February Week 3, 2025: Welcome to our ongoing blog series, where we spotlight the most promising climate tech startups. Each week, we feature five companies and add them to our running list of innovative companies driving solutions across sectors with the highest potential for greenhouse gas (GHG) reductions.
- Energy: How Do We Plug In? This sector represents one of the largest opportunities for GHG reduction. The shift to renewable energy sources, grid modernization, and improved energy storage solutions could reduce emissions by up to 420.60 GT. Startups focusing on grid modernization, energy storage, and decentralized energy solutions are making an impact in transforming how we generate, distribute, and consume electricity.
- Food, Agriculture, and Land Use: How Do We Eat and Grow Things? This sector holds the potential to mitigate between 226.50 and 312.00 GT of emissions. The challenges lie in addressing deforestation, improving soil health, and reducing food waste. Startups promoting regenerative agriculture, plant-based alternatives, and efficient land management practices can play a critical role in transforming food systems and restoring ecosystems.
- Industry: How Do We Build and “Circulate Things”? Industrial processes account for a significant portion of global emissions, with a potential reduction of up to 166.00 GT. The key challenge is decarbonizing heavy industries such as cement, steel, and chemicals. Startups that introduce cleaner production technologies, alternative materials, and carbon capture solutions can reduce emissions while supporting reindustrialization.
- Buildings: How We Live and Adapt? contribute heavily to emissions through energy consumption and construction practices, with potential reductions of up to 88.40 GT. The challenge is transitioning to energy-efficient buildings and sustainable materials while retrofitting existing infrastructure. Startups working on smart building technologies, insulation, and low-carbon materials can drive decarbonization in this sector.
- Transportation: How Do We Move Around? emissions could be reduced by up to 144.30 GT through the adoption of electric vehicles, improved public transit systems, and sustainable logistics. Key challenges include battery technology, charging infrastructure, and transitioning fleets. Startups innovating in mobility solutions, hydrogen fuel cells, and sustainable aviation can accelerate the sector’s decarbonization.
Each month, we add these startups to our running list, which we have categorized based on fuel emission sector data from Project Drawdown.
These sectors are as follows:
Why did we decide to focus on the five specific sectors?
These sectors present immense opportunities for innovation as well as addressing critical challenges related to GHG emissions. By narrowing our focus to these areas, we can better align our mission with impactful solutions and support founders who are driving meaningful change.
By spotlighting these startups, we aim to support founders by providing them with networking and exposure opportunities that can help them scale and finance their solutions.
Do not hesitate to join our collective movement by requesting your membership.
With care,
Guillaume and the SBC TEAM
Industry
1. Naturbeads
Founded: 2018 – Bath, UK
Founders: Giovanna Laudisio
Elevator Pitch: Naturbeads Ltd develops sustainable and biodegradable cellulose microbeads designed to replace polluting plastic microbeads in a wide range of applications. These microbeads offer the same performance as plastic alternatives and are currently being tested in cosmetics, personal care products, paints, coatings, adhesives, packaging, and other industrial uses.
Problem they solve: Plastic microbeads used in various consumer and industrial products contribute significantly to microplastic pollution, harming ecosystems and entering food chains. Existing alternatives often lack performance or scalability, leaving industries without effective sustainable solutions.
Impact: Naturbeads’ cellulose microbeads are 100% biodegradable, providing an eco-friendly alternative that helps reduce microplastic pollution in oceans and ecosystems. By offering a high-performance replacement for plastic microbeads, Naturbeads supports industries in lowering their environmental footprint while maintaining product quality.
Stage: Series A.
Interested in Naturbeads?
To learn more about their technology or get in touch, see here.
Food, Agriculture & Land Use
2. New School Foods
Founded: 2020 – Toronto, CA
Founder: Chris Bryson
Elevator Pitch: New School Foods is transforming the future of food by creating plant-based meat and seafood alternatives designed to satisfy mainstream consumers. Their first product—a plant-based salmon filet—perfectly replicates the look, taste, texture, and flakiness of real salmon. Rich in Omega-3s and protein, it offers a guilt-free seafood experience with a lower carbon footprint and no harm to the ocean.
Problem they solve: Traditional seafood consumption significantly impacts marine ecosystems, contributes to overfishing, and raises health concerns due to mercury and microplastic contamination. Additionally, animal agriculture and fishing practices are major contributors to greenhouse gas emissions. New School Foods addresses these issues by offering sustainable, plant-based alternatives that provide the same culinary experience as conventional seafood, without environmental degradation.
Impact: By offering plant-based seafood, New School Foods reduces carbon emissions, mitigates overfishing, and protects ocean biodiversity. Their production methods require fewer resources and generate significantly lower greenhouse gas emissions compared to traditional fishing and aquaculture. The result is a sustainable protein source that helps protect marine life while supporting the global shift toward a climate-friendly food system.
Stage: Seed.
Interested in New School Foods?
If you are interested in learning more, see here.
Energy
3. Deep Fission
Founded: 2024 – Berkeley, CA, USA
Founder: Elizabeth Muller & Richard A. Muller, Ph. D
Elevator Pitch: Deep Fission is revolutionizing nuclear energy by deploying small modular reactors (SMRs) one mile underground. This innovative approach delivers ultra-safe, affordable, and reliable power, empowering businesses, supporting communities, and driving progress toward a sustainable future.
Problem they solve: Traditional nuclear power faces challenges such as safety concerns, high costs, and complex regulatory hurdles. Additionally, the need for decarbonized, reliable baseload energy is more pressing than ever to support the global energy transition.
Impact: Deep Fission’s underground SMRs provide a clean energy solution with minimal surface impact, enhancing safety while delivering consistent, carbon-free electricity. By reducing reliance on fossil fuels, their technology plays a critical role in lowering greenhouse gas emissions and promoting a sustainable energy ecosystem.
Stage: Pre-Seed.
Want to learn more about Deep Fission?
To learn more about their technology or get in touch see here.
Energy
4. PuriFire Energy
Founded: 2020 – Cambridge, UK
Founders: Matt Pearce, Neel Shah & Raymond Middleton
Elevator Pitch: PuriFire Energy is revolutionizing clean fuel production by delivering green hydrogen and green methanol to decarbonize the global shipping and chemical industries. Their cutting-edge technology simplifies the production process of green hydrogen and biogenic carbon dioxide, enabling the efficient creation of green methanol and other sustainable fuels at scale.
Problem they solve: The shipping and chemical industries are among the largest contributors to global greenhouse gas emissions, heavily reliant on fossil fuels for operations and production processes. Current alternatives to fossil-based fuels are either costly or not scalable. PuriFire Energy addresses this challenge by offering a sustainable, scalable solution that streamlines the production of green hydrogen and methanol—key clean fuels essential for decarbonizing these hard-to-abate sectors.
Impact: PuriFire Energy’s green hydrogen and methanol reduce reliance on fossil fuels, drastically lowering carbon emissions in shipping and chemical manufacturing. By using biogenic carbon dioxide and renewable energy in their processes, PuriFire not only supports cleaner fuel alternatives but also contributes to circular carbon utilization, playing a crucial role in the global transition to a low-carbon economy.
Buildings
5. C2CA Technology
Founded: 2016 – Rotterdam, NL
Founders: Thomas Petithuguenin
Elevator Pitch: C2CA Technology is a pioneering startup focused on upcycling waste concrete into sustainable building materials. By replacing virgin aggregates, sand, and cement, C2CA is revolutionizing the construction industry with a goal of achieving 100% circular concrete and reducing the environmental impact of building materials.
Problem they solve: The production of cement and concrete contributes to 8% of global CO2 emissions, driven by the extraction and processing of virgin materials. Additionally, construction and demolition waste places a heavy burden on landfills. The industry lacks scalable solutions for recycling concrete into high-quality, reusable materials.
Impact: C2CA Technology significantly reduces CO2 emissions by replacing virgin raw materials with upcycled concrete, thereby lowering the carbon footprint associated with construction. Their circular approach minimizes construction waste, conserves natural resources, and contributes to a more sustainable, low-carbon built environment.
Stage: Series A.
Interested in C2CA Technology?
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.
