Circular11’s £2.4 million raise is a big step forward for the company as it scales technology that turns non-recyclable plastic waste into composite lumber, a practical alternative to timber.
Solving Two Resource Challenges
Carbon13 originally invested in Co-Founders Connor Winter, and Benjamin Gibbons because Circular11 is solving two growing problems at once. First, a huge amount of UK waste is still incinerated for energy. Plastic makes up an increasing share of that waste, meaning valuable material is being burned while creating emissions equivalent to burning coal. Second, timber is becoming harder to source. Demand is rising, while supply is under pressure from overharvesting, pests, extreme weather and tighter restrictions on treated timber products.
Circular11 takes plastic that would otherwise be burned and turns it into durable composite lumber for fencing, landscaping, outdoor furniture and infrastructure. It lasts a long time, requires little maintenance and avoids many of the issues associated with traditional timber.
A Technology Platform That Gets Smarter With Scale
What makes the business particularly interesting is its technology platform. Plastic waste is analysed and fed into machine learning models that determine the best formulation for each batch. That allows Circular11 to use plastic streams that most recyclers can’t process, opening far more material for reuse.
As more plastic moves through the system, the platform gets smarter, improving manufacturing performance and expanding the range of waste plastics that can be converted into useful products.
The company also tracks the source of materials and the carbon impact of every batch, giving customers clear evidence of the environmental benefits.
Scaling Impact
The funding will help Circular11 recycle around 10,000 tonnes of low-quality plastic waste over the next two years while accelerating commercial growth.
The round was led by Vectr7 Investment Partners, with co-investment from The FSE Group through the British Business Bank Southwest Investment Fund, alongside Oxford Innovation, The FSE Investor Network, private investors and Innovate UK.
It’s a strong vote of confidence in a team combining polymer engineering, data science and manufacturing expertise to turn difficult-to-recycle plastic from a waste problem into a valuable industrial resource.
We’re excited to see what comes next.
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