AspiraDAC is building a modular, solar-powered direct air capture system with the energy supply integrated into the modules. Their metal-organic framework sorbent has low temperature heat requirements and a path to cheap material costs, and their modular approach allows them to experiment with a more distributed scale-up.

Mineral weathering already naturally captures CO₂ at gigaton scale. Lithos accelerates this by spreading basalt on croplands to increase dissolved inorganic carbon in the soil. Their technology uses novel soil models and machine learning to maximize CO₂ removal while boosting crop growth. The team is scaling their empirical verification, river network, and plant-tissue studies to advance measurement of CO₂ drawdown and ecosystem impact.

Travertine is re-engineering chemical production for carbon removal. Using electrochemistry, Travertine produces sulfuric acid to accelerate the weathering of ultramafic mine tailings, releasing reactive elements that convert carbon dioxide from the air into carbonate minerals that are stable on geologic timescales. Their process turns mining waste into a source of carbon removal as well as raw materials for other clean transition technologies such as batteries.

RepAir uses clean electricity to capture CO₂ from the air using a novel electrochemical cell and partners with Carbfix to inject and mineralize the CO₂ underground. The demonstrated energy efficiency of RepAir’s capture step is already notable and continues to advance. This approach has the potential to deliver low-cost carbon removal that minimizes added strain to the electric grid.

This project, a collaboration between 8 Rivers' Calcite and Origen, accelerates the natural process of carbon mineralization by contacting highly reactive slaked lime with ambient air to capture CO₂. The resulting carbonate minerals are calcined to create a concentrated CO₂ stream for geologic storage, and then looped continuously. The inexpensive materials and fast cycle time make this a promising approach to affordable capture at scale.

Living Carbon wants to engineer algae to rapidly produce sporopollenin, a highly durable biopolymer which can then be dried, harvested and stored. Initial research aims to better understand the field's thinking on the durability of sporopollenin as well as the optimal algae strain to quickly produce it. Applying synthetic biology tools to engineer natural systems for improved and durable carbon capture has the potential to be a low-cost and scalable removal pathway.

44.01 turns CO₂ into rock, harnessing the natural power of mineralization. Their technology injects CO₂ into peridotite, an abundantly available rock, where it is stored permanently. This storage approach can be paired with a variety of capture technologies.

Ebb Carbon mitigates ocean acidification while capturing CO₂. Using membranes and electrochemistry, Ebb removes acid from the ocean and enhances its natural ability to draw down CO₂ from the air for storage as oceanic bicarbonate.

Eion accelerates mineral weathering by mixing silicate rocks into soil. Their pelletized product is applied by farmers and ranchers to increase carbon in the soil, which over time makes its way into the ocean where it’s permanently stored as bicarbonate. Alongside their technology development, Eion is also conducting a novel soil study to improve the field's measurement of CO₂ uptake.

Sustaera uses ceramic monolith air contactors to capture CO₂ directly from the air for permanent storage underground. Their direct air capture system, powered by carbon-free electricity and built with modular components, is designed for quick manufacturing and capture at scale.

Seachange leverages the power and scale of the world’s oceans to remove carbon. Their experimental electrochemical process sequesters CO₂ in seawater as carbonates, an inert material comparable to seashells, thereby enabling energy-efficient and permanent CO₂ removal.

Running Tide removes carbon by growing kelp in the open ocean. After maximum growth, the free-floating lines of kelp sink to the deep ocean where the embodied carbon is stored for the long term. Running Tide’s approach is simple and scalable, powered by photosynthesis, ocean currents and gravity.

Over geological timescales, CO₂ chemically binds to minerals and permanently turns to stone. Heirloom is building a direct air capture solution that enhances this process to absorb CO₂ from the ambient air in days rather than years, and then extracts the CO₂ to be stored permanently underground.

Mission Zero electrochemically removes CO₂ from the air and concentrates it for a variety of sequestration pathways. Their experimental room-temperature process can be powered with clean electricity and has the potential to achieve low costs and high volumes using modular, off-the-shelf equipment.

CarbonBuilt’s process readily converts dilute CO₂ into calcium carbonate, creating a “no compromise” low-carbon alternative to traditional concrete. As a profitable and scalable solution for permanent CO₂ storage, CarbonBuilt’s technology platform can serve as a critical component of future carbon removal systems using direct air capture.

Future Forest is conducting a field trial to accelerate mineral weathering by crushing basalt rocks into dust, spreading them onto the forest floor, and then measuring CO₂ uptake. This first-of-a-kind trial will help assess the potential for scale as well as the potential ecosystem impacts associated with enhanced weathering.

Climeworks uses renewable geothermal energy and waste heat to capture CO₂ directly from the air, concentrate it, and permanently sequester it underground in basaltic rock formations with Carbfix. While it’s early in scaling, it’s permanent, easy to measure, and the capacity of this approach is theoretically nearly limitless.

CarbonCure injects CO₂ into fresh concrete, where it mineralizes and is permanently stored while improving the concrete’s compressive strength. Today they source waste CO₂, but represent a promising platform technology for permanent CO₂ storage, a key component of future carbon removal systems.

Project Vesta captures CO₂ by using an abundant, naturally occurring mineral called olivine. Ocean waves grind down the olivine, increasing its surface area. As the olivine breaks down, it captures atmospheric CO₂ from within the ocean and stabilizes it as limestone on the seafloor.

Charm Industrial has created a novel process for preparing and injecting bio-oil into geologic storage. Bio-oil is produced from biomass and maintains much of the carbon that was captured naturally by the plants. By injecting it into secure geologic storage, they’re making the carbon storage permanent.