AI slashes material development cycles from years to months

This article is a part of Startup Spotlight, a series that features young, up-and-coming startups.

Image credit: Timmy Loen

While surfing in Indonesia, Marcos Bulacio found himself paddling through floating plastic waste. This encounter pushed him to look beyond traditional recycling and corporate philanthropy. He co-founded Regenesis Materials to turn ocean waste into high-performance manufacturing inputs.

😟 Problem

Global consumer brands face a 133-million-ton supply gap for sustainable materials. Mid-sized consumer goods companies struggle to meet strict international environmental regulations without sacrificing margins.

Traditional eco-plastics typically suffer from weaker durability and higher costs. Adopting them also forces manufacturers to spend millions redesigning existing factory machinery to accommodate the new materials.

💡 Solution

Regenesis Materials operates a commercial platform that develops carbon-storing materials from ocean-bound plastic and captured emissions. 

The company provides a fully integrated material replacement system, including: 

• GAiA One, an AI engine, uses generative modeling software to compress traditional 24-month material development cycles into six months.
• Carbonite composites match the structural strength of industry-standard virgin plastics while reducing production costs.
• Drop-in compatibility allows brands to pour the material directly into existing factory tooling without altering machinery settings.

Image credit: Regenesis Materials

📊 Market size

The company is initially targeting the global eyewear industry, representing a US$12 million serviceable obtainable market. Future expansion phases aim at consumer electronics, a sector with a US$40 billion total addressable market.

🤝 Team

• Marcos Bulacio. Co-founder and CEO. He brings 15 years of business experience and a background in sustainable product innovation. He has experience managing cross-border supply chain operations.
• Alex Cuthbert. Co-founder and CPO. He oversees the development of GAiA One, Regenesis Materials’ AI-powered materials discovery platform.
• Antonio Castro Neto. Board Advisory Lead. He founded the Centre for Advanced 2D Materials at the National University of Singapore and developed Karbohm, Regenesis Materials’ graphene technology for lightweight, high-strength materials.

🚀 Traction

• Generated US$300,000 in pilot revenue during 2024.
• Accumulated a US$15 million pipeline value, including US$902,000 in active product development agreements.

🏆 Competition

Regenesis Materials competes with ocean-plastic material innovators such as Bureo and Norton Point, because both already sell ocean-plastic-based products into the eyewear market at commercial scale. 

💰 Financials

🚩 Risks