The Leap to environmentally sound materials
a TechStars backed company
The Leap to environmentally sound materials
a TechStars backed company
sILVIS AMBITION
Reducing Dependence on Petroleum
Silvis is creating bio-based emulsions to replace petroleum materials in coatings, adhesives, binders, and paints . Just about every piece of plastic begins as a fossil fuel, with greenhouse gases emitted at every step of the way. Silvis is working on a lower cost, sustainable and bio-degradable emulsion platform which can be used in multiple applications for a variety of markets.
Petroleum is a component of plastics that exist in all these products, and GHGs are not the only pollutant. The extensive use of plastics in almost everything we touch ends up in our landfills and oceans. Silvis believes they can help cleanup parts of the whole pollution chain, reducing landfill pollution and chemical waste in our waterways.
About Us
Silvis Traction
Silvis recently completed TechStars, Industries of the Future, in Knoxville, TN. Relationships with both ORNL and UTK have been formed and a lab presence is in the works. Prior to TechStars, Silvis completed Plug-and-Play, an accelerator where customer relationships with over 15 Fortune 500 companies have been established. Silvis also won the CU Boulder Lab Venture Challenge ($125,000), where they are working with Professor Goodwin's Lab to advance the technology. Today, Silvis is working diligently to meet today's needs to formulate emulsions that ensure a cleaner, greener planet.
Meet the silvis team
Patty Ferreira, CEO, Founder
Patty is a patented plastics engineer, patenting a breakthrough, recyclable plastic for automotive packaging. She is also a long-time entrepreneur with experience that spans several industries. Silvis is her passion, developing solutions for reducing GHGs and slowing climate change. Patty holds an MBA in Entrepreneurship from MIT's Sloan School of Business, an MS Chemical Engineering, Syracuse University, a BS Chemical Engineering, Florida State University, and her BS Chemistry, SUNY Fredonia.
Scott Pearce, COO, Co-Founder
Scott is an experienced operational executive in the areas of renewable energy and sustainable agriculture. Scott transformed a renewable energy advisory firm into one of the leading, large-scale producers of biofuel as co-founder and CEO BioFuel Energy Corp (Nasdaq: BIOF). This firm started with no revenue and grew to over $700 million. Scott’s expertise extends beyond leadership in both corporate and startups, to include raising capital, M&A, a public company IPO, and multiple exits. Scott holds an MBA in Entrepreneurship from MIT's Sloan School of Business, and a BS Mechanical Engineering, Auburn University.
Dr. Jill Sjong, Fractional CTO
Dr. Angele ("Jill") Sjong, Fractional CTO, joins Silvis as a prolific inventor in materials science and chemistry, with over 60 patents in bio-based packaging, self-cleaning paints, flexible electronic barriers, advanced packaging and recycling technologies, and air/water purification. Her extensive career also includes project management, technical grant writing, and regulatory and engineering support for corporate partners. Dr. Sjong holds a PhD, Inorganic Chemistry, Yale University, an MS Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, Colorado School of Mines, and a BS Chemistry, U.C., Berkeley.
Dr. Chi-Linh Do-Thanh, Chief Chemist
Dr. Chi-Linh Do-Thanh, Chief Chemist, joins Silvis as an expert synthetic organic chemist with an emphasis on ionic liquids, and the design, synthesis, purification, and characterization of organic compounds . Dr. Do than has been a post-doctoral researcher at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville (UTK), in Dr. Sheng Dai's research group. Dr. Dai is a world-renowned expert in ionic liquids. Dr. Do Than hold a PhD Organic Chemistry from UTK, and his BS Chemistry, University of Virginia.
Eric Gertler, Fractional VP Finance
Senior Financial Manager with hands-on experience in all areas of accounting, financial analysis, and planning. Extensive experience with VC funded software companies, setting up scalable accounting and financial operations to support rapid growth. Played key roles in raising more than $100 million in various VC, Angel, and bank financings. Eric holds an MBA from the Kellogg Graduate School of Management, and a BA Political Science, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champagne.
founder story
Founder Story
- Patty Ferreira–Plastics Engineer and MIT MBA, Patty started her career as a new product development engineer for the plastics industry. She created multiple products, from plastic packaging to marine buoys, and even computer housings. As both an entrepreneur and plastic engineer, Patty decided to combine both passions by creating environmentally friendly materials that can upend the plastic industry, a much more challenging endeavor that will be a game changer today.
- Scott Pearce-Biofuels Engineer and MIT MBA, Scott was always interested in economic policy and the key elements that comprise a civil society. His studies and intuition led to an early appreciation that dependence on foreign oil was not wise. This said, it was not until he led an attack helicopter unit during the 91’ Gulf War that he experienced a first hand appreciation for the cost, complication and environmental risks foreign oil represented. This gave Scott conviction to work on alternative sources of non-fossil based energy. Scott has extensive experience in sustainability and environmentally sound solutions.
Silvis Materials is a TechStars Industries of the Future company
Techstars Industries of the Future in Knoxville, Tennessee, selected Silvis to join their program from over 3,000 applicants. Oak Ridge National Labs and the University of Tennessee is part of this program and will mentor and share their expertise with Silvis. Both institutions have deep experience in cellulose, scaling and more. Techstars provides great opportunities to work with top industry mentors on startup growth and venture funding.