Circular11 Raises €2.7M To Turn Wlastic Waste Into Building Materials

The round was led by climate impact investor Vectr7 Investment Partners, with co-lead support from The FSE Group, which invested €728,100 via the British Business Bank’s South West Investment Fund. Additional participants included The FSE Investor Network, Oxford Innovation Network, private investors, and an InnovateUK grant.

Founded in 2021 by Gibbons and Connor Winter, Circular11 was inspired by their experience working on a waste management project in Nepal where they witnessed the harmful effects of plastic burning on local communities.

The company focuses on transforming difficult-to-recycle plastic into low-carbon alternatives such as fencing, furniture, landscaping materials, and composite lumber for construction.

Circular11 addresses a key recycling challenge: many plastics cannot be easily separated or purified enough for traditional recycling systems. Its proprietary technology adapts to varying waste streams, enabling the production of consistent, high-quality composite materials.

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The company expects rising demand for sustainable building materials, driven by increasing timber shortages and regulatory restrictions on traditional wood preservatives which reduce timber lifespan and increase demand for alternatives.

Circular11’s process involves collecting hard-to-recycle plastics, analysing and shredding them, and using machine learning to optimise material formulations. The material is then tested for strength and processed through extrusion to create plastic lumber and finished products, with a digital system tracking carbon impact and material flows.

Previously, the company raised €578,000 in 2023 to establish its Dorset-based recycling and manufacturing facility and develop its machine learning-driven production system.

Circular11’s mission is to build a scalable recycling technology that can be deployed globally to convert plastic waste into durable, low-carbon materials.

Benjamin Gibbons, CEO of Circular 11, said, “We believe that every tonne of plastic that gets incinerated is a missed opportunity to deliver low-carbon materials to a construction sector that desperately needs affordable and long-lasting assets. The backing of Vectr7, the South West Investment Fund, FSE and other investors is an important step; it gives us the resources to scale manufacturing, whilst continuing to develop the systems behind our materials and respond to growing pressure on industry to find better uses for plastic waste.”