Cooldown°earth Welcomes NRW Investment for Matterr Expansion

– Public funds and public welfare capital enhance circular technology –

DÜSSELDORF/BERLIN – Newsaktuell – 15 August 2025 – The non-profit cooldown°earth foundation commends its portfolio company matterr for obtaining funding from the state of North Rhine-Westphalia through the EFRE/JTF initiative “Produktives.NRW.” The funding approval was announced by Minister of Economic Affairs and Climate Protection Mona Neubaur on August 6 in Düsseldorf.

To address the issue of waste export from industrialized nations—an issue that heavily impacts the world’s poorest countries—matterr has developed a globally patented technology capable of consistently converting waste back into high-quality raw materials.

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This funding allows matterr to accelerate the establishment of its second facility, currently at a small industrial scale, in North Rhine-Westphalia. The innovation focuses on the depolymerization of PET under mild conditions, breaking down mixed waste like multi-layer packaging or mixed textile fabrics into their essential components, significantly reducing reliance on fossil raw materials. By reverting to a monomer-based process that achieves primary material quality, molecular upcycling becomes possible: Polyester textiles that were only recyclable for lower-quality applications can now be used to create high-quality products—including textiles and even food-contact approved packaging.

“This is a remarkable collaboration,” states Wolfgang K. Hoever, founder of cooldown°earth. “A charitable foundation takes the lead, the state supports it—and the result is the infrastructure that converts difficult-to-recycle waste into a circular GreenTech solution. This is promising for climate protection and strengthens our region as a business center.”

The funding awarded to matterr not only represents the first grant from this program but also signifies the maximum grant amount of €30 million. The projected NRW facility is expected to commence operations in 2027, with an annual capacity target of 10,000 tonnes.

cooldown°earth does not receive the funding directly, but acts as an early investor and facilitator. Any potential returns from its investment will be reinvested into non-profit climate and environmental protection initiatives in accordance with its statutes.

Background

• The State of NRW and the EU are supporting strategic technologies through the Produktives.NRW (EFRE/JTF 2021–2027) program to keep them within NRW/Europe. The initial grants included funding for matterr (“revolPET plant”) and Greenlyte. Minister Neubaur highlighted the triple benefits for climate, jobs, and innovation. (Press release NRW)
• matterr’s official statement details the funding amount, timeline, and process; the facility will replace fossil-based PET feedstock with primary-quality recycled material. (Press release matterr)

Hashtag: #cooldown°earth

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The issuer is fully responsible for the content of this announcement.

About cooldown°earth:

The cooldown°earth foundation is a private, non-profit foundation based in Krefeld, Germany. Established in 2013 by Dr. Annekathrin Edelmann and Wolfgang K. Hoever, it is committed to fostering social cohesion and climate protection.

Projects include the Digital Climate School, which supports schools in incorporating sustainable development education into their curricula. The foundation promotes skills in leveraging new technologies for sustainability and boosts motivation for responsible stewardship of the planet’s resources. www.cooldown.earth

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