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UBQ Materials

MaterialsTel Aviv, IsraelFounded 2012· One of 955 Materials companies tracked by AMPulse

Develops UBQ™, a climate-positive thermoplastic material made from unsorted household waste that substitutes oil-based resins in manufacturing, including 3D printing filaments for additive manufacturing.

CEO / Founder
Albert Douer
Team Size
51-200
Stage
Active
Total Funding
$252.7M
Latest Round
Grant
Key Investors
TPG Rise Climate; TPG's Rise Fund; Eden Global Partners; Battery Ventures; M&G's Catalyst strategy; Albert Douer; Just Transition Fund

Technology & Products

Key Products

UBQ Materials develops UBQ™, a climate-positive thermoplastic material made from unsorted household waste. Their product portfolio includes UBQ™ Q Series (standard material replacement), bio-based additives, and modifiers.

Technological Advantage

Proprietary waste conversion process achieves a climate-positive material with 80,000 tons annual capacity, protected by patents; verified by third-party validators like Quantis for recyclability and carbon reduction.

Differentiation

Value Proposition

Reduces carbon footprint by converting waste into a recyclable thermoplastic that is cost-competitive with oil-based plastics, offers price stability, and integrates seamlessly into existing production processes without compromising performance.

How They Differentiate

Unlike traditional recycling competitors focused on waste management, UBQ Materials specifically produces a drop-in thermoplastic for manufacturing, including AM filaments, with verified climate-positive impact and industrial scalability.

Market & Competition

Target Customers

Plastic manufacturers, automotive companies, construction firms, retail brands, and 3D printing service providers seeking sustainable, price-stable alternatives to conventional plastics.

Industry Verticals

Automotive; Construction; Retail; Packaging; Additive Manufacturing; Logistics; Food & Beverage

Competitors

Made of Air, Lignin Industries, Puro Renewables

Growth & Milestones

Growth Metrics

Annual production capacity of 80,000 tons; team size approximately 108-125 employees; supplying UBQ to local manufacturers in Israel with global expansion.

Major Milestones

Founded in 2012; First production facility opened in 2014; $170M funding round led by TPG Rise in 2021; $70M funding round led by Eden Global Partners in 2023; Won 2022 SXSW Innovation Award for waste-based 3D printing filament; Launched UBQ™ Masterbatch in 2024

Notable Customers

Mercedes-Benz, PepsiCo, Keter, McDonald's

Why this company matters

UBQ Materials occupies a distinct niche in sustainable thermoplastics by converting unsorted household waste—including organics—into a climate-positive material that substitutes oil-based resins. Unlike traditional recyclers focused on waste management, UBQ produces a drop-in thermoplastic for manufacturing, including additive manufacturing filaments, with industrial-scale production capacity.

The company's proprietary process transforms mixed municipal solid waste into UBQ™, a thermoplastic that integrates into existing injection molding and extrusion lines without performance trade-offs. The material is available in standard grades and as a masterbatch, and has been validated by third-party auditors like Quantis for carbon reduction and recyclability. Annual production capacity stands at 80,000 tons.

Customers include Mercedes-Benz, PepsiCo, Keter, and McDonald's, spanning automotive, packaging, construction, and retail. In additive manufacturing, UBQ has partnered with Plastics App to develop 3D printing filament from waste, winning a 2022 SXSW Innovation Award for the application. The material targets plastic manufacturers and 3D printing service providers seeking price-stable, low-carbon alternatives to conventional plastics.

UBQ has raised $252.7 million from investors including TPG Rise Climate, Battery Ventures, and M&G's Catalyst strategy. Its competitive moat rests on patented waste conversion technology and third-party verified climate impact, but scaling globally and maintaining cost parity with virgin resins remain open challenges as the company expands beyond its Israeli base.