Austrian climate tech startup Sequestra has secured $3.4 million (€3 million) in support for the accelerated development and deployment of its carbon mineralization solution.
The financial backing came during a seed funding round, led by VSE Beteiligungs-GmbH, which is supported by the Dr. Rudolf FRIES Familien-Privatstiftung.
The Vienna-based startup has also been collaborating with the FFG Austrian Research Promotion Agency and Austria Wirtschaftsservice, while its earlier investors include the Carbon Drawdown Initiative and Climate Founders.
Using this financial injection, Sequestra will focus on growing its carbon mineralization approach from a research and development (R&D) stage into real-world applications.
Sequestra specializes in a carbon mineralization approach that tackles CO2 from industrial waste. As referenced by the startup on its website, mineralizing industrial waste materials and using them as substitutes for primary resources can reduce up to 4 gigatons of carbon dioxide, an amount equal to 10% of global emissions.
Founded in 2024 by Roberto Lerche, Dr. Lukas Höber, and Gero Schwarz, the emerging company is driven by a team of professionals, 92% of whom have engineering or science backgrounds.
Sequestra’s technology platform for CO2 carbonation solutions includes material analysis, advanced data interpretation, and industrial carbonation plants equipped with in-house monitoring, reporting, and verification (MRV).
Relevant: New Whitepaper Outlines Major CDR Scaling Opportunities Via Industrial Mineralization
On its mission of utilizing CO2 mineralization to help unlock meaningful industrial decarbonization, the startup will put the newly secured funds towards the scaling of its technology and taking initial steps for developing its first commercial mineralization projects.
Reflecting on the company’s journey since its establishment and commenting on the successful seed funding round, co-founder Roberto Lerche shared online:
“Over the last two years, we were able to put together a world-class team that brings an extraordinary motivation and commitment to everyday’s work. We combine extensive expertise in process engineering, chemistry, automation, and AI—and thanks to all their combined efforts, we are getting closer to our overall mission at a constantly growing pace: unleashing the CO2 storage potential of large-scale available but underutilized mineral materials.”
Read more: OGCI Report Identifies New Pathways For CO2 Storage Through Mineralization
