PolyGroup

What PolyGroup does

Poly Group LLC is a privately held specialty materials company founded in 2010 and headquartered at the Purdue Technology Center of Southeast Indiana in New Albany. The company holds an exclusive worldwide license from the Purdue Research Foundation to Nouvex™, a patented antimicrobial co-polymer technology discovered at Purdue University by a group led by Jeffrey Youngblood. Nouvex is a positively charged polymer that attracts and destroys negatively charged pathogens on contact through thousands of side chains that disrupt microbial cell walls, demonstrating efficacy against gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria including MRSA, VRE, Salmonella, E. coli, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, while also addressing biofilm formation. The technology is EPA-registered as a material preservative (Reg. No. 91413-2, registered in 49 of 50 states) and is offered in formulations including the N950-1010 Master Batch for use in plastics, resins, rubber, latex, textiles, coatings, paints, and paper.

PolyGroup operates a B2B technology licensing model rather than manufacturing its own end products. Revenue is generated through exclusive worldwide licensing of the underlying Purdue IP and through joint development agreements (JDAs) with manufacturers across medical devices, transportation and hospitality, custom plastics, coatings, and textiles. These arrangements typically include option fees, research requirements, and potential exclusive marketing rights, with pricing negotiated case-by-case. Distribution is enabled by an exclusive manufacturing partnership with Royer Corp. (Madison, Indiana) for custom injection-molded antimicrobial plastic parts, alongside direct licensing to OEMs. The company has 1–10 employees led by COO Craig Kalmer and CSO Thomas Hopkins, Ph.D., and has raised approximately $2.43M cumulatively across SEC-filed exempt offerings from 2014 through 2023.

Name

PolyGroup

Legal name

Poly Group LLC

Website

https://polygroupllc.net

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Poly Group LLC licenses Nouvex™, a patented EPA-registered antimicrobial co-polymer developed at Purdue University, to manufacturers of medical devices, plastics, textiles, coatings, and transportation interior components through joint development agreements and licensing arrangements, headquartered in New Albany, Indiana.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Antimicrobial Materials Technology

NAICS

Plastics Material and Resin Manufacturing (325211)

SIC

Plastic Material, Synth Resin/Rubber, Cellulos (No Glass) (2820)

akta.pro primary industry

High-Performance & Specialty Polymers (PPS, LCP, PI/PAI, PAEK) (IMAEANAI)

akta.pro secondary industry

Polyolefins (PE, PP) (IMAEANAA)

Keywords

• Antimicrobial polymer technology
• Medical device antimicrobials
• Biofilm eradication materials
• EPA-registered preservatives
• Technology licensing partnerships

Headquarters

HQ city

New Albany

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Licensing Royalties: PolyGroup generates revenue through exclusive, worldwide licensing agreements with the Purdue Research Foundation for Nouvex technology, and sub-licenses to product manufacturers who integrate Nouvex into their products. Joint development agreements with companies interested in integrating Nouvex into their manufacturing processes include various non-disclosure documentation, option fees, and research requirements.
2. Joint Development Agreements: Revenue is generated through joint development agreements (JDAs) with companies seeking to enhance products with Nouvex technology. These arrangements include option fees, research requirements, and potential exclusive marketing options for successful implementations.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

PolyGroup develops and licenses Nouvex, a patented polymeric antimicrobial technology discovered at Purdue University. The positively charged polymer attracts and destroys negatively charged pathogens on contact without inducing resistance, and is integrated directly into substrates (plastics, resins, rubber, latex, textiles, paper, powder coatings, paints, glass) rather than applied as a coating. PolyGroup monetizes the technology through licensing arrangements with the Purdue Research Foundation and joint development agreements with manufacturers in healthcare, transportation, hospitality, and industrial markets.

Product overview

Poly Group LLC operates as a technology company that commercializes Nouvex™, a patented polymeric antimicrobial technology discovered at Purdue University. The company offers the core Nouvex™ product along with specialized formulations like Nouvex N950-1010 Master Batch. Nouvex technology is licensed exclusively worldwide from the Purdue Research Foundation and is EPA-registered as a material preservative. Poly Group provides joint development partnerships to integrate Nouvex into various manufacturing processes and substrates including plastics, textiles, coatings, and paper products.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Nouvex™: Patented antimicrobial technology discovered at Purdue University. A polymeric technology that is compatible with a wide range of substrates, rendering them antimicrobial with persistent activity. Nouvex is positively charged and destroys pathogens on contact without inducing resistance. EPA registered as a material preservative (EPA Reg. No. 91413-2).
• Nouvex N950-1010 Master Batch

Products and services

• Nouvex Patented polymeric antimicrobial technology discovered at Purdue University that combines a bio-compatible monomer with an antimicrobial monomer. The positively charged polymer attracts and destroys negatively charged pathogens on contact without inducing resistance, and is integrated directly into substrates (plastics, resins, rubber, latex, textiles, paper, powder coatings, paints, glass) rather than applied as a coating. EPA-registered as a material preservative (EPA Reg. No. 91413-2). Licensed to manufacturers in healthcare, transportation, hospitality, and industrial markets.
• Nouvex N950-1010 Master Batch Specific EPA-approved Nouvex formulation (master batch) intended for use in non-food contact coatings, papers, textiles, and plastics (thermoset and thermoplastics and synthetics), approved for injection molding, extrusions, and powder coatings to control microorganisms that cause deterioration, discoloration, and odor.
• Joint Development Agreements (Nouvex Integration) Structured partnership offering through which PolyGroup collaborates with manufacturers interested in improving current antimicrobial products or developing new applications using Nouvex. Arrangements include non-disclosure documentation, option fees, and research requirements, with exclusive marketing options available for successful implementations.

Quantifiable outcome

• Nouvex has proven efficacy against MRSA, Salmonella, E. coli, and other coronaviruses in addition to being tested against COVID-19
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Royer Corp.coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 June 2020Exclusive partnership with Madison, Indiana-based Royer Corp. for manufacture of antimicrobial custom plastic injection molded parts. Royer will infuse Nouvex material in custom injection molded applications including airline and mass transit interior parts, food service and hospitality components, cosmetic applicators, housewares, and commercial products. This was PolyGroup's first commercial manufacturing agreement, representing a significant milestone in bringing Nouvex to market during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Purdue Research Foundation Office of Technology CommercializationcoreTechnology or IntegrationPolyGroup holds an exclusive, worldwide license to the IP covering Nouvex technology from Purdue Research Foundation's Office of Technology Commercialization. The technology was discovered at Purdue University by a group led by Jeffrey Youngblood, a professor in Purdue's School of Materials Engineering. The Office operates one of the most comprehensive technology transfer programs among leading research universities in the U.S.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• BioCote: Licenses silver-ion and organic antimicrobial additives into plastics, paints, and textiles. Comparable technology-plus-licensing model targeting the same OEMs.
• Sciessent: Sells branded antimicrobial and odor-control technologies (Agion, Lava, Asapu) into textiles, medical devices, and consumer products. Closely comparable as a specialty antimicrobial technology licensor targeting PolyGroup's same end markets.
• SANITIZED AG: Swiss specialty chemical firm licensing antimicrobial and hygiene functions into polymers, textiles, and coatings. Same B2B licensing model and end-use substrate coverage as PolyGroup.
• Microban International: Largest specialty antimicrobial additive company, offering built-in protection for plastics, textiles, and coatings. Directly comparable to PolyGroup as a licensor of antimicrobial chemistries into OEM substrates.
• Agion Technologies (Sciessent subsidiary): Silver-based antimicrobial additive provider for polymers and coatings. Closely comparable mechanism (ion-based antimicrobial protection) and target applications.

Broad incumbents

• Dow Chemical: Major materials supplier offering antimicrobial and hygiene additives through its plastics and coatings portfolios. Sets baseline pricing and qualification expectations in the same OEM channels PolyGroup targets.
• BASF: Global chemical giant supplying antimicrobial additives and masterbatches into plastics, coatings, and textiles at industrial scale. Competes on breadth and price rather than differentiated mechanism.

Emerging players

• Cupron: Copper-based antimicrobial technology company focused on polymers, textiles, and healthcare applications. Comparable specialty antimicrobial positioning with a differentiated metal-ion mechanism.
• Polygiene AB: Antimicrobial and odor-control technology licensor primarily serving textile and apparel brands. Comparable antimicrobial licensing model though narrower in substrate coverage.
• Life Material Technologies: Niche player offering antimicrobial and antiviral additives for plastics and coatings. Comparable scale and B2B licensing focus, though with a smaller portfolio.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/polygroupllc
• Facebookfacebook.com/poly-group-llc-1525845384327220
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/poly-group-llc

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds5 records

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about PolyGroup