ClimAccelerator selects 8 start-ups for second funding phase

After supporting 18 start-ups in the first phase of the Carbon Removal ClimAccelerator in fall of 2023, eight of the most promising teams have continued to the next round which kicked off in December. These start-ups were chosen based on a range of criteria, including market size, business model and climate impact potential.

Stage 2 consists of four months of dedicated mentoring from internal experts and a grant to validate and scale their innovative solutions for long-term carbon removal and its permanent storage. EIT Climate-KIC will guide participants through a climate impact assessment where they will forecast their business’ emissions mitigation potential and develop strategies to improve their environmental footprint. Teams are being groomed for the fundraising process and will have access to prospective customers and investors, and service and technology providers of the deep CDR ecosystem.

Blue Carbon (Tanzania) aims to become the top “blue carbon” developer in the country by developing mangrove carbon credit projects to support communities and protect the mangroves for climate mitigation. The two founders, Debora Benjamen (CEO) and Cretus Mtonga (Operational Officer & Developer) have complementary skills in marine sciences and project development.

Bomvento (Israel) works towards transforming wind turbines into direct air capture facilities. In addition to generating clean energy, the team estimates that each wind turbine could potentially remove up to 10,000 tonnes of CO₂ equivalent per year, effectively doubling the revenue potential of each turbine. The founding team combines strategic business acumen with scientific expertise to bridge research and commercialisation, ensuring the solution excels both scientifically and practically.

ClimeRock (France) leverages Enhanced Rock Weathering to removie CO₂ permanently and enhance crop yields sustainably. Founders Arthur Chabot and Antoine Davy combine years of successful experience in business development, sales, recruitment, operations, mining, supply chain and process optimisation.

Dowmann (Ireland) specialises in hyper-efficient engineered carbon removal through certified biochar production. Founders Robert Dowdall, Paul Manning and Cathal Moroney are seasoned entrepreneurs whose collective expertise includes tech development, financial management, and successful commercialisation of research-based technologies.

PLENO (Germany) is a platform that targets the streamlining of the carbon credit creation process and calculating carbon stocks efficiently through automation. The two founders, Nura Linggih and Nino Lindenberg, combine a sustainability background with software engineering skills, and a specialty in AI and machine learning.

Point2Hectare (Germany) strives to unlock the full potential of biochar for soils by next-generation biochar and data-driven soil application. Point2Hectare’s three founders, Max Billinger (CEO), Diana Smite (CMO) and Jan Mumme (CTO), have diverse backgrounds, skills and extensive experience in starting and running businesses.

rubisco2 (Germany) envisions an effective, easily scalable system for sargassum-algae-based carbon removals with transparency at its core. The three founders, Pablo Navarro (CEO), Manuel Riera (COO) and René Franco (CTO), have multiple years of experience in engineering, physics and waste management.

NEG8 Carbon (Ireland) is working on innovative Direct Air Capture (DAC) systems to remove CO₂ from the atmosphere and reverse climate change. The team, a spin-off from Trinity College Dublin, combines vast experience in scaling tech businesses with expertise in carbon capture.

You can read a series of interviews with the founding teams in our //next Magazin.