MaverickX

MaverickX is an Austin, TX-based chemical technology startup founded in 2022 and backed by Y Combinator (Summer 2022 batch). The company engineers next-generation chemistry solutions for natural resource extraction across three critical domains: oil & gas (PetroX), mining & metals (LithX), and water treatment (HydroX). Founded by Eric Herrera, a former Department of Defense synthetic biologist, and Jesse Evans, a former startup operations manager, MaverickX's core insight emerged when a Department of Energy contract asked them to extract metals from old oil wells - and they discovered their chemistry simultaneously liberated far more hydrocarbons than conventional methods. Their chemistry increases shale porosity by up to 40x, enabling operators to recover 50%+ more hydrocarbons in certain shale environments. Critically, all of their chemistries are non-hazmat, non-toxic, non-flammable, non-carcinogenic, and biodegradable - a significant safety improvement over legacy oilfield chemicals.

MaverickX's product portfolio addresses some of the most stubborn inefficiency problems in American energy and mineral production. PetroX targets the fact that only ~20% of oil in unconventional shale wells is typically recovered, with the remaining 80% left underground. Their precision chemistry removes iron, breaks scale and paraffin, and frees trapped hydrocarbons - reducing downtime and operating costs for producers. LithX is a next-generation lixiviation chemistry platform for superior metal extraction from low-grade ores, and the company has also developed Maverick BioMetals, a biological approach to lithium extraction using microbes. The company manufactures at production scale in South Texas and has secured contracts with multiple major operators.

MaverickX is strategically important to the US energy supply chain on two fronts: domestically enhancing hydrocarbon recovery from existing shale infrastructure, and advancing the critical minerals extraction capabilities needed for the energy transition. By squeezing more oil from wells already drilled and unlocking lithium and other metals from ores previously considered uneconomical, MaverickX directly reduces US dependence on imported energy and critical materials. Their corporate investor, Chord Energy - a major Williston Basin oil and gas operator - signals strong industry validation and a potential commercial deployment pathway at scale. The company has been recognized in Forbes' 30 Under 30 Energy & Green Tech 2026 list, underscoring its rising profile in the sector.