[
  {
    "id": 32192,
    "name": "Rise Reforming",
    "slug": "rise-reforming",
    "former_names": [],
    "small_logo_thumb_url": "https://bookface-images.s3.amazonaws.com/small_logos/5b908857ac82ef0d2a3b793f89fa198298587f8a.png",
    "website": "https://rise-reforming.com/home",
    "all_locations": "Chicago, IL, USA",
    "long_description": "Geopolitical conflicts (US-Iran war) and natural disasters (Winter Storm Uri) consistently expose the vulnerability of the US chemical industry. The reason? Production is centralized and fossil fuel-dependent. The solution? Domestic biogas: The US produces enough biogas to make $35 bn/y worth of chemicals, but 60% is wasted in low-margin applications or flared altogether. \r\n\r\nRise Reforming is commercializing a modular process to transform this underutilized biogas on-site into cheap, supply-secure chemicals. Our beachhead market is dimethyl ether (DME), used as an aerosol propellant and a low-carbon fuel additive in propane. Our target market is methanol: an established billion $ chemical and the future of low carbon shipping.\r\n\r\nIn the last four months, we have:\r\n\r\n- Signed an exclusive biogas supply agreement and executed agreements with 7 additional commercial entities – combined, they produce enough biogas to make $92 mn ARR worth of chemicals.\r\n- Completed our proof-of-concept and are moving into our pilot site at a Chicagoland wastewater plant that produces biogas.\r\n- Negotiated a $5 mn offtake agreement for the DME from our first commercial unit. \r\n- Signed an MOU with a large propane distributor to blend our DME and 2 LOIs with global marine companies for methanol.",
    "one_liner": "We turn waste gases into valuable, supply-secure liquid chemicals ",
    "team_size": 4,
    "industry": "Industrials",
    "subindustry": "Industrials -> Climate",
    "launched_at": 1783464355,
    "tags": [
      "Hard Tech",
      "Smart Waste Management",
      "Alternative Fuels",
      "Renewable Energy",
      "ClimateTech"
    ],
    "tags_highlighted": [],
    "top_company": false,
    "isHiring": false,
    "nonprofit": false,
    "batch": "Summer 2026",
    "status": "Active",
    "industries": [
      "Industrials",
      "Climate"
    ],
    "regions": [
      "United States of America",
      "America / Canada"
    ],
    "stage": "Early",
    "app_video_public": false,
    "demo_day_video_public": false,
    "app_answers": null,
    "question_answers": false,
    "url": "https://www.ycombinator.com/companies/rise-reforming",
    "api": "https://yc-oss.github.io/api/batches/summer-2026/rise-reforming.json"
  }
]