Kenyan Startup Raises $3.9M To Remove Carbon Dioxide From The Air

Octavia Carbon, a Kenyan startup in Direct Air Carbon Capture (DACC) technology, has raised $3.9 million in seed funding. 

This funding, co-led by Lateral Frontiers and E4E Africa, will allow the startup to scale its efforts to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, aiding the global fight against climate change.

Pioneering Carbon Capture Technology in Africa

Founded in 2022 by Martin Freimüller, Duncan Kariuki, and Mike Bwondera, Octavia Carbon is Kenya’s first DACC company.

Its machines capture carbon dioxide (CO2) from the air and store it underground to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions, a major contributor to global warming. 

CEO Freimüller revealed that Octavia started capturing CO2 earlier this year, using two devices capable of storing 50 tonnes of CO2 annually. 

The startup aims to increase this capacity to 1,500 tonnes by 2025 with the development of more machines.

A key part of Octavia’s operations involves collaboration with Cella Mineral Storage, a partner company that will inject the captured CO2 underground, where it reacts with volcanic rocks, converting into minerals like limestone. 

This process permanently traps the CO2, preventing it from re-entering the atmosphere.

Strategic Advantage with Kenya’s Unique Geology

The East African Rift Valley, which contains volcanic rocks such as basalts, provides the ideal conditions for storing captured carbon. 

Freimüller told TechCrunch the Rift Valley’s geology could theoretically store all the CO2 humans have emitted to date. 

In addition, Kenya’s abundant geothermal energy offers Octavia a sustainable power source for its energy-intensive DAC process, giving the company a competitive edge over DAC facilities in other regions, which often rely on fossil fuels.

With $1.1 million from advance sales of carbon credits and 12 clients, including Denmark’s Klimate, Octavia is well-positioned to scale its operations and contribute to the global goal of achieving net-zero emissions by 2050.

Freimüller is optimistic about the future: “Engineering has the power to redefine what’s possible,” he said, citing Octavia’s journey from lab innovation to field-scale operations as proof of the potential in carbon capture technologies.

Feature Image Credit: Octavia Carbon