Dreamers and innovators: Tackling the plastic problem

Today, only 10% of all plastics around the world are recycled. It’s a scary statistic, and it makes innovation in the recycling space feel even more critical. 

One forward-thinking company taking on this challenge is the chemical recycling specialists at Agilyx. Dad and the Virgin leadership team were so impressed by Agilyx’s savvy and original approach to tackling the plastic problem that we became one of the company’s very first investors. We also share a wonderful chairperson in Peter Norris!  

As part of my Dreamers and Innovators series, I reached out to Tim Stedman as CEO of Agilyx to understand how new solutions can tackle deeply-rooted global problems, and how it feels to innovate on behalf of the planet.  

 Agilyx’s vision is to turn waste plastics into a renewable resource.   

This is done using advanced recycling technology and chemical recycling which Agilyx has spent the last 16 years developing. The team also formed a new subsidiary called Cyclyx, which is addressing the lack of expertise and resources in waste management companies to make sure plastics are recycled using the right channels. In doing so, Cyclyx and Agilyx are working toward recycling 90% of plastic waste, instead of 10%.  

It was brilliant to hear Tim break down such a complicated issue and to learn how the company is innovating. As Tim said in our interview:

“When you look at the size of the problem, it is mind blowing… and the only thing to do it is to start.”

A brilliant attitude to uphold, and I would suggest starting right here and watching our interview below.

Meet some of the other dreamers and innovators I’ve interviewed in this series, including Kelly Latimer from Virgin Orbit and Sara Luchian from Virgin Hyperloop.