‘Our failure means that just about anyone else will’

Repla aims to bring about 

industrialization of plastic-degrading bacteria

HISTORY 

Contributions made to industrialization of plastic-degrading bacteria

History of Repla

 

Company Summary

Company Name

Repla Inc. (REPLA)

Accumulated Research Fund 

USD 4.3 Mil.

Employees

16

Patent Registration

1 case(s)

CEO

Dong-Eun Suh

Patent Application

3 domestic case(s), 2 international case(s)

Research Period 

7 years

Deposited Bacteria

5 strains

Company Summary

Company Name

Repla Inc. (REPLA)

Employees

16
CEO

Dong-Eun Suh 

Research Period 

7 years

Accumulated 

Research Fund

USD 4.3 Mil. 

Patent Registration

1 case(s)

Patent Application

3 domestic case(s), 
2 international case(s)

Deposited Bacteria

5 strains

HISTORY

For 7 years, Repla has been 

fully committed to the R&D of bio-degradation of plastics.

2022

12

SeriesA Investment (Busan•Daekyeung United Holdings, Enlight Ventures, Hi Investment Partners, Sopoong Ventures, IBK Capital, Partners in Investment, KB Investment)

10

Selected as First Penguin Business

10 2 additional international deposits of plastic-degrading bacteria (5 total)
09

Selected for Gyeongbuk Innovating Venture Accelerating Program

09

Selected to participate in G-Star Global Challenge 

07

Selected for TIPS foreign marketing global AC linked-business

02

Domestic patent application for a device that measures purity and reduces manufacturing costs (calculates foreign material ratio)

2021

10

[Seoul Start-up Hub] Awarded 1st at Global Demo-day ESG in Korea Start-up pitch

10

[SK ecoplant] Placed 3rd as Good Eco Innovator at SKIL Demo-day

07

Selected for TIPS small and medium-sized enterprise technical development R&D, TIPS start-up commercialization projects

07

Selected as 17th G-Star Dreamers

06

Selected for Daegu CCEI Green New Deal Start-up support program

05

Start of Pre-A Investment (Yonsei Univ. Technology Holdings)

04

Corporate R&D Center, branch office established (Suwon)

2020

12

Women’s Enterprise Supporting Center] Awarded for participation at Women’s Enterprise Start-up Competition

12

Undergo whole genome sequencing for the 3 strains of bacteria

11

5L demonstration test performed

11

6 strains selected after having tested degradation & industrial stability of 52 strains of bacteria

09

Purity Meter Prototype manufactured (calculates foreign material ratio)

08

Completed identifying of 287 strains and plastic degradability characteristic

08

Established R&D Center (Process Development Optimization Laboratory)

08

Corporate name changed to Repla Inc. 

06-02

Commercialization standards set, 52 strains tested / more than 32 strains of 500mL tested for mass cultivation of 5L or more (~2021.02)

06-07

Seed Investment (Blue Point Partners, D3 Jubilee Partners)

06Domestic patent registration for plastic decomposing microorganisms (for application in January 2017) 
05

Evaluated the effectiveness of mixed strain culture 

04

Repla joined by researchers of DIGST Plastase Team (3 published dissertations of similar field of expertise) 

02

[Seoul Univ] Placed 1st at UOS Start-up competition

2019

11

[mysc/SEN] Placed 2nd Asia at the 14th Social Venture Competition

11Social Impact Investment Presentation attended by AVPN, D3 Jubilee Partners, TONIIC Asia Impact Night in Jeju
11

Blue Reborn Inc. established

10

Awarded Grand Prize for best idea at Eco+ Start-up Challenge, (Minister Prize, Ministry of Environment)

09Awarded Grand Prize at U_Star Start-up Best Ground
08Bio-tank design exclusive to plastic recycling plants verified and ready for mass production
08

 Session recycling technology for waste resources held at Korea Waste Association waste management and technology presentation

08Plastic degradation microorganism technology and commercialization patent registered (Europe)
08

[Asan Nanum Foundation] Awarded Grand Prize at the 8th Chung Ju-Yung Start-up Contest

08Plastic degradation microorganism technology and commercialization patent registered (China)
08[Seoul National Univ] Placed 2nd at 2019 International S.M.A.R.T. (Tanzania, East Africa)
06

Agricultural waste film (mulching film) degradation test completed 

- Identified that Repla was the dominant specie over other mold and bacteria found in soil when cultivated together

06

Presentation at UNIST X Nonghyup Company Meeting (Nonghyup Federation Future Management Research Center, Nonghyup Chemical, Nongwoo Bio)

05AICT next-generation convergence technology researcher Gyeonggi-do University students Convergence Technology Start-up Support Program rated S grade.
05R&D-focus department established (Process Development Optimization Laboratory)

2018

12

2 international deposits of plastic-degrading bacteria

09

Waste circulation section announcement by Korea Waste Association

06

Isolation of two plastic-degrading microbial strains

05

Korea Research Foundation – Public Technology-based Market Linked Lab Start-up Search Team (~2019.01.)

03MIT Business Plan Competition in Bangkok (10 teams selected exclusive to Asian countries)
01REBORN, registered as sole proprietor

2017

06

Small and medium business administration entrepreneurship leading university, screening research support (2018.03.)

02

Awarded Tony B. Academic Travel at American Society for Biotechnology and Automation Devices, Society for Laboratory Automation and Screening paper poster presentation

02Domestic patent application
01International patent deposit (Bacillus sp. reborn)

2016

09Awarded Gold Prize at the 34th National Science Exploration Contest Exploratory Discussion Section 
‘Study on eco-friendly removal of PS and PVC of foreign substances in the recycling process using 
artificial enzymes that mimic the digestive enzymes of the intestinal bacteria of mealworms 
‘Getting Rid of Plastic Impurities by Meal Worm Germs(Enzyme)’
07 Completed isolation of 10 plastic degrading strains
04Started research to isolate plastic degrading strains

To newly lead the industry of recycling, 

Repla’s Determination for Research and Business

✓ Repla’s Business Philosophy 

We do not aim for the growth of Repla itself. Our goal is to improve the profitability of our customer, 

the plastic recycling industry. We hope that our products will contribute to the growth of plastic recycling plants so that ultimately the plastic recycling industry will further develop.

✓ Repla's decision-making criteria


"Repla's decision-making criteria"


Customer satisfaction is the criterion for all decision making at Repla. We will approach our customers with reasonable prices, solid quality, 

and always with an attitude of active communication so that they can experience our services, use our products, and feel happy.


✓ Establishment of Repla

"A company built according to customer needs"



When we first founded Repla in 2016, we focused on the issue of purity in plastic recycling, which has been constantly raised from the 1980s to the 2000s. 
After learning about the plastic recycling industry through multiple related journals, we realized that the sale price of recycled plastics is 50-60% of that 
of new plastics even when single material separation reaches