November Week 2, 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.
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With care,
Guillaume and the SBC TEAM
GHG Capture, Use, and Storage
1. SeaO2
Founded: 2021 – Amsterdam, NL
Founders: Ruben Brands & Dr. Rose Sharifian
Elevator Pitch: SeaO2 is pioneering scalable carbon dioxide removal (CDR) with its Electrochemical Direct Ocean Capture (DOC) technology. By harnessing the ocean’s natural CO₂ absorption power, SeaO2 extracts CO₂ from seawater using renewable electricity, returning decarbonized water to the ocean to further absorb atmospheric CO₂. The captured carbon can then be stored in geological formations or transformed into valuable products like concrete, alternative fuels, and chemicals. SeaO2 is committed to restoring climate balance while mitigating ocean acidification, offering a sustainable solution for global CO₂ reduction.
Problem they solve: Since the industrial revolution, excess CO₂ emissions have significantly increased, leading to ocean acidification and impacting marine ecosystems. Traditional CO₂ removal methods struggle to scale efficiently to gigaton levels. SeaO2 addresses these challenges by leveraging the ocean’s natural carbon-absorbing ability, using renewable-driven DOC technology to provide a scalable solution for long-term carbon removal and climate stabilization.
Impact: SeaO2’s DOC technology offers a transformative approach to both carbon removal and ocean health. By capturing CO₂ from seawater and returning decarbonized water back to the ocean, SeaO2 helps reduce atmospheric CO₂ and mitigate ocean acidification. This process supports global decarbonization goals and has the potential to scale to gigaton levels, providing an impactful contribution to the fight against climate change and helping protect marine ecosystems.
Stage: Seed.
Interested in Sea02?
To learn more about their technology or get in touch, see here.
Waste (water & landfills)
2. Vaulted
Founded: 2023 – Houston, TX, USA
Founders: Omar Abou-Sayed & Julia Reichelstein
Elevator Pitch: Vaulted is transforming waste management by using geologic sequestration to provide permanent, large-scale carbon removal. By injecting organic waste deep underground, Vaulted’s Biomass Carbon Removal and Storage (BiCRS) technology leverages proven, mature techniques from the oil and gas industry to trap carbon-filled waste beneath impermeable rock layers, ensuring durability for over 10,000 years. This innovative approach delivers a sustainable, cost-effective solution for carbon removal while enhancing local environmental health and addressing historic waste management inequities.
Problem they solve: Global waste management is a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions, with over 15 gigatons of organic waste decomposing annually and releasing harmful gases into the atmosphere. Traditional disposal methods, like landfills and waterways, not only waste valuable organic material but also exacerbate environmental issues and impact communities disproportionately. Vaulted tackles these issues by redirecting organic waste to deep-earth sequestration, eliminating emissions from decomposition and enabling long-term carbon storage.
Impact: Vaulted’s BiCRS approach sequesters waste-derived carbon underground for millennia, offering a highly durable and scalable carbon removal solution. By using mature, geologic slurry technology, Vaulted prevents organic waste from releasing greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, helping to mitigate climate change at a gigaton scale. Additionally, Vaulted’s process supports environmental justice by reducing pollution in local communities traditionally impacted by waste mismanagement, thus enhancing both environmental and human health.
Stage: Seed.
Interested in Vault?
If you are interested in learning more, see here.
Energy use in Transport
3. E-mobilio
Founded: 2019 – Munich, DE
Founders: Denis Reichel & Ralph Missy
Elevator Pitch: E-mobilio is a leading digital consulting provider dedicated to simplifying the transition to electric mobility. Through our 360° e-mobility ecosystem, we empower car manufacturers, dealerships, fleet managers, and insurance companies to offer seamless and tailored e-mobility solutions. By making the journey to electric vehicles easier and more accessible, we help drive climate protection and advance sustainable mobility.
Problem they solve: The transition to electric vehicles is often complex, with many potential customers feeling overwhelmed by choices, lack of information, and technical uncertainties. This creates a barrier to adopting EVs, limiting progress toward sustainable mobility. e-mobilio addresses this by offering a comprehensive ecosystem and digital tools that simplify every step—from understanding e-mobility options to selecting the ideal EV package for individual needs—while empowering industry players with solutions that foster customer confidence and loyalty.
Impact: By reducing the complexity of switching to electric mobility, e-mobilio accelerates the adoption of zero-emission vehicles, directly contributing to reduced greenhouse gas emissions in the transportation sector. Through digital tools and tailored guidance, e-mobilio enables car manufacturers, dealerships, and fleet managers to support the shift towards sustainable, climate-friendly transportation, helping to achieve broader climate goals in the mobility sector.
Stage: Series A.
Want to learn more about e-mobilio?
To learn more about their technology or get in touch see here.
Cross-cutting enablers
4. Kind Designs
Founded: 2022 – Miami, FL, USA
Founder: Anya Freeman
Elevator Pitch: Kind Designs is revolutionizing coastal protection by merging sustainable technology with innovative design. Based in Miami, we create eco-friendly infrastructure solutions like Living Seawalls™, Kind Tiles™, and Artificial Reefs that not only safeguard against flooding and rising sea levels but also restore marine ecosystems, ensuring a resilient and beautiful future for coastal communities.
Problem they solve: Traditional coastal infrastructure often focuses solely on protection, neglecting the health of marine ecosystems and failing to adapt to the challenges of climate change. Rising sea levels, flooding, and habitat destruction are leaving coastal communities vulnerable. Kind Designs addresses these issues by offering scalable, environmentally conscious solutions that protect coastlines while enhancing marine biodiversity.
Impact: Kind Designs improves the health of marine ecosystems through infrastructure that mimics natural environments, fostering biodiversity and promoting water quality. Their use of sustainable, non-toxic materials ensures long-term ecological benefits. By mitigating the effects of rising sea levels and coastal erosion, they contribute to climate resilience while creating a harmonious balance between human safety and environmental preservation.
Stage: Seed.
Interested in Kind Designs?
To learn more about this company, see here.
Energy use in Transport
5. Lydian
Founded: 2021 – Cambridge, MA, USA
Founders: Joe Rodden & Branko Zugic
Elevator Pitch: Lydian is revolutionizing aviation by producing sustainable fuels and chemicals from CO₂, water, and renewable electricity. Leveraging fully-electrified, modular, and efficient reactor systems, Lydian’s innovative technology enables cost-effective, net-zero alternatives to fossil-based jet fuels, accelerating the transition to decarbonized flight.
Problem they solve: The aviation industry is a significant contributor to global carbon emissions, relying heavily on fossil fuels that are expensive, polluting, and finite. With growing pressure to achieve net-zero emissions, the sector urgently needs sustainable fuel solutions that can scale rapidly without compromising cost or performance. Lydian addresses this challenge with its groundbreaking technology that replaces traditional oil and gas refining processes with electrified, modular systems.
Impact: Lydian’s sustainable fuel technology reduces lifecycle emissions by up to 99% compared to conventional fossil jet fuels. By capturing CO₂ and converting it into renewable fuels, Lydian not only mitigates aviation’s carbon footprint but also contributes to a circular carbon economy. Its scalable and cost-effective approach makes widespread adoption viable, driving the aviation industry toward a net-zero future.
Stage: Series A.
Interested in Lydian?
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.
