Amsterdam-based local weather tech startup Brineworks has closed a €6.8 million seed spherical to speed up commercialisation of its Direct Air Seize (DAC) expertise, which produces ultra-low-cost carbon dioxide and hydrogen, two key inputs for sustainable e-fuels.
The spherical was led by SeaX Ventures, with participation from Pale Blue Dot, First Momentum, AiiM Companions, Energie360°, and Katapult. Brineworks additionally secured a €1.8 million grant from the European Innovation Council Accelerator, taking its complete funding raised to €8.8 million. The corporate declined to reveal its valuation to TFN.
Founders’ imaginative and prescient and technical edge
Based simply two years in the past by CEO Gudfinnur Sveinsson and CTO Dr Joseph Perryman, Brineworks was launched to deal with a obvious market hole: the excessive value of atmospheric carbon removing.
“We began Brineworks as a result of we noticed that the price of capturing CO2 from the environment wanted to drop considerably to make each carbon removing and e-fuel manufacturing viable, two important items in addressing local weather change. We noticed a novel alternative in advancing saltwater electrolysis expertise, which we consider holds the important thing to creating DAC considerably extra inexpensive and scalable.”
The startup additionally highlights its dedication to variety: “5 of our 16 staff members are girls, and we’re dedicated to persevering with to construct a powerful and various staff that’ll drive an amazing constructive affect for our local weather,” the founders instructed TFN.
Tackling aviation and delivery’s carbon downside
Brineworks claims an edge over incumbents like Climeworks and Carbon Engineering, in addition to newer electrochemical DAC gamers together with Phlair, Greenlyte, and Mission Zero.
Their patented electrolyser avoids the usage of pricey valuable metals, requires fewer membranes, and may function flexibly on intermittent renewable energy with out degrading efficiency, thereby lowering capital bills.
Founders clarify to TFN: “Brineworks makes use of Direct Air Seize to ship clear CO₂ and co-produce H2 with a breakthrough low-cost electrolyser, fixing the feedstock hole for inexpensive e-Fuels in hard-to-electrify sectors like delivery and aviation.
Present e-Gasoline manufacturing is constrained by restricted entry to wash CO₂, as point-source CO₂ more and more fails to satisfy evolving EU and worldwide local weather laws (supply), and biogenic CO₂ is restricted in provide (supply). By delivering clear CO₂ and co-producing H2 at low value, we assist corporates construct resilient decarbonization methods that scale with demand and coverage ambition.”
What’s subsequent?
With contemporary capital in hand, Brineworks plans to scale its electrolyser from prototype to pilot, concentrating on industrial readiness by 2026.
“This funding spherical permits us to construct our electrolyser at full scale and exhibit its capacity to energy a DAC system with industry-leading value effectivity, laying the groundwork for fast deployment and growth within the years forward. We consider DAC is a crucial a part of the broader local weather resolution and can play a key position in the way forward for carbon removing,” the founders concluded.
Dr Kid Parchariyanon, Founder and Managing Accomplice at SeaX Ventures, added, “At SeaX, we’re at all times searching for visionary founders fixing huge issues with science-backed options, and Brineworks is precisely that. Their staff is rethinking how we sort out carbon removing and clear gas from the bottom up, with an strategy that’s as bold as it’s essential.”
