With support from the council, Bryan Ng developed “atomic scissors” which break down waste plastics at the atomic level to selectively convert waste into propane.
A recent University of Oxford graduate, Ng explained: “As part of my DPhil work, I was involved in a project that looked at plastic degradation. That is where the inspiration for Repolywise came from.
“The current limited options available for plastic recycling is partly a consequence of the difficulty in finding a solution. Nearly 80% of all plastics in the world end up in landfill, just 9% is recycled.
“That’s why I wanted to create a business that focused on finding a solution to this.”
He has encouraged others to follow in his footsteps in taking up support from Oxfordshire county council’s Business and Intellectual Property Centre (BIPC).
Ng first came into contact with the BIPC back in September 2023 when he was still a student.
He explained: “I googled entrepreneur events in Oxford back in 2023 and that’s how I found the BIPC. I signed up to one of the start-up huddles to present my idea.
“Everyone was very enthusiastic and welcoming of my business proposal, and it was this that gave me the motivation to continue on with what I was doing.
“The BIPC centre is incredibly helpful to early-stage entrepreneurs. You would be surprised what benefits the Oxford start-up community here can offer!”
Ryan Johnson, manager at Oxfordshire county council’s Business and Intellectual Property Centre, added: “Repolywise’s rapid rise is a real success story for the BIPC. The fact that it was the start-up huddle that gave Bryan the motivation to put his idea into practice shows how much the centre can make a difference.
“We provide a range of services, resources and activities from one on one support, workshops and our start-up huddle to equipment, software, and even office space. By doing this we can give people in Oxfordshire an extra hand to make their dreams a reality and help their businesses thrive.”
The centre is part of the British Library’s National Network of Business & Intellectual Property Centres, which aim to transform the way ideas grow into successful businesses.
It was recognised by the national Libraries Connected Awards in June 2023, winning the children’s award for its work engaging hundreds of new youth participants aged eight to 25 in enterprising activities.
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