WITHOUT secures $1.9 million, Launches recycling facility in Pune

Pune headquartered Without has launched a first-of-its-kind demonstration recycling plant capable of processing up to five tons of ‘unrecyclable’ plastic waste each month. Without is deep-tech material science startup and the launch follows the company’s successful USD 1.9 million seed funding round, led by Rewilding Wealth, with participation from Dia Mirza, Spectrum Impact, Veena More (former Unilever packaging lead), and Acko co-founder Vishwanath Ramarao.

Spread across 1,030 square meters, the new facility integrates all stages of recycling — from waste collection and chemical transformation to purification and final product creation. It will serve as a prototype for a larger commercial plant scheduled for next year.

Founder and Director Anish Malpani stated, “This raise is not just about scale; it’s about shifting paradigms. Our goal is to prove that ethical, traceable sustainability can be both commercially viable and scalable.” The fresh capital will help expand pilot operations, boost production, and strengthen the startup’s engineering and material science teams.

Founded in 2020, Without focuses on converting complex post-consumer waste — such as multi-layered plastics and soiled textiles — into high-quality materials using its patented chemo-mechanical technology. Its proprietary outputs, VERDiFLX™ and VERDiTPA™, retain material value while consuming less energy than traditional methods like pyrolysis.

Investor & actress Dia Mirza praised the company’s inclusive model, saying that Without stands out for its systemic thinking and inclusive innovation as they are proving that the climate movement can be grounded in science and justice.

Since inception, the company has processed over 765,000 pieces of complex waste and now sells recycled products such as sunglasses and homeware across major Indian cities. By FY27, Without plans to set up three commercial recycling hubs across India and pilot international projects, advancing its vision of a decentralised, circular, and inclusive waste economy.