New Jersey Tech, Business, & Creative Resources
The race to secure the materials necessary for the global energy transition just found a new front line in Kenilworth, New Jersey. Still Bright, Inc., a clean-tech startup that has spent the last four years quietly reinventing the way we process copper, has officially relocated its global headquarters to the Northeast Science and Technology (NEST) Center.
The move signals a pivotal transition for the company, which is shifting its focus from laboratory research to pilot-scale manufacturing. Still Bright will occupy 15,000 square feet of space at 15 NEST, marking a significant step out of the HAX Accelerator in Newark, where the company initially validated its core technology.
Tackling the Smelter Problem
Copper is the backbone of the modern economy—essential for the wiring in AI data centers, the motors in electric vehicles, and the expansion of the electrical grid. However, the traditional process for extracting copper from sulfide ore, known as pyrometallurgical smelting, is increasingly viewed as a liability. It requires heating ores to temperatures exceeding 1,200°C, a process that is not only energy-intensive but historically associated with the release of toxic sulfur dioxide emissions, which are a primary cause of acid rain.
Still Bright is positioning its patented RACER (Rapid and Complete Electrochemical Reduction) process as the antidote to these environmental challenges. According to company leadership, the RACER technology operates at ambient temperature and pressure. By utilizing an electrochemically produced vanadium ion to reduce copper to a solid, the company claims it can recover up to 99% of copper from sulfide ores—including “dirty” concentrates and waste streams that traditional smelters often struggle to process—without the harmful pollutants associated with traditional methods.
A Campus Built for Growth
The decision to relocate to the NEST Center was driven by the facility’s unique, turnkey infrastructure. The 100-acre campus, formerly the global headquarters for Merck, offers a robust utility setup that includes an on-site 50 MW substation and a 25 MW cogeneration plant. For a company like Still Bright, which requires precise environmental controls and significant energy access to transition from bench-top science to pilot-scale production, this existing industrial capacity is a major strategic advantage.
“We’re entering a decisive period for Still Bright and for the copper industry,” said Randy Allen, co-founder and CEO of Still Bright. “What’s been missing is a way to produce copper that communities can actually welcome. That’s what we built RACER to be.”
For the regional economy, the move is a clear win for New Jersey’s innovation ecosystem. “They are graduating from New Jersey’s startup ecosystem into a headquarters and pilot-scale manufacturing environment that allows them to keep advancing their technology here in the state,” noted Matt Flath, Senior Vice President of Asset Management at Onyx Equities, the campus co-owner.
What’s Next
Founded in 2022, Still Bright raised $18.7 million in seed funding in 2025. With its new headquarters in Kenilworth, the company is preparing for its next milestone: a demonstration unit capable of producing roughly 500 tonnes of copper per year. Still Bright expects to be fully operational in its new NEST space within 60 days.
