en.Wedoany.com Reported - Switzerland-based Arrhenius AG has recently completed a seed funding round, with the proceeds to be used to expand its carbon removal and storage operations.
Investors participating in this round include new backers CTA Ltd., Young Ventures AG (Victor Villiger), and angel investors Thomas Krumbeck and Ralf Wildenhues. In addition to financial support, these investors will provide the company with expertise in entrepreneurship, industry, and climate innovation to support its next phase of growth.
Arrhenius AG takes its name from scientist Svante Arrhenius, one of the first researchers to predict that human emissions of carbon dioxide would lead to global warming. The company focuses on removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere by cultivating and burying microalgae. Its technology leverages the photosynthesis of microalgae to create an energy- and cost-efficient biomass carbon removal and storage (BiCRS) process.
Arrhenius AG uses outdoor photobioreactors, harnessing sunlight to create ideal conditions for the rapid growth of microalgae in wastewater. Within the photobioreactors, algae populations multiply through cell division. During photosynthesis, the algae naturally bind carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Once the algae reach a certain density, the harvesting phase begins, during which the biomass is continuously filtered from the water and dried.
According to the company, over 50% of the dried biomass consists of carbon dioxide. This carbon-rich dried biomass is then stored long-term underground, such as in old gravel pits or underground mines.
With the newly secured seed funding, the startup will focus on scaling up the technology. According to an announcement, this includes building a 500-square-meter pilot plant that combines carbon removal with wastewater treatment, and will help prepare the company for its first commercial plant overseas.
In a publication, Arrhenius AG stated that the pilot plant is a crucial step in validating the technology under real-world operating conditions and advancing the process toward commercial deployment. The company looks forward to sharing progress on the completion and commissioning of the pilot plant, laying the foundation for the next phase of scaling up overseas.
