Taiwan startup Carbon Shuttle is betting big on innovative carbon-based materials to transform the recycling of precious metals from electronic waste, a critical component in major tech companies' sustainability efforts.
Founded with a focus on adsorption and separation materials, Carbon Shuttle has developed a proprietary technology that selectively extracts gold from electronic waste with greater efficiency than traditional methods. CEO Tsai Cheng-Yen claims their material can adsorb up to eight times more gold compared to competitors, potentially recovering millions in value from low-concentration waste streams.
"Our goal is to target Apple's supply chain," said Tsai. With Apple aiming for carbon neutrality by 2030 and pushing for circular production, Carbon Shuttle sees an opportunity to improve the material recovery process while reducing carbon emissions.
The startup is currently working with Solar Applied Materials Technology, one of only two Taiwanese companies approved to supply recycled gold for Apple's products. Carbon Shuttle's selective adsorption technology could provide a significant advantage over conventional resins, which often require energy-intensive incineration and additional chemical treatments.
Beyond precious metals, Carbon Shuttle is expanding into other environmental applications. The company has developed materials for removing phosphorus and fluoride from semiconductor wastewater, potentially helping manufacturers meet increasingly stringent discharge regulations in markets like China and Thailand.
As Carbon Shuttle seeks to scale up production, the company is in the midst of raising NT$60 million (approximately US$1.9 million) in an angel funding round. Two-thirds of this is targeted from private investors, with the remainder sought from Taiwan's National Development Fund.
Tsai outlines, "Our immediate industry targets include precious metal recyclers, PCB manufacturers generating gold-containing wastewater, and wastewater treatment providers. We are actively seeking partnerships in Taiwan for field validation and anticipate scaling our operations to meet global environmental standards."
While still in its early stages, Carbon Shuttle's approach to high-value material recovery could prove attractive to electronics manufacturers and recyclers looking to improve efficiency and sustainability in their operations. The company's success may hinge on its ability to consistently perform across varied waste streams and scale up production to meet potential demand from major industry players.
