Protein Evolution

Protein Evolution, Inc. (PEI) is a biological recycling firm founded in 2021, operating from New Haven, Connecticut. The company was established by co-founders Connor Lynn (Chief Business Officer), Scott Stankey (Chief Technology Officer), and Dr. Jonathan Rothberg, a distinguished scientist and recipient of the National Medal of Technology and Innovation. Dr. Rothberg is a serial entrepreneur, and PEI marks his first venture specifically targeting climate solutions. The founding team, including Yale alumni Lynn and Stankey, launched the company to address the inefficiencies and environmental impact of conventional plastic recycling.

The company's core business revolves around its proprietary Biopure™ technology, which uses artificial intelligence to design novel enzymes for breaking down plastic and textile waste. This process of directed evolution allows the company to create enzymes that can deconstruct polyester waste into its fundamental building blocks, which are indistinguishable from their petroleum-derived counterparts. These precursors are then used to create new, infinitely recyclable polyester with a significantly lower carbon footprint. The business model involves licensing this recycling process and selling the custom-designed enzymes to clients in the chemical industry, textile manufacturing, and global consumer goods sectors. The technology is designed to be cost-competitive with virgin plastic production, a key factor in driving market adoption.

PEI's Biopure™ technology stands out by its ability to process a wide variety of waste streams, including plastic bottles, packaging, industrial textiles, and garments. The company leverages AI and natural science to rapidly iterate and improve enzyme designs, condensing what would be a million-year natural evolutionary process into a single day. Having emerged from stealth mode in late 2022 with over $20 million in funding from investors like Collab Fund, Eldridge Industries, and New Climate Ventures, the company has made significant strides. A notable achievement was the creation of the world's first garment made using biological recycling, a parka designed by brand partner Stella McCartney and unveiled at the COP28 climate conference. This collaboration demonstrated the technology's application by converting rigid packaging and industrial textile strappings into high-quality fabric. Looking forward, Protein Evolution is expanding its technology to tackle more complex materials like polyurethane (spandex) and polyamide (nylon), aiming to provide a comprehensive solution for plastic waste and decarbonize the materials industry.

Keywords: biological recycling, enzymatic recycling, plastic upcycling, decarbonization, polyester recycling, protein engineering, circular economy, sustainable materials, textile waste solutions, Biopure technology, enzyme design, AI in biotechnology, polyurethane recycling, nylon recycling, waste-to-materials, chemical industry solutions, sustainable fashion, cleantech, industrial biotechnology, advanced materials