ScarabTech

Founded in 2018, ScarabTech is a U.S.-based company with significant operations in South Africa, targeting the global plastic pollution crisis. The firm manufactures small-scale, mobile plastic-to-energy units, trademarked as 'Beetles', designed to process unrecyclable, single-use plastics where the waste accumulates. This decentralized strategy bypasses the economic and environmental costs of transporting plastic waste to large, centralized facilities. The company's origin is unconventional, stemming from an art project for Burning Man that evolved into a commercial enterprise focused on environmental solutions.

The founding team's expertise is diverse and directly relevant to the company's mission. Co-founder and CEO Jeffrey Barbee is a veteran journalist with extensive experience reporting on renewable energy and green technology for major international publications. His co-founders include Simon Davis, the Chief Commercial Officer with a background in international business startups; David Terblanche, who leads business development with experience in finance for emerging markets; and Mike Jervis, the Manufacturing Director with a background in specialist manufacturing.

ScarabTech employs a pyrolysis process, heating plastic waste in a sealed, automated container without combustion to distill it back into usable, carbon-neutral fuel. This technology, which fits inside a standard 20-foot shipping container, is engineered to be easily manufactured from standard parts and maintained globally. The resulting fuel can power generators and engines, addressing energy poverty and creating micro-economies, particularly in off-grid or remote communities. To ensure the fuel is carbon neutral, the company partners with verified carbon capture and reduction projects to offset all CO2 produced during the process and the fuel's subsequent use. The business model involves selling these 'Beetle' machines and leveraging the data from their operation. By verifiably measuring the amount of plastic destroyed, ScarabTech can offer a "pay per kg" service to plastic producers, addressing corporate plastic waste responsibilities.

The company has secured $828,000 in funding over two seed rounds, with the latest in December 2022 led by the Global Innovation Initiative Group. This capital is earmarked for developing commercial projects across Africa, Asia, and Australia, and to finalize the 'Beetle' reference design for commercial production. A significant milestone was being named the African regional winner in the ESG Tech category at the Global Startup Awards, which provided a crucial platform for accessing investment. ScarabTech has active partnerships, including one with the French-based global expedition Plastic Odyssey, which uses a Beetle unit on its ship to demonstrate the technology worldwide.

Keywords: plastic-to-energy, pyrolysis, decentralized waste solution, carbon-neutral fuel, cleantech, environmental services, waste management, mobile recycling, sustainable energy, plastic pollution, off-grid energy, circular economy, ESG tech, green technology, waste-to-value, distributed energy, carbon capture, project finance, emerging markets, social impact