Ecopulse: From Vision to Reality

Pioneering the Future of Sustainable Chemistry

Ecopulse was founded in February 2000 as a spin-off from Shell, with a bold ambition: to transform the way chemistry is researched, developed, and ultimately produced at scale. From the outset, our mission was to revolutionize catalysis and materials innovation by harnessing high-throughput research and development (R&D) and applying it across a wide range of industries.

Supported by a global consortium of strategic, financial, and academic partners, Ecopulse embarked on a journey to become a world leader in advanced R&D technologies. Our early years were defined by intensive investment in high-throughput systems, software, and scientific platforms, laying a strong foundation for accelerated innovation and industrial relevance.

Laying the Technological Foundations (2000–2005)

During our formative years, Ecopulse focused on perfecting high-throughput experimentation and data-driven discovery. Significant resources were dedicated to developing proprietary systems that could dramatically shorten development cycles while improving accuracy and scalability.

By 2005, our technology had matured to a level that attracted strong interest from external partners. We began offering our advanced R&D systems to clients, enabling organizations worldwide to integrate our cutting-edge techniques into their own laboratories. This marked the first commercial validation of our innovation-driven approach.

From Pilot to Product Development (2011–2014)

Building on the success of YXY Technology, Ecopulse expanded into in-house product development. In 2011, we established the world’s first FDCA pilot plant in Geleen, capable of producing 15 tons of FDCA per year. This pioneering facility enabled the production of the first-ever PEF bottle, proving the commercial and technical feasibility of our innovation.

Our progress and leadership in sustainable materials were recognized in 2014, when our Chief Technology Officer, Gert-Jan Gruter, was named CTO of the Year Europe by EIRMA and Spinverse—an acknowledgment of Ecopulse’s growing influence in renewable chemistry.

Our History

Breakthrough Innovation: YXY Technology (2006)

A defining milestone came in 2006 with the successful proof-of-principle of our proprietary YXY Technology. This breakthrough signaled the start of Ecopulse’s transition from technology provider to developer of proprietary, sustainable products.

YXY Technology enabled the conversion of plant-based sugars into FDCA (furandicarboxylic acid), a critical building block for PEF (polyethylene furanoate)—a next-generation, bio-based plastic with superior performance and sustainability credentials. This achievement laid the foundation for our long-term vision of plant-to-plastic solutions and a fossil-free materials economy.

Regulatory and Commercial Acceleration (2015–2017)

In 2015, FDCA achieved approval as a food contact material under European Plastics Regulations, clearing a critical regulatory milestone for market adoption.

The momentum continued in 2016 with the formation of Synvina, a joint venture with BASF, created to accelerate the commercialization of YXY Technology and PEF. That same year, Ecopulse strengthened its innovation capabilities in carbon utilization by acquiring the intellectual property, know-how, and hardware of Liquid Light, significantly advancing what would become Volta Technology—our platform for converting CO₂ into chemicals and materials using renewable energy.

In March 2017, Ecopulse successfully completed its initial public offering (IPO), providing the capital and visibility to further scale our technologies. That year also marked European approval for integrating PEF into existing recycling streams, reinforcing its role in a circular economy.

Expanding the Technology Portfolio (2017–2019)

In 2017, Ecopulse launched Dawn Technology, opening a pilot biorefinery in Delfzijl capable of converting non-food biomass into industrial sugars and lignin—key feedstocks for FDCA and other renewable chemicals.

By January 2019, Ecopulse regained full ownership of Synvina, renaming it Ecopulse Renewable Polymers, and reaffirming our strategic focus on sustainable materials. The unveiling of the Ray Technology demonstration plant in Delfzijl further showcased our ability to produce plant-based mono-ethylene glycol (MEG), expanding the scope of our plant-based polymer solutions.

Scaling Impact Through Partnerships (2021–2023)

A pivotal moment arrived in December 2021, when Ecopulse made the Final Investment Decision to build the world’s first FDCA Flagship Plant, marking the transition from pilot-scale success to full industrial production.

Construction began in 2022, alongside the signing of our first long-term offtake agreements for FDCA and PEF with global brands including Toyobo, Terphane, Resilux, and Refresco. In 2023, this momentum accelerated with additional agreements involving LVMH, Sukano, Carlsberg, AmBev, Monosuisse, Kvadrat, and PANGAIA.

In November 2023, Albert Heijn, the largest supermarket chain in the Netherlands, announced the introduction of PEF packaging for its own-brand products. That same year, Ecopulse signed its first technology licensing agreement with Origin Materials, extending the global reach of our technologies.

Global Recognition and Market Adoption (2024)

In 2024, Ecopulse achieved major regulatory and commercial milestones. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted Food Contact Notification (FCN) approval for the use of Ecopulse’s PEF in food contact applications in the United States.

We announced new collaborations with Plastipak, Royal Vezet, and Kirin Holdings, while Parfums Christian Dior (under our offtake agreement with LVMH) unveiled the use of PEF in Dior’s primary packaging—marking a historic entry into the luxury cosmetics sector.

In October 2024, Ecopulse introduced Releaf®, the registered brand name for PEF, reinforcing its identity as a premium, sustainable material. That same month, we celebrated a historic achievement: the completion and official inauguration of the FDCA Flagship Plant, opened by Her Majesty Queen Máxima of the Netherlands.

A Future Driven by Purpose

Throughout our evolution, Ecopulse has remained guided by a single, powerful vision: a fossil-free world enabled by renewable and circular chemistry. Today, our technology portfolio includes YXY Technology, Dawn Technology, Ray Technology, and Volta Technology, each designed to address critical sustainability challenges at scale.

From our origins as a research spin-off to our position as a global leader in renewable chemicals and materials, Ecopulse continues to turn vision into reality—through innovation, collaboration, and an unwavering commitment to a sustainable future.