Volta Circle

MacroCycle Technologies is a company developing a chemical recycling process to convert polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and polyester-fiber waste into virgin-grade plastics. Their proprietary technology, based on synthesizing cyclic macromolecules, enables the production of recycled PET with lower energy use than traditional methods. This process offers a sustainable, zero-carbon, and cost-competitive solution for plastic upcycling, contributing to a circular economy.

Glowb is a solar energy company focused on providing innovative solar and battery solutions for homeowners in the United Kingdom. The company aims to simplify the transition to clean and self-sufficient home energy management by offering easy-to-install solar systems and efficient battery storage options. Glowb is committed to enhancing the customer experience through seamless integration of technology and personalized service, ensuring that clean and smart home energy solutions are accessible to all UK homeowners.

Shiru, Inc. is a food technology company based in Oakland, California, established in 2019. It specializes in the development and production of proteins aimed at replacing dairy products and eggs within the food industry. Utilizing artificial intelligence, bioinformatics, and precision biology, Shiru focuses on the discovery and creation of novel, sustainable protein ingredients. By leveraging computational design, the company aims to provide enhanced protein solutions that support environmentally friendly practices while meeting consumer demands. Shiru's innovative approach positions it at the forefront of efforts to create sustainable and healthier food options.

Kukua is an edutainment company founded in 2014 and based in San Francisco, California. It specializes in developing mobile game applications aimed at children aged 5 to 10, focusing on foundational skills such as reading, writing, and math. The company operates under the brand name SEMA and creates engaging learning experiences through a universe of proprietary characters. Kukua is known for its Super Sema franchise, which encompasses animated series, games, and toys designed to seamlessly blend entertainment with educational value. By utilizing smartphones and electronic devices, Kukua strives to empower children to dream, imagine, and learn through interactive cartoons, music, and digital experiences.

Clarity Movement transforms how governments, communities, and businesses understand and respond to air pollution with IoT-based air quality monitoring technology. Our turn-key air quality monitoring solution supplements existing regulatory monitors with networks of hundreds to thousands of continuously-calibrated air quality sensors, making air quality management more accessible, cost-effective, and actionable than ever before. Founded in 2014, we have now deployed our next-generation, highly-accurate indicative air quality monitoring networks in more than 60 countries around the world — empowering our customers to build healthier communities with better data.

FreshKet operates as an integrated workflow marketplace that connects fresh food suppliers with restaurants. It offers a web-based platform for restaurant supply management, enabling users to find vendors and procure fresh ingredients through a connected marketplace and order management system. The platform aims to improve procurement efficiency, increase information transparency, and boost profitability by streamlining sourcing, purchasing, and supplier interactions.

NOVAMEAT develops plant-based meat substitutes using proprietary micro-extrusion technology. Their products aim to replicate the texture, appearance, taste, and nutritional properties of animal meat, promoting a sustainable and efficient food supply system.

Optoro, Inc. is a provider of a reverse logistics platform that specializes in managing distressed inventory for retailers, manufacturers, and third-party providers. Founded in 2004 and based in Washington, D.C., with an additional location in Mt. Juliet, Tennessee, the company offers asset recovery solutions that include direct-to-consumer remarketing of customer returns, overstock, discontinued products, and refurbished items through various online channels. Optoro's software-as-a-service (SaaS) platform features a returns management system that manages the entire returns lifecycle, from initiation to resale, integrating customer-facing channels with back-end operational systems. The company also provides inventory management services, which encompass warehousing, fulfillment, inspection, testing, and eco-friendly disposal, as well as asset maximization services that utilize data analytics for multi-channel remarketing and reporting. With a focus on enhancing recovery and minimizing environmental waste, Optoro serves clients both in the United States and internationally.

Founded in 2014, Cognixion develops neurotech platforms that enhance communication for individuals with disabilities. Its flagship product is an assisted reality headset featuring Brain-Computer Interface technology, enabling users to translate brain signals into words and actions, facilitating effortless expression and environmental control.

AgBiome is a biotechnology company that develops biological products for agriculture by leveraging the plant-associated microbiome. It identifies plant microbes with potential to improve plant health, pest resistance, and yields, using genomics and screening technologies. The company builds a microbial collection and operates a platform to discover ingredients for agriculturally relevant applications, including fungicides and other biologics that target soil-borne diseases, insects, and nematodes. Through partnerships with agricultural players, AgBiome accelerates discovery and global deployment of solutions. It is based in Durham, North Carolina, with a state-of-the-art laboratory and greenhouse facility, and has a substantial research team.

MeliBio, Inc. is a technology-driven company based in Oakland, California, founded in 2020 by Aaron M. Schaller, PhD, and Darko Mandich. The company specializes in producing vegan nectar products that serve as a molecularly identical alternative to traditional honey. By employing advancements in plant biology, precision fermentation, and synthetic biology, MeliBio creates honey without the involvement of bees, aiming to mitigate the negative impact of commercial bee farming on biodiversity. In 2023, MeliBio launched its consumer-facing brand, Mellody, further expanding its market presence. Recognized by TIME as one of the Best Inventions of 2021, MeliBio is committed to providing sustainable and innovative solutions in the food industry.

Arborea Ltd. is a biochemical technology company based in London, United Kingdom, founded in 2015 by CEO Julian Melchiorri. The company specializes in developing innovative bio-based products utilizing carbon bio-converter cell technology, particularly focusing on urban environments and wastewater treatment. Arborea has created the BioSolar Leaf system, a tiling solution that mimics the natural processes of photosynthesis, enabling the growth of microscopic plants to produce healthy food ingredients. This system sequesters carbon dioxide, generates breathable oxygen, and purifies the air, thereby addressing environmental concerns while enhancing food production. By offering a scalable and cost-effective platform, Arborea aims to make sustainable and nutritious food accessible to all, significantly reducing the costs associated with traditional fermentation methods. Through its unique approach, the company is committed to harmonizing food production with ecological sustainability.

LIZEE provides a logistics and managed services platform that supports rental businesses in the circular economy. The platform optimizes ecommerce operations for rented products, including packing, shipping, payments, and quality checks for returned items, helping organizations scale rental offerings and reduce environmental impact in retail.

DayTwo Ltd. is a precision nutrition company based in Tel Aviv-Yafo, Israel, that focuses on leveraging gut microbiome analysis to provide tailored health solutions for metabolic diseases such as diabetes, prediabetes, clinical obesity, and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Founded in 2015, DayTwo utilizes a web-based platform that offers personalized dietary recommendations through its innovative Food Prescriptions™, which are designed to help individuals manage their blood sugar levels and improve overall health. By sequencing gut microbiomes, the company identifies how different foods affect each person, allowing for customized nutrition plans. DayTwo's virtual care model is supported by Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialists and Registered Dietitians, who engage with patients through a smartphone application to track progress and ensure adherence to the dietary recommendations.

Rediv is an e-commerce company based in southwest France that operates an online marketplace specializing in the buying and selling of second-hand clothing for all age groups and genders. Established in 2013, the company has positioned itself as a trusted provider in the niche of second-hand apparel, allowing users to renew their wardrobes while saving money. Customers can send in their quality clothing through a prepaid system and receive payment for selected items. In return, they can shop for various brands at significantly reduced prices, fostering a sustainable approach to fashion.

Algramo is a Chilean company that sells everyday consumer products through dispensing machines in returnable packaging. Founded in 2013 and based in Santiago, it operates a bulk, refill-focused model that partners with manufacturers to supply detergents, rice, oil and other essentials for in-store dispensers, enabling customers to buy by the gram or in bulk at lower prices. The system uses smart, RFID-enabled packaging and a network of connected dispensers to cut packaging waste and reduce costs, addressing affordability in low-income communities while lowering environmental impact.

BYJU'S is a prominent global ed-tech company founded in India in 2011, dedicated to providing adaptive and engaging learning solutions to over 150 million students worldwide. The company aims to make high-quality education accessible to learners of all ages through its flagship product, BYJU's: The Learning App, and a diverse portfolio that includes brands such as Disney-BYJU's Early Learn, BYJU's FutureSchool, and WhiteHat Jr. BYJU'S employs personalized learning methodologies that cater to individual learning styles and paces, supported by a network of over 12,000 teachers. The platform utilizes original content, watch-and-learn videos, animations, and interactive simulations to create a contextual and practical learning experience. Additionally, BYJU'S has formed innovative partnerships with major companies like Disney and Google to enhance engagement. Headquartered in India, BYJU'S operates in more than 21 countries and offers programs in over 8 languages, further solidifying its position as a leader in the education technology sector.

The Renewal Workshop Inc. is a company based in Cascade Locks, Oregon, that specializes in manufacturing renewed apparel and upcycled materials from discarded textiles. Founded in 2014, it partners with well-known brands and retailers to transform unsellable returns and excess inventory into a range of products, including jackets, sweatshirts, pants, and swimwear, as well as accessories like luggage packs and gift cards. By integrating resale and renewal services, the company aims to reduce waste in the fashion industry and promote sustainable practices. Through its initiatives, The Renewal Workshop enables clothing brands to enhance their revenue while minimizing their environmental footprint. Its products are available for purchase both online and in physical stores.

Cervest Limited is a London-based company that specializes in climate intelligence through its AI-powered machine learning platform. Established in 2015, Cervest focuses on translating complex Earth Science data to forecast risks and opportunities for sustainable growth. Its key product, EarthScan, empowers decision-makers across various sectors, including food and beverage, insurance, and government, to quantify and manage climate-related risks at an asset level. The platform provides open and independent tools that help users understand the potential impacts of climate events such as flooding, droughts, and extreme temperatures on their assets. As a Certified B Corporation, Cervest is committed to democratizing access to climate intelligence and promoting shared responsibility in safeguarding critical assets against climate change.

Perfect Day develops animal-free dairy proteins and dairy substitutes using fermentation to produce proteins that are nutritionally identical to cow’s milk. The company makes products including milk, cheese, yogurt, ice cream, and milk proteins without using animals. Its fermentation process uses yeast to convert plant-based sugars into dairy proteins, enabling products with the same taste, texture, and nutrition as traditional dairy while avoiding animal welfare concerns and reducing environmental impact. Founded in 2014 and headquartered in Emeryville, California, Perfect Day focuses on sustainable, vegan dairy alternatives that aim to appeal to both consumers and manufacturers seeking dairy-like ingredients without conventional dairy farming.

LIZEE provides a logistics and managed services platform that supports rental businesses in the circular economy. The platform optimizes ecommerce operations for rented products, including packing, shipping, payments, and quality checks for returned items, helping organizations scale rental offerings and reduce environmental impact in retail.

ADAY is a fast-growing direct-to-consumer brand creating consciously designed, technical clothing. Based in New York and London, the company offers capsule wardrobes designed for outfit repetition using seasonless design, technical fabrics, and sustainable supply chains.

LIVEKINDLY is a plant-based media and brand collective focused on creating a sustainable, cruelty-free global food system. Through LIVEKINDLY Media it produces digital content that informs and engages the vegan community on health, ethics, environment, and lifestyle, including vegan recipes and guides. The collective owns a portfolio of plant-based brands and collaborates with seed growers, producers, and distributors to scale plant-based products, and has invested in infrastructure to convert traditional meat facilities to plant-based production. It also operates Kindmind, a program offering plant-based meal plans, shopping guides, and expert sessions. Headquartered in Vancouver, Canada, LIVEKINDLY aims to broaden access to plant-based food and sustainable living worldwide.

Vestiaire Collective is a social commerce platform specializing in the buying and selling of luxury pre-owned fashion items. Founded in 2009 and headquartered in Paris, the company promotes sustainable fashion by encouraging the circular fashion movement, which aims to reduce overproduction and waste in the industry. Vestiaire Collective boasts a unique inventory of approximately 3 million items, with around 140,000 new listings added weekly, catering to a community of over 7.5 million fashion enthusiasts across 50 countries. The platform offers a curated selection of vintage and luxury clothing, jewelry, accessories, and footwear, enhancing the shopping experience through verified and desirable products. By fostering a highly engaged community, Vestiaire Collective empowers its members to actively participate in a more sustainable fashion economy.