November Week 1, 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
Energy use in Industry and Buildings
1. Rift
Founded: 2020 – Eindhoven, NL
Founders: Mark Verhagen, Lex Scheepers & Vincent Seijger
Elevator Pitch: RIFT is igniting the clean fuel revolution with its Iron Fuel Technology, a cutting-edge solution to decarbonize industrial heat. RIFT provides a sustainable, economically viable alternative to fossil fuels, paving the way for a carbon-free future in heavy industry.
Problem they solve: Industrial heat production heavily relies on fossil fuels, which contribute significantly to global CO₂ emissions. RIFT’s Iron Fuel Technology offers industries a practical solution to meet their heating needs while cutting emissions, addressing a critical gap in the path to decarbonization.
Impact: RIFT’s technology aims to prevent 1 gigaton of CO₂ emissions annually by 2050, supporting the transition to a low-carbon economy and significantly reducing the environmental impact of industrial operations.
Stage: Series A.
Interested in Rift?
To learn more about their technology or get in touch, see here.
Agriculture, Forestry and Land Use
2. Kateri
Founded: 2023 – San Francisco, CA, USA
Founders: Kevin Silverman & Ben Veres
Elevator Pitch: Katerti empowers ranchers to unlock the carbon potential of grasslands through scientifically-backed grazing techniques that enhance soil health and maximize carbon storage. By combining climate-smart livestock practices with data-driven metrics, Katerti supports regenerative ranching and offers market-based carbon payments.
Problem they solve: Traditional grazing methods can degrade soil health and miss the opportunity for carbon capture. Katerti addresses this by providing ranchers with expert guidance, technology, and financial incentives to adopt regenerative practices that improve soil health, increase carbon sequestration, and support a more sustainable livestock industry.
Impact: Katerti’s approach to regenerative grazing promotes soil carbon storage, transforming grasslands into effective carbon sinks. By enhancing soil health and reducing carbon emissions, Katerti contributes to climate mitigation efforts while supporting biodiversity and resilient ecosystems in agricultural landscapes.
Stage: Seed.
Interested in Kateri?
If you are interested in learning more, see here.
Energy use in Industry and Buildings
3. Fourier
Founded: 2022 – Palo Alto, CA, USA
Founders: Siva Yellamraju & Ali-Amir Aldan
Elevator Pitch: Fourier is reimagining clean energy solutions with a focus on universal access to on-site hydrogen production. Through a groundbreaking architecture of highly modular, automated electrolyzers, Fourier is making scalable, efficient hydrogen production a reality, powering a sustainable and emissions-free future for all.
Problem they solve: Today’s energy ecosystem is outdated, reliant on fuel sources that contribute to climate change and limit sustainable growth. Fourier addresses the global need for accessible and clean fuel alternatives by developing scalable hydrogen technology that allows industries to produce and utilize hydrogen on-site, reducing dependency on harmful fuel sources.
Impact: By facilitating emission reductions across industries, Zevero plays a pivotal role in global efforts to reach net-zero emissions by 2050.
Stage: Seed.
Want to learn more about Fourier?
To learn more about their technology or get in touch see here.
Energy use in Industry and Buildings
4. Monalee
Founded: 2022 – Boston, MA, USA
Founder: Walid Halty
Elevator Pitch: Monalee is revolutionizing home electrification by making solar, storage, and EV charging accessible, affordable, and transparent. With a streamlined, tech-driven approach, Monalee eliminates middlemen, allowing homeowners to adopt solar at half the price of traditional providers, all in just a few clicks.
Problem they solve: Traditional solar installation processes are often costly, complex, and reliant on sales teams and system designers. Monalee simplifies and democratizes access to solar by providing an automated, data-driven solution that instantly customizes a solar design, making the transition to clean energy both affordable and hassle-free for homeowners.
Impact: By lowering the barriers to solar adoption, Monalee accelerates the shift toward renewable energy, helping to reduce household reliance on fossil fuels. Monalee’s widespread solar implementation supports significant carbon emissions reduction, driving substantial progress toward a sustainable, electrified future for communities across the country.
Stage: Seed.
Interested in Monalee?
To learn more about this company, see here.
Cross-cutting enablers
5. Xilva
Founded: 2021 – Zurich, CH
Founders: Tim Duehrkoop & Jamie Micah Lawrence
Elevator Pitch: Xilva empowers investors to confidently support nature-based projects through its comprehensive, data-driven due diligence platform. By bridging funders and forest project developers, Xilva ensures transparency, reduces risk, and fosters impactful, investable solutions for a sustainable future.
Problem they solve: Investing in nature-based projects presents unique challenges due to their complex, multifaceted nature. Funders often struggle with assessing risk, aligning objectives, and ensuring reliable outcomes. Xilva solves this by providing a standardized, data-backed framework for evaluating forest and nature-based investments, delivering clarity and mitigating risk for both investors and project developers.
Impact: Xilva’s platform accelerates funding for sustainable forestry and nature-based solutions, which play a critical role in biodiversity conservation, carbon sequestration, and climate resilience. By supporting the transition to nature-positive investments, Xilva advances global efforts toward ecosystem restoration, carbon neutrality, and sustainable economic growth.
Stage: Pre-Seed.
Interested in Xilva?
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.
