Success Story: Nova Carbon – Revolutionizing Carbon Fiber Recycling

From RECCO to DEFI-CARBONE: SATT Aquitaine’s Strategic Support

The journey continued in 2015, when SATT Aquitaine stepped in to support the project through the DEFI-CARBONE maturation program. Led by I2M researchers Olivier Mantaux and Arnaud Gillet, the project shifted from proof of concept to industrial waste valorization, specifically targeting carbon fiber fabric offcuts that had not been impregnated with resin. This refinement focused on improving the detangling and fiber realignment process.

With a €170,330 investment from SATT Aquitaine,, the project successfully transitioned from a proof of concept to a viable pre-industrial prototype, while securing intellectual property protection through a patent.

DEFI-CARBONE Joins the European MANIFICA Project

In 2019, under SATT Aquitaine’s continued leadership, I2M integrated the DEFI-CARBONE pre-industrial prototype into the ambitious European MANIFICA project. The goal? To structure a fully-fledged carbon fiber composite recycling industry, covering the entire valorization cycle—from collecting waste (primarily from the aerospace sector) to producing innovative new composite parts.

The MANIFICA consortium brought together key players: University of Bordeaux (I2M) – Technology leader, TORAY CFE – European market leader in carbon fiber, Paprec Group – France’s top waste management company, and VESO Concept – Expert in innovative composites

• Step 1: Structuring the collection and sorting of carbon fiber production waste in France, sourced directly from major aerospace industry sites.
• Step 2: Applying the patented fiber realignment technology to manufacture semi-finished products for various industrial applications.

Life cycle analysis demonstrated high potential for integrating recycled carbon fibers into the industry. The high-performance composites developed through this process allow for the production of high-value-added components, making industrial manufacturing both efficient and sustainable.

NOVA CARBON: FROM DEEPTECH START-UP TO INDUSTRIAL SCALE

In 2022, Hugo Cartron, an aerospace engineer specializing in composite materials, and Vincent Gamboa, an entrepreneur specializing in the repair of sports equipment made of carbon fiber, decided to bring their innovation to an industrial scale. To achieve this, they founded Nova Carbon and joined Chrysa-Link, the SATT Aquitaine deeptech incubator, which provided 18 months of tailored support to help structure their entrepreneurial journey.

"The support from Chrysa-Link is particularly well-suited for deeptech start-ups like Nova Carbon. It acts as an accelerator for our entrepreneurial journey, giving us access to high-quality training and facilitating networking opportunities. The experienced and highly accessible team at SATT helped us solidify our roadmap for fundraising, enabling us to execute our action plan." — Hugo Cartron, co-founder of Nova Carbon, SATT Activity Report 2022

In 2023, Nova Carbon officially launched, signing an exclusive licensing agreement with SATT Aquitaine, marking the beginning of the industrialization process for their carbon fiber recycling technology.

The start-up then received further support from Technopole Bordeaux Technowest, allowing it to accelerate its industrialization and refine its business model to meet the growing demand for recycled composite materials.

"By stimulating innovation, particularly in strategic materials such as carbon fiber, our businesses can compete with China and the United States. For many years, our region has funded R&D centers dedicated to carbon-related challenges and research projects focused on recycling carbon fibers—like the European Manifica project, from which Nova Carbon emerged." — Alain Rousset, President of the Nouvelle-Aquitaine Regional Council, on France 3 Nouvelle-Aquitaine, 01/10/2024

A Fundraising Round to Scale Up Industrialization

In June 2024, Nova Carbon successfully closed its first funding round, raising €1.4 million from key investors, including AFI Ventures, UI Investissement, Nouvelle-Aquitaine Region, Épopée Gestion, Bleu Capital, Kima Ventures, and several business angels from the aerospace and space industries. Nova Carbon also received support from ADI Nouvelle-Aquitaine throughout the fundraising process.

This funding will enable the company to:

• Develop a pilot production line capable of producing several tens of tons per year.
• Launch its first commercial semi-finished recycled carbon fiber product within 18 months.
• Expand its R&D team with around ten new hires.

"This funding round will allow us to scale up from a prototype production level—just a few hundred kilograms per year—to a pre-industrial scale, producing several tons, even tens of tons per year. It will also enable us to recruit an ambitious technical team and expand our range of Nova Carbon semi-finished products." — Hugo Cartron, co-founder of Nova Carbon, on France 3 Nouvelle-Aquitaine, 01/10/2024