Brineworks grabs €6.8M to scale low-cost Direct Air Capture and hydrogen co-production for e-fuels — TFN

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) know-how, 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 obtrusive market hole: the excessive value of atmospheric carbon elimination.

“We began Brineworks as a result of we noticed that the price of capturing CO2 from the ambiance wanted to drop considerably to make each carbon elimination and e-fuel manufacturing viable, two crucial items in addressing local weather change. We noticed a singular alternative in advancing saltwater electrolysis know-how, which we imagine holds the important thing to creating DAC considerably extra reasonably priced and scalable.”

The startup additionally highlights its dedication to range: “5 of our 16 workforce members are ladies, and we’re dedicated to persevering with to construct a powerful and various workforce that’ll drive a fantastic optimistic influence for our local weather,” the founders advised TFN.

Tackling aviation and delivery’s carbon drawback

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 using expensive 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 reasonably priced e-Fuels in hard-to-electrify sectors like delivery and aviation.

Present e-Gas manufacturing is constrained by restricted entry to wash CO₂, as point-source CO₂ more and more fails to fulfill evolving EU and worldwide local weather rules (supply), and biogenic CO₂ is proscribed 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 business readiness by 2026.

“This funding spherical permits us to construct our electrolyser at full scale and exhibit its potential to energy a DAC system with industry-leading value effectivity, laying the groundwork for fast deployment and growth within the years forward. We imagine DAC is a crucial a part of the broader local weather answer and can play a key position in the way forward for carbon elimination,” the founders concluded.

Dr Kid Parchariyanon, Founder and Managing Associate at SeaX Ventures, added, “At SeaX, we’re at all times searching for visionary founders fixing large issues with science-backed options, and Brineworks is strictly that. Their workforce is rethinking how we sort out carbon elimination and clear gas from the bottom up, with an strategy that’s as formidable as it’s needed.”