What we do
Unfortunately, public awareness, policy readiness, and investment are lagging far behind.
Why We Exist: Building the Carbon Removal Industry
To halt global warming, CO₂ must be actively removed from the atmosphere — a process called Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR). This is not optional; it is essential to meet climate goals.
According to Boston Consulting Group, the CDR industry must grow by 24–27% annually for the next 30 years to meet 2050 demand — a challenge on par with the historic growth of solar and wind power.
We exist to close that gap.
Tackling Hard Problems —
Where Others Can’t Go or Won’t Go
Scientific Research
Advancing breakthrough climate science, with a focus on enhanced weathering and carbon removal measurement.
Policy Advocacy
Supporting global CDR regulation and advocacy efforts across the world.
Impact Investments
Funding early-stage startups building innovative CDR technologies to help the industry scale fast.
Leading Global Research in Enhanced Weathering
Alongside many others, we believe that enhanced weathering will become a crucial component of the CDR toolkit in the future. However, the CO₂ removal effects of enhanced weathering in soils are not yet fully understood and in-situ measurements continue to pose significant challenges. Since 2019, we have contributed to this global scientific endeavour through multiple field and greenhouse experiments with extensive data collection. Our focus is on high-frequency lab measurements and continuous 24/7 monitoring using hundreds of electronic sensors in large-scale experiments spanning several years. Our aim is to identify which soil and rock combinations are most effective - or, in some cases, ineffective - at CO₂ removal. There are three main field and greenhouse experiments, the latter likely being the largest EW experiment on the planet. We publish new data/results every few weeks in our blog.
Our experiments are conducted in partnership with scientists from universities in Hamburg, Erlangen, Mainz, Würzburg (all in Germany), Copenhagen (Denmark), Antwerp (Belgium), and Wageningen (Netherlands) and others. We furthermore collaborate with respected national research institutes such as the Alfred Wegener Institute (Germany) and the Hellenic Agricultural Organisation DIMITRA (Greece).
We work closely with organisations like
Our extensive research network also includes the scientific teams of over 30 CDR startups we have invested in (see below).
Organizations We Co-Founded or Support:
NEP
EU Policy (Brussels)
DVNE
German Policy (Berlin)
CRIA
India Policy (Delhi)
EWA
Global Enhanced Weathering Association
Shaping the Global Rules for Carbon Removal
Beyond science, funding, and engineering, we believe that a robust framework of (inter)national regulations and incentives is crucial for the emerging CDR industry to flourish. This includes well-crafted certification schemes and clear definitions of what constitutes effective CDR with permanent storage.
Backing Bold Startups Tackling the Climate Crisis
The significant risks associated with climate startups that aim to develop groundbreaking technologies to address the climate crisis should be shouldered by the public. Unfortunately, this isn’t the case - at least not yet.
Through early-stage investments in startups focused on negative emissions, we bridge the critical gap until other, larger actors take on their necessary role. By doing so, we assume risks that few others are prepared to bear. Our goal is to advance the science, technology, and organizations essential for the carbon dioxide removal (CDR) industry as early as possible.
Since 2020 we have invested in more than 30 companies with more than 700 employees (end of 2024), here are some of them:
| Company name | Employees (end of 2024) | What they do | Region(s) of activity |
| 4401 | 65 | Underground Carbon storage | Oman, UAE |
| Altitude Carbon | 5 | Carbon negative aviation fuel | globally |
| Carbonfuture | 40 | Digital Monitoring Reporting and Verification and Marketplace Infrastructure | globally |
| Climeworks | 480 | DAC | Switzerland, Germany, Iceland, USA |
| Co-reactive | EW | Europe | |
| Cotierra | Biochar | Latin America | |
| CREW Carbon | 10 | Carbon mineralization in water treatment plants | USA and Europe |
| Eion | 15 | EW | USA |
| Everest Carbon | Monitoring for EW | USA, EU, India | |
| Flux | 15 | EW | Africa, HQ in Kenya |
| Happy Ground | Biochar | Asia, Thailand | |
| InPlanet | 38 | EW | Brazil |
| Lithos Carbon | 25 | EW | North America |
| Planeteers | 15 | Carbon mineralization in water treatment plants | Germany |
| Octavia | 60 | DAC | Kenya |
| Sequestra | Carbon storage with ind. waste materials | Austria | |
| Silica | EW | Mexico | |
| Silicate | 10 | EW | Ireland and USA |
| Subtidal | 4 | Monitoring for mCDR | North America and Europe |
| Syntopa | 7 | Bacteria based speed-up of EW | North America |
| Tropicarbon | 10 | EW | Colombia |
