🥤70+ Plastic Reuse and Recycling Startups

Plastic, plastic, everywhere. Wrapped around our food, woven into our clothes, deep in the oceans, in our drinking water and even found running through our bloodstreams.

Once a scientific marvel, plastic is now an unstoppable waste crisis.

Global plastic production is on track to triple by 2060, with over 400 million tons of plastic waste already generated each year - less than 10% of which is recycled.

Behind the numbers, corporate giants driving the plastic flood are doing little to stem the tide…

Fewer than 60 multinationals are responsible for more than half of the world’s plastic pollution. And culprit #1 aka Coca-Cola recently announced that it may shift from aluminium cans to more plastic packaging to offset rising costs from President Trump’s new tariffs.

While plastic alternatives are being developed, they’re still proving commercial viability at scale and overcoming challenges to higher production costs, infrastructure hurdles, and functionality gaps, which keeps them out of the mainstream - for now. (Topic for another week? Hit reply if you’re working on / investing in / got strong opinions in this space.)

And so in the meantime a wave of innovators are on a mission to turn the tide on plastic recycling, reuse and circularity. Lately:

• MacroCycle Technologies secured $6.5 million seed funding to scale its pilot facilities and expand its patented SolvoGenesis technology, which upcycles plastic waste into virgin-grade PET with zero carbon emissions and 80% less energy than traditional recycling.

• Radical Dot raised €2.7 million pre-seed funding to develop a continuously operated chemical recycling prototype for mixed plastic waste recycling that doesn't need external energy input.

• Epoch Biodesign announced $18.3M for their biorecycling platform to unlock circularity for the toughest-to-recycle materials and enable infinite recycling for mixed plastics and textiles

Heads up: Epoch Biodesign’s CEO and Founder, Jacob Nathan will be joining us on the HackSummit stage to share his journey so far and vision for a circular future.

In this Edition:

• 5 VCs Weigh In On Plastic’s Investment Opportunity

• 70+ Plastic Reuse and Recycling Startups to Know

• Why Epoch Biodesign Will Be Joining HackSummit

• Showcase your Tech in the HackSummit Startup Fair

♻️ 72 Reuse, Upcycling and Recycling Startups

While no single solution will solve the plastic crisis, bold startups are redefining the way we handle plastic waste.

From cutting-edge chemical recycling to AI-driven material sorting, enzyme-based recycling technologies, and advanced waste-to-value marketplaces, these companies are pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in plastic circularity.

We’ve compiled a list of over 70 companies around the globe, working tirelessly to reduce plastic waste and create a more circular future.

💸 Investor Take: PlasticTech Investments

Plastic recycling is rapidly evolving, driven by tightening regulations and groundbreaking technologies. We caught up with 5 VCs to hear their perspectives.

Clara Camesasca at Volta Circle explains how new chemical recycling methods are improving output quality, especially for textiles like polyester and nylon.

Yoobin Jung from Plug and Play Tech Center shares how advancements are enabling the recovery of virgin-quality plastics from mixed waste, with industries like automotive working to close the loop.

Meanwhile, Nic Gorini of Spin Ventures highlights the rise of return systems, poised to transform waste into valuable resources, contributing to a growing $87 billion market.

With innovations pushing the boundaries of what's possible, investors are eager to back the most promising and impactful solutions, to drive real change.

🧫 Meet our Circular Economy Speaker: Jacob Nathan, CEO and Founder, Epoch Biodesign

From a high school science project to addressing a global climate and health problem, Jacob Nathan is convinced enzymes can revolutionise our plastic waste problem.

By harnessing the power of AI to design enzyme-driven solutions, Epoch Biodesign’s bio-recycling platform unlocks circularity for the toughest-to-recycle materials and enables infinite recycling for mixed plastics and textiles at low temperatures while producing sustainable outputs for use in apparel, automotive, packaging and more.

The startup’s innovative technology addresses a critical gap in the circular economy, offering a scalable solution to one of the world’s most pressing environmental challenges. And they’re just getting started.

Joining us on May 15-16th, Jacob Nathan will take to the stage for an intimate Fireside Chat with Yair Reem of Extantia Capital at the HackSummit. Listen in on the deep discussion to hear how his biorecycling technology is transforming plastic waste into valuable resources and how innovations in circularity can upend industries to tackle pressing environmental challenges.

🔦 Put your Startup in the Spotlight

Investors and Operators make a beeline for the HackSummit Startup Fair. A hotspot to showcase what’s new and next for the future of Climate Tech. Now’s your chance to be part of the action.

Demo your technology, spark conversations with investors and potential partners and get the word out about your technology this May 15-16th.

Limited spots remaining. Apply today for a Startup Stand (includes 2 Summit passes).

It’s not the first time Jacob of Epoch Biodesign (and many of our attendees) will be joining us in Lausanne for the HackSummit, returning for more inspiring conversations and new collaboration opportunities.

So whether you’ll be joining for the very first time or consider yourself a HackSummit-pro, we can’t wait to welcome you on May 15-16th to help you find your next investor, partner, employee or portfolio company.

Let’s do business unusual, together in Lausanne.

Laura at Hack

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