Hans Chan

Dr Hans Hon Sang Chan is the co-founder and CTO of Matoha Instrumentation Ltd, a London-based materials technology company whose AI-powered devices identify the composition of plastics and textiles in under a second. Of Chinese heritage and based in London, Chan combines over a decade of experience in deep science and cutting-edge technology with a strong entrepreneurial drive to address some of the most pressing challenges in the circular economy.

Chan holds a DPhil in Quantum Computing and Quantum Chemistry from the University of Oxford (2020–2024), having previously completed an MSci, and is a Member of the Royal Society of Chemistry (MRSC). His academic career spanned research at the Singapore Institute for Neurotechnology (SINAPSE), the University of Brighton, and postdoctoral work at Quantinuum and Phasecraft — two of the UK's leading quantum computing companies — giving him an exceptionally rare grounding at the frontier of physics, chemistry, and computation.

Chan co-founded Matoha to apply his deep science expertise to the practical challenge of materials identification and recycling. The company has developed NIR spectroscopy-based devices that use proprietary AI algorithms to classify any material — plastic, textile, metal alloy, or fibre blend — in as little as 0.5 seconds without specialist training or laboratory infrastructure. Matoha has sold over 250 devices across 45 countries and has built a data platform that supports compliance with Extended Producer Responsibility legislation for brands and recyclers globally.

Chan has become a recognised voice in the sustainable materials and circular economy space, speaking at major events including Bharat Tex in New Delhi and Reset Connect in London. In 2025, he led Matoha through the first phase of a £1.5 million seed round backed by Archipelago Ventures, the Circular Plastics Accelerator, British Design Fund, Fashion for Good, and Conduit Connect — to develop AI-driven robotic sorting systems and bring the company closer to its goal of every end-of-life garment passing through a Matoha system.