How Collaboration and Innovation Can Speed Progress

The climate challenges we face are enormous, and it’s clear we’re not moving nearly fast enough. But the recent Breakthrough Energy Summit in London offered reasons for hope. 

BCG is a founding partner of Breakthrough Energy Catalyst, a program aimed at providing much-needed capital for first-of-a-kind, at-scale climate innovations. Here’s a sampling of the many exciting portfolio companies we’re working with—startups that are addressing the biggest sources of greenhouse gas emissions in revolutionary ways: 

WeaveGrid

WeaveGrid’s software solutions enable the affordable integration of EV charging into the grid—benefiting utilities, automakers, charging companies, and drivers alike. Its platform balances EV charging profiles, the needs of grid system, customer rates, and the preferences of drivers to deliver an end-to-end service. 

Source

Source uses solar panels to turn pure water vapor from the air into high-quality drinking water. With technology that operates off the grid, the company’s systems can serve areas that lack safe drinking water and have little infrastructure.  

44.01

Reactive rocks naturally mineralize CO₂, trapping it forever. Oman-based 44.01 has figured out how to take that natural process and enhance and accelerate it through a low-cost, low-risk technology that offers a safe and permanent decarbonization solution. 

Viridos

The diesel and jet fuel that aviation, shipping, and long-distance trucking rely on are responsible for more than one-third of the liquid fossil fuel used around the world. Viridos creates sustainable, low-carbon, algae-based jet and diesel fuel, addressing one of our biggest decarbonization challenges.  

CarbonCure

More than 800 concrete producers have licensed CarbonCure’s easy-to-adopt technology systems to create low-carbon concrete mixes—allowing architects, structural engineers, owners, and developers to carry out more sustainable construction projects around the world. 

Commonwealth Fusion Systems 

Commonwealth Fusion Systems is an innovator in commercial fusion energy. Its high-temperature superconducting magnet technology makes it possible to construct compact fusion power plants faster and more cheaply. The company is paving the way to the first fusion power plant to produce power on the grid.  

Heirloom

Heirloom is a world leader in developing and deploying direct air capture. Its technology speeds up the process that enables limestone to absorb CO₂  from the air, shifting the timespan from years to days and offering the quickest route to permanent, low-cost CO₂  removal at a billion-ton scale.  

There are 120 of these inspiring companies in Breakthrough Energy’s portfolio. Of course, it’s a long road from great idea and startup to affordable solutions at massive scale. But the Breakthrough Energy community is demonstrating the power of global collaboration and climate-focused investment to help bring these innovations to life.  

Large companies can do their part, too, supporting startups through capital deployment and taking note of where these innovations can help solve their own decarbonization headaches. Some amazing climate technology is heading our way—and faster than we might think. 

More of Our Top Reads on Climate & Sustainability: 

• BCG at Breakthrough Energy
• Boosting Demand for Carbon Dioxide Removal 

• Six Lessons from Energy’s Top Performers 

• Direct Air Capture Belongs in Every Company’s Net Zero Plans  

• WBCSD Masterclass