurgical process, which recovers over 95% of cathode metals and over 99% of graphite from battery waste. The resulting process yields critical intermediate materials used in battery cell production: mixed nickel hydroxide precipitate, lithium sulfate, and graphite - all essential components for the production of next-generation cathodes and anodes.
2
Country: USA
Genesis 1 Technologies is combining barcode scanning, sensors, and real-time data tracking to prevent contamination and turn everyday recycling into a measurable, trackable, and rewardable process. It prevents recyclables to be mixed with trash or non-recyclable materials, contaminating entire batches and causing them to be sent to landfills. Company's main product - Topper Stopper - is a retrofitted lid of sorts that mounts directly onto a recycling bin. Instead of allowing users to toss items freely, though, it requires each item to be scanned before disposal. Once the system recognizes it, the door opens, you put the item in, and then it closes. If the item is not recyclable, the bin does not open, effectively preventing contamination before it can occur. Sensors inside the unit also track when items are deposited and monitor how full the bin becomes.
Genesis 1 Technologies is combining barcode scanning, sensors, and real-time data tracking to prevent contamination and turn everyday recycling into a measurable, trackable, and rewardable process. It prevents recyclables to be mixed with trash or non-recyclable materials, contaminating entire batches and causing them to be sent to landfills. Company's main product - Topper Stopper - is a retrofitted lid of sorts that mounts directly onto a recycling bin. Instead of allowing users to toss items freely, though, it requires each item to be scanned before disposal. Once the system recognizes it, the door opens, you put the item in, and then it closes. If the item is not recyclable, the bin does not open, effectively preventing contamination before it can occur. Sensors inside the unit also track when items are deposited and monitor how full the bin becomes.
3
Country: Germany | Funding: $18M
tozero is offering a novel process to recover critical materials such as lithium, nickel, and cobalt from lithium-ion batteries. The startup has launched an industrial demonstration plant in Bavaria that can process 1,500 tonnes of battery waste annually.
tozero is offering a novel process to recover critical materials such as lithium, nickel, and cobalt from lithium-ion batteries. The startup has launched an industrial demonstration plant in Bavaria that can process 1,500 tonnes of battery waste annually.
4
Country: USA | Funding: $2.8M
Thread transforms trash in the poorest communities into fabric, then sells it to apparel/accessories brands looking to improve their level of social/environmental impact. The process is transparent, authenticated from 'Ground to Good', & benefits brands who have lost money, customers, & reputation due to irresponsible sourcing. Thread is bringing in revenue, has moved 90MM bottles from the streets of Haiti & Honduras, & is supporting ~3000 jobs.
Thread transforms trash in the poorest communities into fabric, then sells it to apparel/accessories brands looking to improve their level of social/environmental impact. The process is transparent, authenticated from 'Ground to Good', & benefits brands who have lost money, customers, & reputation due to irresponsible sourcing. Thread is bringing in revenue, has moved 90MM bottles from the streets of Haiti & Honduras, & is supporting ~3000 jobs.
5
Country: UK | Funding: $47.3M
Epoch aims to commercially scale its nylon recycling technology - enzymes that transform plastics into circular chemicals. The company operates demonstration-scale facility located near Imperial College London and plans to bring a commercial-scale facility online in 2028, which will have the capacity to produce 20,000 metric tons of monomer - small, basic molecules that act as the building blocks for plastic - annually
Epoch aims to commercially scale its nylon recycling technology - enzymes that transform plastics into circular chemicals. The company operates demonstration-scale facility located near Imperial College London and plans to bring a commercial-scale facility online in 2028, which will have the capacity to produce 20,000 metric tons of monomer - small, basic molecules that act as the building blocks for plastic - annually
6
Country: Sweden | Funding: $11.5M
Renasens has developed a waterless textile recycling solution designed to convert mixed textile waste into high-quality fibers, supporting circular material use in the fashion industry. Its platform uses modified supercritical CO₂, a state in which carbon dioxide exhibits properties of both a liquid and a gas, to decolor and separate blended textiles. The process enables the recovery of intact fibers without depolymerization, toxic chemicals, or water use. The recovered fibers can be directly reintroduced into existing spinning and manufacturing infrastructure without requiring reformulation or new equipment. The system is modular and designed for deployment within existing facilities, rather than relying on large centralized plants.
Renasens has developed a waterless textile recycling solution designed to convert mixed textile waste into high-quality fibers, supporting circular material use in the fashion industry. Its platform uses modified supercritical CO₂, a state in which carbon dioxide exhibits properties of both a liquid and a gas, to decolor and separate blended textiles. The process enables the recovery of intact fibers without depolymerization, toxic chemicals, or water use. The recovered fibers can be directly reintroduced into existing spinning and manufacturing infrastructure without requiring reformulation or new equipment. The system is modular and designed for deployment within existing facilities, rather than relying on large centralized plants.
7
Country: USA | Funding: $125M
CleanFiber is a construction manufacturing company that makes building insulation from recycled corrugated cardboard. The company describes its cellulose insulation as the purest, cleanest, best-performing, that gives low dust (because they infuse an all-borate, liquid fire retardant directly into the fiber walls). Besides the proprietary wet separation and infusion process floats off contaminants. CleanFiber's production facility in Buffalo is currently ramping up and will produce over 3 million bags of insulation annually. These high production volumes allow the comapny to offer the product at competitive pricing.
CleanFiber is a construction manufacturing company that makes building insulation from recycled corrugated cardboard. The company describes its cellulose insulation as the purest, cleanest, best-performing, that gives low dust (because they infuse an all-borate, liquid fire retardant directly into the fiber walls). Besides the proprietary wet separation and infusion process floats off contaminants. CleanFiber's production facility in Buffalo is currently ramping up and will produce over 3 million bags of insulation annually. These high production volumes allow the comapny to offer the product at competitive pricing.
8
Country: Netherlands | Funding: €28M
Pryme is an innovative cleantech company focused on converting plastic waste into valuable products through low-carbon chemical recycling.
Pryme is an innovative cleantech company focused on converting plastic waste into valuable products through low-carbon chemical recycling.
9
Country: USA | Funding: $20.5M
Glacier is on a groundbreaking journey to end waste – starting with recycling robotics, and with even more ambitious plans on the horizon.
Glacier is on a groundbreaking journey to end waste – starting with recycling robotics, and with even more ambitious plans on the horizon.
10
Country: Canada | Funding: $780k
Arbor is a carbon accounting platform that helps companies calculate and reduce emissions to reach net zero.
Arbor is a carbon accounting platform that helps companies calculate and reduce emissions to reach net zero.
