Rhea's Factory

Rhea's Factory is a biotechnology company that develops enzyme-based recycling solutions powered by artificial intelligence and machine learning. The company focuses on the circular economy by engineering thermostable enzymes that depolymerize contaminated or mixed plastic waste, specifically PET and polyester, into high-purity monomers. By modeling molecular transition states, their platform identifies efficient bio-catalysts in months rather than years. This enzymatic process operates at mild temperatures with low energy requirements, enabling the conversion of plastic scrap into virgin-quality material that functions as a drop-in replacement in existing supply chains.

The technology addresses significant challenges in the plastics and textile industries, where traditional mechanical recycling is often hindered by material contamination or degradation. By achieving monomer purity levels greater than 99 percent at cost parity with virgin production, Rhea's Factory provides a scalable way for manufacturers to incorporate recycled content without requiring process changes. Their approach is designed to be feedstock-agnostic, offering utility for packaging, automotive, and textile applications. The company has gained industry recognition, including being named a winner of the 2026 Global Change Award for its RheaCycle technology, which supports the transition toward a truly circular material lifecycle.