• $14M (€13M) funding round backs industrial demonstrator aimed at commercial deployment of electrified plastic recycling technology by 2030.
• Process claims +45% conversion yield, −60% energy use, and −45% production costs compared with traditional petrochemical routes.
• Investment aligns with stricter European plastics regulation, including PPWR and France’s AGEC law, increasing pressure on producers to shift toward circular materials.

French climate tech startup bobine has secured $14 million (€13 million) in fresh funding to advance the industrialization of its process electrification technology for chemical plastic recycling, positioning itself at the intersection of industrial decarbonization and circular economy policy.

The round was led by Axeleo Capital through its Green Tech Industry fund, alongside UI Investissement and Angelor, with participation from CA Création, CACF Capital Innovation, CAV and QUEST Investissement S.àr.l. The company continues to receive public support from Bpifrance through the i-Démo program and regional authorities in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes.

Scaling Industrial Electrification For Circular Plastics

Founded in 2023, bobine focuses on electrifying high-temperature industrial processes, targeting one of the most energy-intensive segments of the petrochemical industry. The new capital will fund the company’s first industrial demonstrator, described as the final step before deploying commercial units expected later this decade.

“This funding round marks a strategic milestone for bobine. After validating the performance achieved in the laboratory at the industrial pilot scale, our priority is now industrialization. The demonstrator, financed by this round, will allow us to demonstrate the performance of our process at scale and over several thousand operating hours. This is the final step required for our petrochemical customers to commit to the first commercial units by 2030,” says Vincent Simonneau, CEO of bobine.

The demonstrator, planned with a treatment capacity of one ton per day, will be installed in partnership with Michelin at The Center for Sustainable Materials in Clermont-Ferrand, reinforcing collaboration between heavy industry players seeking lower-carbon feedstocks.

Technology Targets Steam Cracker Alternatives

bobine’s technology originates from research at the ICPEES laboratory of CNRS and the University of Strasbourg and is licensed through SATT CONECTUS Alsace. The company combines heterogeneous catalysis with electromagnetic induction to convert non-recyclable plastic waste into olefins such as ethylene and propylene.

These building blocks are traditionally produced in steam crackers powered by fossil fuels. bobine’s approach seeks to electrify the process, allowing petrochemical companies to produce virgin-grade, food-contact-compliant polymers from waste plastics that would otherwise be landfilled or incinerated.

According to company data, the system delivers a 45 percent improvement in conversion yield, cuts energy consumption by 60 percent, and lowers production costs by 45 percent. For an industry facing tightening emissions standards and rising energy prices across Europe, those metrics could influence investment decisions across the plastics value chain.

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Regulation And Market Pressure Drive Momentum

The funding comes as European regulators expand requirements around packaging waste and recycled content. The Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation and France’s AGEC law are increasing obligations on producers, forcing companies to rethink material sourcing and recycling strategies.

bobine’s model aims to make chemical recycling economically competitive with fossil-based production, an area that has drawn scrutiny from policymakers balancing climate targets with industrial competitiveness. Electrification technologies have gained traction as companies look for ways to align with EU decarbonization pathways without sacrificing performance or supply security.

The company reports that it has already validated laboratory performance at pilot scale with processing capacity increased by a factor of 1,000 and signed early collaboration agreements with petrochemical industry players. The new capital will also support hiring as bobine expands engineering and commercialization teams.

Investor Confidence Reflects Industrial Decarbonization Trend

Investors framed the round as a bet on scalable industrial climate technology rather than early-stage experimentation. “If we are investing today in bobine’s industrialization, it is because the company stands out as an exception in its field: the technology delivers on its promises at every stage of development. The team’s ability to maintain a strong value proposition and consistent yields from the laboratory to the pilot scale convinced us of their capacity to successfully achieve industrial scale-up” says Sandra Dubos, Investment Director at Axeleo Capital.

For corporate executives and investors, the deal highlights a broader shift underway in Europe’s climate tech landscape. Attention is moving from software and offset platforms toward hard-tech solutions capable of reshaping heavy industry emissions. Electrified chemical recycling, if proven at scale, could reshape feedstock economics for plastics producers while helping meet recycled content mandates.

As policymakers tighten rules on waste and carbon intensity, technologies that merge decarbonization with cost competitiveness are drawing increasing capital. bobine’s progress toward industrial deployment illustrates how deep-tech innovation is becoming central to Europe’s strategy for securing resilient supply chains and advancing circular materials markets.

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