Can design thinking and partnerships accelerate climate solutions at the pace the world now demands? The scale and urgency of the transformation required to fight climate change has never been more clear. Building hardware and software products, acquiring the funding and creating a diverse community to enhance talent capacity and to drive innovation, is essential to tackling this global environmental crisis. In this podcast, host Silicon Valley Bank (a division of First Citizens Bank) Climate Tech & Sustainability SVP Maggie Wong will be interviewing PolyGone Systems CEO & Co-Founder Nathaniel Banks to discuss improving planetary health with design thinking, partnerships to remove and recover microplastics across bodies of water, the balance of product iteration and customer testing, and and importance of education of a problem and relevant solutions to facilitate adoption
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Show Notes
- PolyGone’s core mission is to remove microplastics from water using innovative, energy-free technology.
- Microplastics, which can be found in various water sources, pose significant health risks to humans and animals.
- Founder Nathaniel Banks transitioned from architectural design to focus on waste management and microplastic removal.
- PolyGone’s proprietary silicon material achieves about 98% removal of sub-millimeter microplastics in water.
- Existing solutions for microplastic removal, like reverse osmosis, are costly and energy-intensive; PolyGone offers a lower-cost, passive alternative.
- Microplastics have been found in almost all natural water sources and bottled water, and can accumulate in bodily tissues.
- The first municipal pilot succeeded after significant difficulties finding early adopters due to lack of regulation.
- The initial success depended on direct collaboration with a utility, which provided critical feedback for refining the technology.
- Growing awareness about microplastics has driven increased interest from the private sector, especially textiles and consumer goods.
- PolyGone’s product iteration process moved from only 25% removal in the lab to 98% via real-world piloting.
- Iterative design and rapid prototyping, combined with real-world testing, enabled commercial viability.
- Speed to market and iterating with field data gave PolyGone a competitive advantage over potential future entrants.
- Diversity in expertise—in design, engineering, chemistry, and management—was essential for PolyGone’s team success.
- Collaboration with external experts at Princeton and inclusion of various skills helped overcome initial skepticism and technical hurdles.
- PolyGone operates a diversified and gender-balanced team, emphasizing multiple perspectives in problem-solving.
- The health implications of microplastics, rather than just environmental impact, have broadened PolyGone’s appeal and adoption.
- PolyGone’s pricing is designed to be cost-effective, with a razor/razor-blade model for system installation and media replacement.
- The company is working with partners to find solutions for recycling or converting captured microplastics, including enzymatic and catalytic methods.
- New product development is targeting not only microplastics but also other contaminants, such as cotton fibers from textiles.
- Educational initiatives and a microplastic analysis service aim to raise public awareness and foster broader engagement in solving microplastic pollution.
About the speaker
Nathaniel Banks is the Co-Founder and CEO of PolyGone Systems, where he pioneers the development of novel technologies for microplastic filtration. Under his leadership, PolyGone launched the world’s first dedicated microplastics removal pilot at the Atlantic County Utilities Authority (ACUA), where the company’s inaugural treatment system has removed over 540 million microplastics since its launch in September 2024. Nathaniel oversees the company’s research and development strategy alongside its lead scientists, and serves as Principal Investigator and lead author for all grant applications. To date, he has secured over $2.4 million in non-dilutive funding from institutions including Princeton University, NJCSIT, NJEDA, and NOAA, in addition to $4.35 Million in Private Venture Capital Investment. A Forbes 30 Under 30 fellow, Nathaniel holds a Master’s degree in Architectural Design from Princeton University and a Bachelor’s degree in Architectural Design from Syracuse University. Prior to founding PolyGone, he spent a decade at internationally renowned design firms including David Chipperfield, Zaha Hadid Architects, and Grant Associates, developing deep expertise in project coordination, advanced modeling, and fabrication. His graduate thesis at Princeton, developed with PolyGone co-founder Yidian Liu, focused on strategies for managing aquatic plastic waste and laid the foundation for the company’s current technology.
About the host
Maggie Wong is an accomplished product management and capital markets leader with over 15 years of experience in driving product strategy, delivering global products, fundraising & capital allocation, and leading cross-functional teams. Outside of her role at Silicon Valley Bank to support New York / East Coast based climate tech companies and investors, she is also experienced in increasing program impact, growing community reach and implementing DEI initiatives at travel and fintech non-profits. Maggie is passionate about making a social impact for the next generation, tackling climate change and traveling. She is fluent in Mandarin and Cantonese and a beginner in Spanish.