Trillium Renewable Chemicals

Trillium Renewable Chemicals, established in 2021, is a Knoxville, Tennessee-based company focused on decarbonizing chemical manufacturing. The company was co-founded by CEO Corey Tyree and VP of Technology Development Liesl Schindler. Tyree, who holds a PhD in Chemical Engineering, has a background that spans from plant operations to executive management in the energy and chemicals sectors, including roles at Georgia Power and Southern Research. His journey reflects a "corporate dropout" narrative, driven by a desire to apply his extensive industry experience to a hard-tech startup. The venture originated when Tyree licensed a thermo-catalytic process technology from Southern Research, a non-profit research institute where the technology had been under development since 2014.

Trillium is commercializing a proprietary process that converts renewable feedstocks, such as glycerin derived from plant oils, into acrylonitrile and its co-product, acetonitrile. This innovative method produces bio-based, drop-in replacements for chemicals traditionally made from petroleum, offering a 70% reduction in carbon footprint compared to conventional processes. The business model centers on licensing this technology and supplying these green chemicals to manufacturers. These clients operate in diverse markets, including automotive, aerospace, apparel, consumer electronics, and medical supplies, and are seeking sustainable materials to meet regulatory pressures and consumer demand.

The company's core product, Bio-ACN™, is chemically identical to petroleum-based acrylonitrile, a crucial intermediate for producing materials like ABS plastics, carbon fiber, acrylic fibers, and nitrile rubbers. This ensures that clients can integrate Trillium's product into their existing supply chains without altering their manufacturing processes. The company has secured significant backing, raising a total of $21.8 million over three funding rounds, including a $10.6 million Series A round led by strategic partners Hyosung Advanced Materials and HELM AG. This capital is funding the scale-up from a successful pilot plant to a market demonstration unit, named "Project Falcon," located at the INEOS Nitriles Green Lake facility in Texas. Set to begin operations in early 2025, this facility will validate the technology's commercial viability and scale production to supply qualified, bio-based acrylonitrile to industrial customers.

Keywords: renewable acrylonitrile, bio-based acetonitrile, sustainable chemicals, green chemistry, glycerin conversion, thermocatalytic process, chemical decarbonization, drop-in replacement chemicals, bio-ACN, renewable feedstocks, Corey Tyree, specialty chemicals, sustainable materials, carbon fiber precursor, ABS plastic, nitrile rubber, acrylic fibers, chemical technology licensing, cleantech, industrial biotechnology