April Week 3, 2024: In this weekly series, we highlight 5 climate tech startups to watch by featuring the incredible startups, companies, or projects that are leading the fight against the climate crisis.
Each month, we add these startups to our running list, which we have categorized based on fuel emission sector data from the most detailed, recent data SBC could identify from the World Resource Institute in 2016.
This initiative from Startup Basecamp aims to support founders by giving them access to networking and exposure opportunities that help them to scale and finance their climate tech solutions.
Do not hesitate to join our collective movement by requesting your membership.
With care,
Guillaume and the SBC TEAM
Cross-cutting enablers
1. AIRMO
Founded: 2023 – München, DE
Founder: Daria Stepanova
Elevator Pitch: Leading climate action with satellite intelligence. One source of truth for greenhouse gas emissions monitoring.
Problem they solve: Current methods for monitoring greenhouse gas emissions are often limited by geographic coverage, frequency of data collection, and accuracy issues. These limitations hinder effective climate action and policy-making. AIRMO addresses these challenges by offering a scalable solution that provides global coverage and near-real-time data on greenhouse gas emissions. Their technology allows for precise tracking of emissions sources, empowering governments, organizations, and researchers to measure, report, and reduce their environmental impact more effectively.
Impact: They help companies to monitor and reduce their emissions to fight climate change by measuring greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere accurately, globally and near real time using satellites and novel LiDAR instrument to assess their emissions in the most precise way allowing better decision making on emissions management and acceleration the transition to a Net-Zero-Future.
Stage: Seed.
Interested in AIRMO?
To learn more about their technology or get in touch, see here.
GHG Capture, Use, and Storage
2. Cemvita
Founded: 2017 – Houston, TX, USA
Founders: Moji Karimi & Tara Karimi
Elevator Pitch: Carbon utilization for production of sustainable feedstocks.
Problem they solve: The energy, chemicals, and mining sectors are among the largest contributors to global CO2 emissions and environmental degradation, primarily due to their inefficient and pollutive waste and recovery processes. Cemvita addresses these challenges by bioengineering microbes capable of converting industrial waste and CO2 into sustainable feedstocks.
Impact: By converting waste and CO2 into useful products, Cemvita not only reduces the volume of emissions released into the atmosphere but also lessens the reliance on virgin materials, thereby decreasing overall resource extraction and its associated environmental impacts. Their ambitious goal to significantly reduce global CO2 levels by mid-century reflects a transformative step towards mitigating climate change and advancing global sustainability efforts.
Stage: Series A.
Interested in Cemvita?
If you are interested in learning more, see here.
Energy use in Industry and Buildings
3. Novatron Fusion Group AB
Founded: 2019 – Stockholm, SE
Leadership: Jan Jäderberg & Peter Roos
Elevator Pitch: Fusion powering the sustainable planet.
Problem they solve: Conventional nuclear energy, while powerful, raises concerns over safety and long-lived waste. Fusion power, mimicking the sun’s energy-generating process, offers a solution without the radioactive waste and inherent risks associated with traditional nuclear fission. Novatron Fusion Group focuses on overcoming the technical and economic barriers that have historically impeded fusion energy, aiming to unlock a practically limitless source of power without environmental downsides.
Impact: By harnessing nuclear fusion, the company proposes to generate abundant clean energy with negligible emissions, helping significantly reduce global reliance on fossil fuels and decrease greenhouse gas emissions. Fusion power produces no air pollution and minimal radioactive waste compared to conventional nuclear fission, positioning it as a pivotal technology in the global transition to a sustainable energy future.
Stage: Seed.
Want to learn more about Novatron Fusion Group AB?
To learn more about their technology or get in touch see here.
Waste (water & landfills)
4. Refacture
Founded: 2020 – Bergen, NW
Founders: Nick Narsavidze, Ådne Tveit & Per Kristian Knutsen
Problem they solve: Current waste management systems largely focus on disposal rather than recovery, with most industrial waste ending up in landfills or being emitted into the environment. This practice not only wastes valuable materials but also continues to harm the planet.
Impact: By recovering valuable materials from industrial byproducts, Refacture not only conserves natural resources but also reduces the environmental degradation associated with traditional raw material extraction and waste disposal methods. Their commitment to a circular economy model further exemplifies their dedication to a sustainable future, where every material is fully utilized and environmental impacts are profoundly mitigated.
Stage: Pre-Seed.
Interested in Refacture?
To learn more about this company, see here.
GHG Capture, Use, and Storage
5. Divea
Founded: 2020 – Sion, CH
Founders: Kumar Varoon Agrawal, Mojtaba Chevalier & Karl Khalil
Elevator Pitch: Divea utilizes cutting-edge graphene membrane technology to capture CO2 directly from industrial processes. Their innovative approach involves installing specialized filters at emission sites to intercept and remove CO2 from flue gases before it reaches the atmosphere. This captured CO2 can then be stored permanently or repurposed into valuable by-products, making a significant dent in industrial emissions and advancing us towards a cleaner, sustainable future.
Problem they solve: Industrial processes in sectors like cement, steel, and chemicals are major contributors to global CO2 emissions, not just from energy use but also from the processes themselves. Traditional methods of cutting emissions in these industries are limited and complex due to the inherent production methods. Divea addresses this challenge head-on with a feasible, innovative solution that captures and repurposes CO2 emissions at the source, using graphene membranes. This not only helps in significantly reducing the environmental impact of these industries but also aids in transforming waste emissions into useful products.
Impact: Divea’s technology has a profound potential impact on the environment by directly capturing and reducing industrial CO2 emissions. By preventing these greenhouse gases from entering the atmosphere, Divea contributes to global efforts to mitigate climate change. The repurposing of captured CO2 into derived products also promotes a circular economy, adding value to what would otherwise be a harmful waste product.
Stage: Pre-Seed.
Interested in Divea?
If you are interested in learning more, see here.
Do you know of other startups we should include in our Startups to Watch Series? Submit to our list!
How do these startups fit in with all the others we have looked at?
Check out our running list of the 400+ climate tech startups to watch we have featured.
