Octavia Carbon Secures $5 Million to Scale Direct Air Capture Technology in Kenya
Octavia Carbon, a Kenyan-based startup pioneering Direct Air Capture (DAC) technology, has raised $5 million in seed funding to scale its efforts in carbon removal. The funding round was led by Lateral Frontiers, E4E Africa, and advance carbon credit sales, providing the company with the resources to expand its innovative approach to combatting greenhouse gas emissions.
Founded in 2022 by Martin Freimüller and Duncan Kariuki, Octavia Carbon uses cutting-edge DAC machines to extract carbon dioxide (CO2) directly from the atmosphere. The CO2 is then liquefied and injected deep into basalt formations within the East African Rift Valley, where it mineralizes into rock over time, providing a permanent storage solution. Partnering with Cella Mineral Storage, Octavia offers a promising and sustainable method for large-scale CO2 removal.
Freimüller, co-founder and CEO of Octavia, expressed excitement over the new investment: “We are thrilled to have secured this funding, which will allow us to accelerate our efforts in combating climate change. Our goal is to reach a capture capacity of 1,500 tonnes of CO2 per year by 2025, and this investment brings us closer to that target.”
Kenya’s geothermal energy and vast basalt formations make it a prime location for the development of DAC technology. Octavia taps into waste heat from geothermal sources to power its operations, reducing both environmental impact and operational costs. “Kenya offers the perfect combination of geological conditions and renewable energy resources, making it an ideal location for DAC technology,” Freimüller added, highlighting the potential for Kenya to become a global hub for carbon removal.
Additional funding from Catalyst Fund, Launch Africa, Fondation Botnar, and Renew Capital will enable Octavia to expand its fleet of DAC machines, which currently capture 50 tonnes of CO2 annually. With the momentum from this seed funding, Octavia is set to become the second company in the world to complete the full DAC cycle—capturing and permanently storing CO2 underground.
Following in the footsteps of Climeworks, a leader in the carbon removal industry, Octavia’s large-scale approach to turning atmospheric CO2 into rock stands out. However, the long-term stability of storing CO2 in basalt formations is still being studied, underscoring the importance of continued research and monitoring.
Beyond carbon removal, Octavia has ambitions to become an Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) for DAC technology, positioning itself as a global supplier of machines to developers worldwide. This vision reinforces Octavia Carbon’s role as a leader in sustainable innovation, contributing significantly to the global push towards net-zero emissions.
