The Circular Innovation Fund (CIF) – a global venture capital fund focused on circular innovation and jointly managed by European-based Demeter and North American-based Cycle Capital, celebrates the closing of the Circular Innovation Fund 2024 Acceleration Program – Global Edition’s second cohort. L’Oreal, anchor investor in the Circular Innovation Fund, played a key role in the development and success of this program operated by Cycle Momentum.
The Circular Innovation Fund Acceleration Program aims to nurture selected pre-seed and seed-stage companies within the circular economy to bolster investment in an underserved sector, de-risk future CIF investments, and support the build-out of a broader collaborative ecosystem of circular companies at all stages of commercialization.
The 2024 cohort regroups the following exceptional teams commercializing innovative circular technologies :
Dimpora – Founded by Mario Stucki and Anna Beltzung
Commercializing dimpora®, a patented CoreLayer textile membrane that offers waterproof and breathable performance without environmental harm.
Discover Dimpora’s technology: dimpora.com
Macrocycle – Founded by Stwart Pena and Jan-Georg Rosenboom
MacroCycle upcycles lower value PET and polyester plastic waste to virgin-grade plastic with zero carbon emissions.
For more information on Macrocycle: macrocycle.com
Novocycle – Founded by Taha Uluhan
Redefining lithium-ion battery recycling with proprietary recovery processes, innovative hardware, and supply chain traceability tools.
Learn more about Novocycle: novocycle.com
Phycus Biotech – Founded by Vikram Pandit
Develops the most sustainable, biobased glycolic acid by fermentation.
See how Phycus Biotech transforms the chemical industry: phycusbio.com
Plasticentropy – Founded by Nicolas Dubaut
Transforming unrecyclable plastic waste (PE/PET, PE/PP, PS multilayers) into valuable chemical raw materials for the cosmetics and chemical industries through enzymatic processes.
Discover Plasticentropy’s technology: plasticentropy.com
About Circular Innovation Fund
The Circular Innovation Fund (“CIF”) is a global venture capital fund focused solely on circular innovation. It is a joint venture between leading cleantech capital managers – Paris-based Demeter and Montreal-based Cycle Capital. The fund invests in growth-stage companies from North America, Europe and Asia developing breakthrough new materials, circular packaging, recycling and waste innovations, logistics, as well as eco-efficient processes & design, and circular business models.
For more information on the Circular Innovation Fund, visit: www.circularinnovationfund.com.
About Cycle Capital
Cycle Capital is a leading ClimateTech venture capital platform scaling impactful, sustainable innovation. Founded in 2009, Cycle Capital invests across North America, Europe and Asia in growing companies commercializing solutions to the major ecological challenges and contributing to a net-zero transition. Cycle Capital is the founder of Cycle Momentum Accelerator + Innovation Engine. Cycle Capital has developed an ESG and impact assessment methodology integrated into the investment workflow from the pre-investment phase to the exit of the portfolio company.
For more information on Cycle Capital, visit https://cyclecapital.com/
About Demeter
Demeter is a major European player in venture capital, development capital and infrastructure investment in the energy and ecological transition. Its funds invest from €1 to €30 million to support companies in the sector at all stages of their development: innovative startups, small and medium-sized enterprises, infrastructure projects. Demeter’s 38-strong team, based in Paris, Lyon, Bordeaux, Madrid and Düsseldorf, manages €1.3 billion and has made 230 investments in 17 years.
For more information on Demeter: https://demeter-im.com/
About Cycle Momentum
Cycle Momentum is an accelerator and innovation platform that brings together an international collective of entrepreneurs, leading companies, investors.
Our mission is to find innovative solutions to the major ecological challenges facing humanity. Member of the Cycle Capital Platform, Cycle Momentum provides entrepreneurs with training workshops, networking sessions and mentoring, and works with leading companies to stimulate technology acquisition and integration.
To increase the impact of its programs, Cycle Momentum has brought together several local and international investment funds as part of its Circle of Partner Funds, whose members are involved with participating startups. In addition, in October 2023, the institution is launching the Origo program, a pre-seed and seed investment matching program for climate tech in Quebec
Cycle Momentum can count on the financial support of the Quebec government, Cycle Capital, Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions, Investissement Québec, Export Development Canada, Fasken, PricewaterhouseCoopers, and the TELUS Pollinator Fund for Good.
More information on https://cyclemomentum.com/