>>venture>> Prize for DePoly

Startup DePoly has won the 2019 >>venture>> Grand Prize. The company aims to close the loop on PET plastic recycling through its novel solution that allows the chemical recycling of PET plastic back to its two main components.

The process results in ethylene glycol in clear liquid form and terephthalic acid as a white powder; it also generates a small number of dyes, additives and other waste.

DePoly was founded by Samantha Anderson, a Ph.D. student at the Laboratory of Molecular Simulation (LSMO) at Ecole Polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne. The next step for the startup will be to scale up its technology from the lab to industry. In November, a pilot unit will be built.

>>venture>> is the leading competition for up-and-coming entrepreneurs in Switzerland. Founded by Dr. Thomas Knecht in 1997, the competition empowers young innovators to develop their business ideas into startup companies. A joint initiative of ETH Zürich, McKinsey & Company, Knecht Holding, Innosuisse and EPFL (Ecole Polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne), >>venture>> has been led by the >>venture foundation>> since 2013.

(GR 32019, Page 12)