News Summary

MacroCycle, a startup co-founded by Stwart Peña Feliz and Jan-Georg Rosenboom, has developed a novel method for recycling plastics that is significantly more energy-efficient than current processes. This approach loops polymer chains into macrocycles, which can be reopened to reform high-quality polymers without breaking them down into smaller components. MacroCycle’s technology uses 80% less energy compared to the production of virgin polyester. The startup, which raised $6.5 million in seed funding, is setting up a larger reactor to produce samples for fashion brands interested in sustainable materials. MacroCycle was a Top 20 finalist in the Startup Battlefield at TechCrunch Disrupt in San Francisco.