Unprint Technology Financed

The technology, which removes toner from paper, has received over 778k US dollars in investment.

Cambridge News reported on Cambridge University "spin-out" company Reduse, which has created the 'unprinter' technology, receiving $778,500 in investment from Cambridge Enterprise, the university's commercialization arm, as well as Cambridge Enterprise Fund III, bringing its total investment fund to nearly $1.5 million. The technology removes printed text and images from paper, "allowing it to be reused".

The technology uses lasers to "remove print from laser-printed and photocopied paper", which can be repeated "several times without damaging the fibers of the paper". Reduse believes that this can reduce "a business' paper costs by as much as 40%", with the average office employee using 10,000 sheets of paper a year and discarding around 80% of this within "a few days". The system works with both "standard laserjet and copy machine toner", Reduse added.

Hidde-Jan Lemestra, CEO and Co-founder of Reduse, stated: "It is our goal to allow the reuse of paper, eliminating the need for recycling. Cambridge Enterprise and Park Walk Advisors, which manages the University of Cambridge Enterprise Fund III, share this vision and are important partners as we continue to develop this technology."

"Over the course of the coming months, we will be working on prototype development and further engagement with customers while continuing our conversations with some of the biggest printer manufacturers in the world."

Mike Arnott, Cambridge Enterprise Investment Manager, is set to join the Reduse Board of Directors, and added: "We have been observing Reduse make impressive progress in their pre-funding stage. With such an enormous opportunity and a strong team, we're looking forward to working with them."

Stuart Evans, Chairman and Co-founder of Reduse, commented: "Unprinting is a unique, intuitive solution to a global problem. With a lot of interest from a very diverse customer base, I believe we are on the right track to developing something that will change the way we think about using paper."

Still, to be able to unprint, you need to print first. So when you run out of toner, visit priceless-inkjet.com and resupply.

Source: The Recycler