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Xyleco is a privately held scientific research and manufacturing company in Wakefield, Massachusetts.[1] Xyleco is developing a process to convert biomass into useful products,[2] including cellulosic ethanol.[3] The board of directors includes Steven Chu. Former US Secretary of State George Shultz was a board member until his death in February of 2021.[4] Employee reviews of Xyleco are mixed. Some workers are extremely optimistic as the company grows, while other workers find management secretive and manipulative.[5]
| Founded | 1994  |
|---|---|
| Founder | Marshall Medoff |
| Headquarters | Wakefield, Massachusetts |
| Website | http://www.xyleco.com |
Xyleco's process involves using ionizing radiation from an electron particle accelerator to break apart cellulose molecules.[2] Accelerators are energy-intensive, but treatment times are short.[6]
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According to a 2019 story on "60 Minutes", the company was started by Marshall Medoff, a then 81-year old without a formal science education. He got his inspiration by spending time at Walden Pond, and studying research papers in a storage facility for 15 years.[2] During that time, he was granted over 300 patents.[7] Several 2002 patents were for plastic-cellulose-fiber composites expected to be stronger than ordinary plastic based on resins and wood fiber.[8] In 2004, Rubbermaid agreed to work with Xyleco to develop a material that would be stronger and cheaper than current materials.[9]
In 2009, Medoff hired his first employee, Craig Masterman, an MIT graduate in chemistry. Using $45 million from investors, they built a testing laboratory in Wakefield, Massachusetts,[2] in March 2015.[4]
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Marshall Medoff was born December 30, 1937. He died November 17th, 2021.[10]
Xyleco came to public attention in January 2019, when Lesley Stahl did a "60 Minutes" piece lauding Medoff as an eccentric but remarkably successful inventor.[11] Two months later, Lux Research published a review stating that "Lux views Xyleco with a great deal of skepticism... [G]iven its incorrect claims regarding the bioeconomy, exorbitantly expensive patent portfolio, unclear technology development history, and esteemed yet unrelated board, Lux believes that Xyleco is likely a scam."[12] Reviewers on Reddit were also highly skeptical of Medoff's claims.[13]
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