Mars Materials joins Shell GameChanger to advance sustainable, hydrogen cyanide-free acrylonitrile, leveraging CO2 and bio-based feedstocks for scale-up.
Mars Materials, a pioneering company focused on integrating captured carbon dioxide into commercially viable products, has announced its acceptance into the Shell GameChanger program. The company has also successfully progressed past the program’s initial stage gate, marking an important milestone in validating its innovative approach to acrylonitrile production. Shell GameChanger is designed to support early-stage innovations with the potential to disrupt traditional chemical production methods, providing technical guidance, commercial strategy assistance, and market exploration support to emerging companies like Mars Materials.
Acrylonitrile, a versatile chemical building block, is widely used in the manufacture of carbon fiber, water treatment polymers, durable plastics, textiles, and various other industrial materials. Unlike conventional acrylonitrile production, which typically relies on hydrogen cyanide and complex global supply chains, Mars Materials’ proprietary pathway is hydrogen cyanide-free and has been independently validated by the global chemical industry. Their pilot plant, Cassini, has already demonstrated the scalability of the technology, moving from gram-scale synthesis to kilogram-scale production, proving the robustness and feasibility of the alternative process.
Within the framework of the Shell GameChanger program, Mars Materials is exploring a bio-based sugar feedstock as a supplementary raw material to replace or complement CO2 in its acrylonitrile pathway. This advancement represents a significant step toward diversifying raw material inputs, increasing sustainability, and improving resilience against supply chain constraints associated with conventional acrylonitrile production methods.
Aaron Fitzgerald, CEO and Co-Founder of Mars Materials, expressed enthusiasm about the collaboration, stating, “We’re thrilled to be part of Shell GameChanger, a program that demonstrates how startups and large corporations can partner to accelerate innovation. With Shell’s support, we estimate that our development timeline has shortened by approximately three years. Incorporating a bio-based sugar feedstock as an alternative raw material will strengthen our competitive position and create additional advantages over traditional acrylonitrile production processes.”
Beyond technical mentorship, the program also assists Mars Materials in exploring commercial opportunities, developing go-to-market strategies, and conducting market validation for their alternative acrylonitrile pathway. By successfully advancing through the program’s first stage gate, Mars Materials has reinforced the effectiveness of its “partner-first” strategy, leveraging collaborative support to achieve key developmental milestones.
Looking ahead, Mars Materials aims to continue its scale-up and commercialization efforts while attracting additional investment, grant funding, and strategic partnerships with industrial leaders. The company remains committed to providing sustainable, innovative solutions to the chemicals industry and positioning itself as a leading provider of CO2-derived and bio-based acrylonitrile products for global markets.
