Wednesday, February 17, 2010

Reluceo: New Green Chemistry Start-Up with Familiar Faces

Sergey Selifonov and Olga Selifonova of Segetis have a new company: Reluceo
Reluceo has backing from Khosla Ventures, as does Segetis.

What is their sweet spot?

From the site -

Reluceo enables technologies that will lead to products for effectively abating health, environmental, sustainability and economic security concerns. These concerns are widely associated with continuing reliance on polymers made entirely from fossil carbon sources.

Our technology utilizes C5 and C6 carbohydrates derived from hemicellulose and cellulose feedstocks as well as other bio-based intermediates for creating viable alternatives to petroleum-based products.

We also work on transitional materials that combine bio-based and fossil-based feedstocks making traditional non-green polymer products greener.

More news here.

[Thanks to Bernard Hasson of SpecialChem for bringing this to my attention]

Questions about Reluceo I will be working on:

What are the specific feedstocks and products of interest?

Why not do this at Segetis?

I will update when I know more.

Thursday, February 11, 2010

Clues About Novogy

I always am interested in what is next for experienced people in the bio-based field.  I have been wondering about Novogy.
Novogy is a stealth-stage startup composed of ex-Mascoma folks and until today I had a hard time classifying them, because I did not have a clue what they were up to.

Now I think I do.


Last week, EPA published a summary of comments received on proposed changes to the Renewable Fuel Standard Program (RFS2).  You can get it here (warning: big PDF).



Novogy, like others, put in for changes in the standard to protect their interests.

Novogy's comments (p.114) reveal interest in cellulosic biogas produced from waste sludge which is a residual of the pulp & paper and recycled paper making process.  Other comments (pp.94, 276) narrow in on methane from cellulosic biomass.

I imagine there are more tidbits like this in the summary, but the EPA document is over a thousand pages, so I don't plan to browse it.  If you find something surprising, send me note, just to let me know you appreciate the tip.