Prof. Victoire de Margerie announces the list of nominees for the 2026 WMF Scale Up and Start Up Challenges

The 11th edition of World Materials Forum will be in Paris on September 4th.

For the 9th year, Start Up nominees from around the world will present on their booths innovative and impactful solutions in order to Use Materials Smarter, Less and Longer.

For the 5th year we will also have Scale Up nominees who will display how they are industrializing the breakthrough innovations for which they were previously nominated at a WMF Start Up Challenge.

Our Jury met on July 1st and was impressed by the quality and the variety of applications received for both Challenges.

You will find below the composition of the jury and the list of nominated companies (8 for the Scale Up Challenge and 8 for the Start Up Challenge).

All Awards will be announced during the WMF Gala dinner on September 4th at Paris School of Mines.

 

The jury for both Challenges

  • Armand Ajdari (CTO Arkema, France)
  • Godefroy Beauvallet (CEO Paris School of Mines, France)
  • Reinhold Dauskardt (Prof. Stanford University, USA)
  • Laurent Frescaline (Founder & Head of Technology I-Pulse, France)
  • Bronwyn Fox (Vice Dean UNSW, Australia)
  • Tom Gentile (CEO Hexcel, USA)
  • Brett Helms (Prof. Berkeley University, WMF Grand Prix 2022, USA)
  • Barbara Humpton (CEO USA Rare Earth, USA)
  • Vivas Kumar (CEO MitraChem, WMF Grand Prix 2023, USA)
  • Adrien de Langeron (Alumni WMF Below 25 - France)
  • Francesca Lo Iacono (Alumni WMF Below 25, Italy)
  • Victoire de Margerie (Founder WMF & CEO Rondol, France), Jury Chair
  • Shirley Meng (Prof. University of Chicago, USA)
  • Bernard Pinatel (President TotalEnergies, France)
  • Matt Price (Founder Hayzel, USA), Jury Vice Chair

 

The list of nominated companies - Scale Up Challenge

Aepnus (US)
Lukas Hackl & Bilen Akuzum
Using sulfate waste to produce caustic soda for critical minerals extraction/refining while producing sulfuric acid as a by product.

Anthro Energy (US)
David McKanic
Polymer electrolyte to improve thermal stability/energy density of Li Ion batteries while compatible with existing manufacturing infrastructures

Cuprum Metals (US)
Roger Pettman
Cost effective copper leaching technology that avoids passivation and provides higher extraction speed than traditional methods

Enzinc (US)
Michael Burz
Zinc microspounge structure that makes it possible to retrofit lead acid batteries units and make zinc batteries with 3 times the power

Found Industries (US)
Peter Godart
Direct Feedstock Extraction technology to convert existing alumina refinery streams into strategic gallium supply

Limelight Steel (US)
Olivia Dippo
Laser furnace technology to convert iron ore into high quality steel with zero process CO2 and cheaper than traditional blast furnaces

Momentum Technologies (US)
Mahesh Konduru & Preston Bryant
Recovering medium to heavy rare earth from membrane solvent extraction of mining waste.

Safi Organics (Kenya)
Samuel Rigu
Fast process of converting rice husks and sugar cane waste into high performance fertilizers

 

The list of nominated companies - Start Up Challenge

Allium Technology (USA)
Steve Jepeal
Replacing costly corrosion resistant steel alloys by thinner layers of stainless steel onto low cost recycled carbon steel for highly increased useful life of infrastructure

Altris (Sweden)
Christer Bergquist
Sodium Ion cathode materials with no China controlled minerals

ElectraLith (Australia)
Charlie McGill
Electro membrane technology to extract and refine lithium and produce a 99,9% battery grade lithium hydroxide or carbonate

ExPost (USA)
Weikang Li
Direct regeneration of cathode active materials for faster recycling at lower Capex and Opex

Florrent (USA)
José LaSalle
Super capacitor activated carbon (AC) formulation with significantly greater ability to store energy than existing super capacitor AC.

GR3N Recycling (Italy)
Martin Stephan
Microwave assisted depolymerization technology that chemically disassembles PET into virgin like monomers in less than 10 mn at a 97% yield.

Magn'Up (France)
Franck Jouin
New generation of recyclable rare earth free magnets

Syntetica (France)
Marco Bertone
Low carbon recycling of nylon rich wastes into virgin grade nylon at virgin price parity