Elementum, a Know Hub Chile EBCT, is one of the finalists for Caja Los Andes’ Tecla6 Award

The startup, one of the winning teams of Know Hub Ignition 2020, is seeking to consolidate, expand and internationalize its solution, which creates synthetic fuel from plastics, by competing for the award granted by Caja Los Andes and Endeavor.

Making plastic stop being plastic. That is the solution proposed by Elementum, a science-based startup (EBCT) that, using portable equipment with a zero water footprint, turns plastic waste into an organic liquid with multiple applications, saving the planet around 0.6 kilos of CO₂ for each solvent liquid produced.

The technological solution, which turns plastics into heating fuel or additives for fuels, lubricants, paint solvents or anti-corrosion products, addresses an urgent problem in Chile, where approximately 990,000 tons of plastic are consumed each year, of which 83,679 tons (8.5%) are recycled.

Elementum was selected as a finalist in the sixth edition of the Caja Los Andes Entrepreneurial Talent Award, TECLA6, a social innovation fund promoted by the compensation fund and its subsidiary Caja Los Andes Digital in partnership with Socialab and Endeavor, whose goal is to accelerate the transition of companies in Chile toward sustainability.

Originally founded as EcoFuels, Elementum was born as an idea in 2015 by two PhD students at the Faculty of Physical and Mathematical Sciences of the U. de Chile, Ariel Crespo and José Duguet, who wanted to create their own experimental design to process plastic waste more efficiently than existing methods. Entrepreneur Moisés Godoy joined the team in 2022.

In 2020, Elementum was one of the winning teams of Know Hub Ignition, a Know Hub Chile program that supports the creation and maturation of technology-based startups to promote innovation in the country by transferring research results for the benefit of society.

Since then, they have been part of the corporation’s portfolio, which has accompanied them on their journey as science- and technology-based entrepreneurs. “They developed a plastic recycling system that achieves true circularity, making it a venture that applies science and technology to solve a problem that is urgent today not only in Chile but also for the rest of the world,” says Javier Ramírez, executive director of Know Hub Chile.

Tecla6

As part of the TECLA6 challenge, Elementum will receive preparation through mentoring to help the team identify industry needs and adapt its approach to the latest trends and practices, which they will have to present in the final pitch. Meanwhile, the Endeavor accelerator will interview the selected teams to get to know them and their ventures in depth.

Over its five editions, TECLA has received more than 4,083 applications and awarded 49 social ventures, with total funding of CLP 765 million. This year, as in the previous edition, the winners are chosen by popular vote, which will remain open until March 31

Vote for Elementum here! To do so, first go to the site and click where it says: Apoyar idea (Support idea); if you are not registered on the platform, you can sign up with your RUT and you will be redirected so you can vote.