INOBUS Raises $1.66M Pre-Series A to Scale Unmanned PET Collection Network

INOBUS, a South Korean AI-powered unmanned resource recovery solutions company, has closed an approximately USD 1.66M(KRW 2.5 billion) Pre-Series A round.

The company specializes in the recovery, sorting, and distribution of 99%-purity ultra-high-grade PET, and has built its business around a focused upstream strategy — concentrating on the collection and sorting stages of the recycling value chain rather than pursuing a fully vertically integrated model that extends into processing and manufacturing. Proceeds from the round will go toward mass production of its unmanned collection machines, expansion of its collection network across the greater Seoul metropolitan area, and upgrades to its ultra-high-purity PET sorting infrastructure. The company is targeting a monthly PET collection and distribution capacity of 500 tons by 2027.

The funding comes on the back of strong financial performance. INOBUS reported revenue growth of approximately 3.5x (246%) year-over-year for fiscal year 2025, with both operating profit and net income turning positive after losses in the prior year. The company attributes the turnaround to growth in both its unmanned machine deployments and high-purity PET distribution sales — validating both the business model and its path to profitability.

The broader market environment is also working in the company’s favor. Private equity interest in South Korea’s PET recycling sector has been accelerating, intensifying competition in the downstream recycled materials processing segment and sustaining strong demand for high-purity PET feedstock. With reliable upstream suppliers capable of delivering consistent quality at scale remaining scarce, INOBUS’s position in the collection and sorting stage is gaining strategic relevance.

“As capital continues to flow into the PET recycling market, securing stable scale and quality at the very start of that chain — in collection and sorting — has become more critical than ever,” CEO Jinhyeok Jang said. “We will expand step by step to build out a monthly distribution capacity of 500 tons of ultra-high-purity PET by 2027.”