US startup Caravel Bio says it has significantly improved the stability of enzymes used in carbon capture applications, potentially helping lower the cost of the technology.
The company announced that its protein engineering platform increased biocatalyst stability by 12-fold within six months under industrial conditions.
Caravel Bio is currently participating in Shell’s GameChanger program, where it is receiving funding to assess the commercial potential of the technology for carbon capture. Thus, the company aims to address one of the biggest challenges facing large-scale carbon capture deployment – high operating costs.
Technology Targets Energy Use in Carbon Capture
Many existing carbon capture systems rely on amine-based solvents to absorb CO2 emissions. However, these systems require large amounts of heat energy to release and separate the captured carbon dioxide, significantly increasing costs.
Caravel Bio is instead developing a process based on potassium bicarbonate, which could reduce energy requirements compared to conventional solvents. The approach relies on specially engineered enzymes designed to improve the efficiency of the capture process.
According to the company, enzyme-related costs have historically limited the use of potassium bicarbonate in industrial carbon capture applications. Caravel says its protein engineering platform is designed to make high-performance enzymes cheaper and easier to produce at scale.
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“Replacing amines with potassium bicarbonate has the potential to cut carbon capture’s energy requirements significantly,” the company said.
Caravel officially launched in 2025 after securing a $7.8 million grant from the US National Science Foundation. The company’s technology combines cell-free protein synthesis with bacterial spore display to accelerate protein development and testing.
In addition to carbon capture, the platform is also being explored for applications in chemical manufacturing, DNA synthesis and animal health.
Caravel has previously raised funding from several venture capital firms and has established partnerships with research institutions and biotechnology companies. The development reflects growing interest in alternative carbon capture technologies aimed at reducing energy demand and improving commercial viability.
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