Startups are the engine of growth. They solve problems, create jobs, and attract outside investment all the while stimulating innovative thinking in a community. The MCA Innovation Center is proud to support innovators, entrepreneurs, and startups. As the year wraps up, we would like to showcase some of our entrepreneurs. This startup is founded and operated by individuals in our community! Congratulations on your successes!

Metalx Biocycle Inc.

The mission of Metalx Biocycle is huge – to create a sustainable supply chain of critical metals that will fuel a carbon free future. The founders, Drs. Jesica Urbina and Ivan Paulino Lima, two NASA trained scientists who have been working on mining technologies that are safe to do in space are bringing those technologies here to earth. Rare earth, that is.

2022 has been an exciting time for Metalx Bio. The company was awarded a Department of Energy APPA-E SBIR phase 1 and 2 grant and has been participating in the newest cohort of IndieBio with an upcoming demo day in January of 2023 where they will kick-off their seed round fundraise. Listen to updates on the IndieBio Killer of the Week podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/indiebio-sf-killer-of-the-week/id1653144264?i=1000585848021.

Metalx Bio is near completion on their proof of concept: being able to separate rare earth elements with biological reagents that are safe enough for your kitchen. They are currently working to develop a platform that makes it possible to recover critical metals from electronics and low-grade ores. As consumer demand increases for electronics and other products requiring these critical metals, the demand for alternative sources for these metals will also grow. The goal is to create a domestic closed-loop critical metal cycle that minimizes environmental impact and can help to drastically reduce reliance on fossil fuels.

Metalx Biocycle is looking to partner with industrial partners, municipalities, and retailers to recover and recycle critical metals found in products they make or use so those resources can be used in future products. You can find out more about their efforts at www.metalxbiocycle.com.

In December 2022 the company will move back to El Paso. They have leased space at the Cardwell Collaborative as both their R&D facility and headquarters. Welcome Home!