June Week 3, 2023: In this monthly 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
Founded:
2022 – Munich, Germany
Founders:
Sonja Stuchtey and Prof. Dr. Martin R. Stuchtey
Elevator Pitch:
Building Nature’s Bank. Nature delivers 140 trn USD worth of services every year – for free. She needs a better bank.
Problem they solve:
We have collectively mismanaged our global portfolio of assets, meaning the demands on nature far exceed its capacity to supply the goods and services we all rely on. Estimates show that between 1992 and 2014, produced capital per person doubled, and human capital per person increased by about 13% globally; but the stock of natural capital per person declined by nearly 40%. Estimates of our total impact on nature suggest that we would require 1.7 earths to maintain the world’s current living standards. If we don’t nurture nature now, we will see irreversible losses in ecosystem services.
Impact:
The Landbanking Group has set out to offer a natural capital account to everybody with the ambition to prioritize ecological vitality as the primary wealth indicator. Their platform will reward the conservation and regeneration of the natural resources human life is reliant on.
To do that Landbanking allows both sellers and buyers of nature services such as carbon removal, water storage, soil regeneration, or biodiversity protection to open natural capital accounts. Polygons of land are assessed based on novel technologies and verifiable claims are turned into tradeable assets. This allows land stewards to drive land restoration and protection with the necessary, substantial financial backing and a long-term outlook.
Stage:
Seed
Interested in The Landbanking Group?
To learn more about their technology or get in touch, see here
GHG Capture, Use, and Storage
2. Removr
Founded:
2021 – Lysaker, Norway
Founders:
Einar Tyssen
Elevator Pitch:
In Removr, we develop solutions for removing CO2 from the atmosphere and store it permanently in the geosphere.
Problem they solve:
Direct Air Capture (DAC) plants remove CO2 directly from the atmosphere for permanent storage and thereby achieve negative emissions which can be sold as removal credits. Credits are bought by companies with net zero ambitions and their CO2 abatement costs is a key driver for willingness to pay. In 2022, DAC removal credits were valued at more than EUR 1,000 per ton on average.
It is widely accepted that climate goals will not be met without carbon removal being developed at scale.
Impact:
Zeolite-based capture of molecules in microporous pellets has been used for decades in the space and petroleum industries at large scale. Removr’s zeolite DAC technology is based on GreenCap patented technology which has been proven through four small-scale pilots since 2016. While being the most environmentally friendly among known DAC technologies, Removr’s solution also offers clear cost advantages due to its energy effiency. Removr’s ambition is to reduce electricity consumption by more than 50% compared to current DAC plants.
Stage:
Early Stage
Interested in Removr?
If you are interested in learning more, see here.
Energy use in Industry and Buildings
Founded:
2019 – Cambridge (MA), USA
Founders:
Tancredi Botto
Elevator Pitch:
Muon Vision gives you X-ray powers to increase mining safety, digitalization of assets and boost metal recovery.
Problem they solve:
Two secular challenges & two critical problems
1. Heap leaching: The most efficient processing option, accounts for >20% of world copper today but there is a non-uniform distribution of fluid content across the volume of the heap
2. Catastrophic failures of tailing dams threaten industry viability which can result in damages of up to $10B/event.
Our core enabling technology is a nuclear imaging sensor that measures the bulk density of geophysical assets.
– Accurately maps subsurface bulk density & fluid content.
– Truly volumetric, far deeper than industrial X-ray.
– Movable, safe, non-invasive and low-cost.
Impact:
Our data platform not only saves the industry time, energy and water: it also detects unsafe conditions.
So you can gain more while consuming less, but also prevent loss of equipment and – most importantly – lives.
Save up to 600kg CO2 and 400l H2O per tonne of copper.
Stage:
Seed
Want to learn more about Muon Vision?
To learn more about their technology or get in touch see here.
Energy use in Industry and Buildings
4. Futraheat
Founded:
2021 – Surbiton, UK
Leadership:
Tom Taylor
Elevator Pitch:
Electrifying industry’s heat for a zero carbon future. Pioneering ground-breaking TurboClaw® high temperature heat pump technology for the cost-effective decarbonisation of industry’s heat.
Problem they solve:
There is an urgent need for industry to drastically reduce its carbon emissions, most of which result directly from on-site heat generation.
A cost effective and practical transition to decarbonising heat-use is needed now and high temperature heat pumps are recognised as the essential breakthrough enabling technology.
They offer a zero-carbon alternative to burning fossil fuels, when powered by renewable electricity, but haven’t been able to compete on cost……..until now.
Impact:
At Futraheat we are pioneering the first truly sustainable high temperature heat pump technology, offering industry a pathway to net-zero carbon that pays for itself.
Achieving net zero by 2050 will require a significant change to how we manufacture the products on which we depend.
Heat is a major element of many industrial processes, from pharma to food, and accounts for around 70% of all industrial energy demand. At present vast amounts of this heat is used once, and then wasted. Quite literally, it goes up the chimney or down the drain.
The benefits
80% energy reduction
25% typical fuel bill reduction
Payback in two to three years
CO2-free heat when powered by renewable electricity
Stage:
Seed
Interested in Futraheat?
To learn more about this company, see here
Energy use in transport
Founded:
2020 – Birkenhead, UK
Founder:
Roger Armson and Alex Routledge
Elevator Pitch:
The cleanest energy is the energy we never use.
Armada is currently developing the world’s first ‘passive air lubrication system.’
Problem they solve:
Maritime transport is essential for the world’s economy with over 90% of global trade being carried by sea. Shipping is a complex system, made up of various actors and fragile interdependencies. Pressure is mounting for shipping to decarbonise and transition to more sustainable operating practises.
Impact:
PALS is a patented, award-winning system that operates in a semi-passive mode, and enables discreet control of system output with the complete decoupling of system lubricity from ship speed and in doing so PALS can deliver optimal boundary layer aeration at any prevailing operating condition. PALS will help drive the clean maritime agenda in the reduction of fuel consumption further and faster!
Armada Technologies is an affiliate of the EcoOne® Marine Technologies Group focused in energy efficient, innovative, environmentally-friendly maritime technologies.
Armada Technologies is developing a largely passive “air lubrication system” to significantly reduce merchant ship fuel consumption.
Stage:
Undisclosed
Interested in Armada Technologies?
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.
