In India, millions of chip packets, shampoo sachets and other flexible multilayered plastics (MLPs) are effectively non-recyclable — less than 1% are processed properly. Without is founded to change this reality: gathering these waste streams, using a proprietary chemo-mechanical process called Verdicycle to delaminate, demetallise and purify these materials, then converting them into high-performing recycled products such as eyewear, buttons and bottles.

Beyond tech, the startup formally integrates waste-pickers into its operations, raising their wages 2-3× while offering stock options and dignity in employment. The company recently inaugurated a demonstration plant in Pune capable of processing up to 5 tonnes per month of complex waste including MLPs and soiled textiles — a stepping stone to full commercial scale. Funding boosts include a US $1.9 million seed round, enabling expansion of manufacturing and product reach.