Cleantech Group

The maritime sector is quietly emerging as one of the most progressive industries in #decarbonization. A major challenge is the development, deployment, and uptake of more sustainable fuels - long-term emissions reduction will require the widespread adoption of #eFuels. While EU fleet are on track to meet 90% of required emissions reduction through 2029 with biodiesel and LNG, as emissions reduction targets become stricter, these fuels are projected to meet only 30% of requirements for 2030-2034. Low-emission vessel innovation solutions - such as route optimization software, wind-powered propulsion, and bio-based fuels - offer some emissions reductions, but face scalability challenges and cannot achieve near 100% emissions reduction, limiting their long-term viability. Get the full outlook on maritime e-fuels space in Nicole Cerulli's perspective featuring a discussion with Michellie Hess (Senior Program Associate for Ocean and Climate, Aspen Institute) and Taylor Goelz (Senior Program Manager for Ocean and Climate in the Energy and Environment Program): https://hubs.ly/Q03f48tZ0

Here's your recap of top activity in Materials & Chemicals cleantech this week (March 28, 2025): ◉ High-performing fusion materials developer, Jupiter Volta, founded by Jeremy Scholz, was awarded $3.65M from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). ◉ C1 Green Chemicals AG raised over $16M  to build a demonstration plant for homogeneously catalyzed methanol. Funding from denkapparat, Planet A Ventures, Maersk Growth, SquareOne Venture Capital, and angel investors, Wolfgang Reitzle (former Linde CEO) and Jim H. Snabe (Chairman of Siemens). It's also received over $5.4M in research grants. ◉ This one is pretty cool: newcleo will explore integrating its lead-cooled fast reactors (LFR) into Danieli Group's steelmaking processes for "nuclear-powered green steel." ◉ GreenLight Biosciences' biomanufacturing platform for agrochemicals raised $25M from Just Climate to expand its product portfolio and begin expansion in South America. ◉ Terra CO2 Technology received an undisclosed amount from Cemex Ventures. Funding will be used to integrate its supplementary cementitious materials into Cemex's cement for concrete. ◉ OMV was awarded $88M from the EU Innovation Fund (EIF) to design an industrial facility to process up to 200,000 mt of used plastics via chemical recycling to produce base chemicals. ◉ Webasto Group, the automotive supplier, and cylib partnered to recycle used batteries and production waste from Webasto’s battery production. #cleantech #nuclear #fusion #greenmethanol #cement #concrete #biomanufacturing #plastics #battery #recycling Cleantech Group

🚦PFAS Liability Driving Innovation: Parker J. Bovée recently covered #PFAS in a blog addressing use, harmful effects, and alternatives to the "forever chemical" 👉https://hubs.li/Q03dwXzg0 Remediation, defense, and manufacturing markets are integrating PFAS destruction technologies to lower liability before the next major lawsuit. Which technologies are emerging to prevent future pollution and contamination? Emerging PFAS destruction methods include: 👉Electrochemical Oxidation (EO) 👉️️Supercritical Water Oxidation (SCWO) ️👉Hydrothermal Alkaline Treatment (HALT) The U.S. is leading global PFAS regulation, with Australia & the UK following suit, and water giants like Xylem are investing in PFAS destruction tech to complement existing detection and removal services. While challenges remain, find out why PFAS destruction is emerging as a critical #cleantech frontier with high demand and investment potential in the latest perspective from Waste & Recycling: https://hubs.li/Q03dwKP40 374Water, Aclarity, Aquagga Inc.

Here are last week's top venture deals in sustainable innovation, according to Cleantech Group👇👀 (To find out more about our research & consulting services, visit i3connect.com) 🌾 Agriculture & Food Protix 🇳🇱, developer of a range of farmed insect-based products, raised $1.09M in equity funding from Invest International through its Developmental Accelerator. The funding will be used to expand operations into South Korea. 💡 Energy & Power: Gaia Turbine SA 🇨🇭, developer of a small-scale, plug-and-play hydroelectric turbine, raised $1.25M in Seed funding from Tiventures SA and undisclosed angel investors. The funding will be used to develop its product. 🧪 Materials & Chemicals: Summit Nanotech 🇨🇦, producer of lithium and other valuable metals from brine water using advanced nanomaterials, raised $25.5M in Series B funding from Evok Innovations, BDC, Xora Innovation, Capricorn Investment Group, MITSUI MINING AND SMELTING CO, LG Technology Ventures, and Aperture Group. Funding will be used to scale up from from demonstration to commercial design. 🌲 Resources & Environmental Management: Adaptive Insurance 🇺🇸, developer of insurance solutions for climate and weather-related events using real-time data, raised $5M in Seed funding from Congruent Ventures, Montauk Climate, Generation Space, and additional undisclosed angel investors. The funding will be used to accelerate rollout of its parametric insurance products. 🚚 Transport & Logistics: GreenWay Infrastructure 🇸🇰, provider of EV charging stations, raised $54M in equity funding from Mirova to expand its charging network in central and eastern Europe and improve operations. ♻️ Waste & Recycling Lucro Plastecycle Private Limited 🇮🇳, provider of collection, sorting, and processing services for recylable plastic, raised an undisclosed amount of equity funding from Unilever. Funds will be used to increase recycling capacity and encourage large-scale commercial adoption. #cleantech #climatetech #startups Image credit: Gaia Turbine

Coming up on April 10, Cleantech Group’s Parker J. Bovée will be moderating a Clean Group event (sponsored by WILSON SONSINI GOODRICH & ROSATI LLP): Every Drop Counts: Navigating Water Challenges in Manufacturing and Data Centers Rapid scaling over the last six years made data centers into a key stressor to water supplies, drawing water from 90% of U.S. watersheds and increasing total withdraws by 35% since 2018. The panel explores the critical role of water as a resource in manufacturing and data center operations. Register for the event to join our esteemed panel of speakers in discussing the potential knowledge transfer of facility location, collaboration with utilities and waste managers, and technical innovations between manufacturing hubs and data centers: https://hubs.li/Q03d3Mh80

Glaciers are melting faster than ever. As the planet gets hotter due to climate change, our frozen world is shrinking, making the water cycle more unpredictable and extreme, putting communities and ecosystems are at risk of devastation. 💧 On #WorldWaterDay, join us in advocating for the conservation of the cryosphere and sustainable use of water for a safer, more resilient future: https://hubs.li/Q03c_hqx0

Happy Friday! Here's your recap of top activity in Materials & Chemicals cleantech this week: ◉ KMX Technologies raised $543K from the Wyoming Energy Authority to install a vacuum membrane distillation system at Ur-Energy's Lost Creek Uranium Mine and processing plant in Wyoming. ◉ Coreshell raised $24M Series A to begin delivering its silicon in its proprietary expansion containing materials to customers for batteries from Ferroglobe PLC, Asymmetry Ventures, Estrada Ventures, Foothill Ventures, Helios Climate Ventures, Lane Ventures, Translink Capital, Trousdale Ventures, and Zeon Ventures Inc. ◉ Summit Nanotech (a personal favorite of mine) raised $25M to scale its Direct Lithium Extraction solution from demonstration to full-scale commercial design! BIG CONGRATS to the team for reaching this milestone!! Funding from Evok Innovations, BDC Capital, Xora Innovation, Capricorn Investment Group, Mitsui Kinzoku, LG Technology Ventures, and Aperture Group. ◉ Homeostasis raised $1.2M from Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community (SMSC), Kayak Ventures, and the Washington Department of Commerce. Funding will be used to convert atmospheric CO2 into battery-grade graphite via 'aqueous mineralization capture' at ton-scale production in 2025. ◉ Brineworks raised a $2M grant from the EIC - European Innovation Council to scale its direct ocean capture solution. It captures CO2 from heavy emitting industries like maritime and aviation to use as feedstocks to produce e-fuels. #cleantech #watertreatment #directlithiumextraction #DLE #lithium #silicon #carboncapture #mineralization #graphite #criticalminerals Cleantech Group Image credit: Summit Nanotech

Earlier this month in Brussels, the future was most definitely blue (… and that is a good thing). 🌊✨ The Blue Invest Day annual gathering celebrates and supports the growth of the EU ocean/maritime community. Since its inception in 2018, Blue Invest Day has grown into a powerful catalyzing component in Europe’s blue ecosystem, bringing together a digital platform and a dynamic community of more than a thousand innovators and dozens of dedicated venture funds. This day is part of the larger Mission Restore our Oceans and Waters Forum 2025, spanning the entire first week of March in Brussels. 💡🌍 From investment trends to innovation breakthroughs, read Amelie Desrochers's perspective for the key takeaways from this year’s event: https://hubs.li/Q03cNnyq0 AltaSea at the Port of Los Angeles Asian Development Bank Institute Canada's Ocean Supercluster Cove ENEOS European Investment Bank (EIB) Hub Azul Portugal Hatch Blue Idemitsu Renewables Innovative Solutions Canada NOAA National Ocean Service SWEN Capital Partners Washington Maritime Blue #BlueEconomy #BlueInvest #SustainableFinance #MaritimeInnovation #Cleantech #Climatetech

Over $1.6B venture dollars were committed to fusion in 2024 across a wide range of approaches. Although in the near term fusion remains further along the commercialization pathway than SMRs, the potential to generate carbon-free, baseload energy with little radioactive waste makes fusion attractive to many investors. Join our next webinar on April 8, to: 👉Review the fusion systems that have seen significant investment the past few years 👉Explore advances in magnetic confinement, inertial confinement, and emerging alternative approaches  👉Uncover drivers and challenges for the fusion industry Register now: https://hubs.li/Q03cKDVL0

Thank you for republishing the recent Cleantech Group article by Jack Ellis and adding your valuable insight! You can read "Agtech Insights: The Importance of Strategics on Your Company’s Cap Table" here: https://lnkd.in/dZSA4TaR