RE-MATCH A/S

Their core work

RE-MATCH is a Danish technology company that has developed an industrial process for recycling end-of-life artificial turf pitches back into reusable raw materials. Their core work is the mechanical and chemical separation of synthetic turf yarns and infill materials so these components can be upcycled into new products rather than sent to landfill. They progressed from validating the concept under a Phase 1 SME grant to building out the full-scale process technology under a Phase 2 grant worth €2.5 million. In practical terms, they are solving a growing waste problem — millions of square meters of artificial turf are replaced every year across Europe with virtually no recycling infrastructure to handle them.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

RE-MATCH followed a textbook SME instrument progression: a 2018–2019 Phase 1 grant (€50,000) to test whether their artificial turf recycling concept was technically and commercially viable, followed by a much larger Phase 2 grant (€2,499,000) running 2020–2024 to build out the actual process technology and bring it to market. The early project had no recorded keywords, suggesting it was exploratory and pre-commercial; by the later project, the vocabulary had crystallized around circular economy, upcycling, and process technology — indicating a shift from idea to engineered solution. Their focus has not changed direction so much as deepened: the same problem, executed at progressively larger scale and specificity.

RE-MATCH appears to be moving toward commercializing a proprietary recycling process for artificial turf at industrial scale, which would position them as infrastructure or licensing partners for sports facility operators, turf manufacturers, and waste management companies across Europe.

How they like to work

RE-MATCH has acted as sole coordinator on both of their H2020 projects with no recorded consortium partners — a pattern typical of EIC SME Instrument grants, which are designed for company-driven innovation rather than collaborative research consortia. This means they operate as an independent technology developer rather than a network hub. Anyone considering working with them should expect a company that controls its own IP and process development, and may be more open to commercial agreements (licensing, supply, service contracts) than traditional research partnerships.

RE-MATCH has no recorded H2020 consortium partners and no cross-country collaborations in this dataset, consistent with the solo-company structure of the SME Instrument funding scheme they used. Their network in the H2020 context is effectively self-contained, though their commercial partnerships (with turf manufacturers, sports federations, or waste processors) are not reflected here.

What sets them apart

RE-MATCH occupies an unusually specific niche: they are not a general recycling company but one focused exclusively on artificial turf, a waste stream that most recyclers do not handle due to the complexity of separating rubber infill, plastic yarns, and backing materials. That specificity is their differentiator — if you need a technology partner or solution provider for synthetic turf waste, there are very few alternatives in Europe at this level of EU-validated development. Their successful progression from Phase 1 to Phase 2 funding also signals that their process has passed external technical due diligence.

Highlights from their portfolio

• CREATE
  The flagship project — €2.5M Phase 2 SME grant (2020–2024) to develop and scale up the full artificial turf recycling process technology, representing the core of RE-MATCH's commercial R&D investment.
• RE-MATCH
  The Phase 1 feasibility study that proved the concept and unlocked the larger CREATE grant, demonstrating a deliberate and validated innovation pathway.