Imagine a world where cities could fight climate change by building and maintaining concrete roads, bridges and buildings.
Carbon Limit is making that possible with technology its founders say can decarbonize the concrete industry.
The Boca Raton startup manufactures an additive that absorbs carbon dioxide from the air and stores it permanently in concrete, essentially turning the building material into a carbon-capturing sponge.
"Imagine every concrete building and road out there," said co-founder and CEO Tim Sperry. "What if they were constantly absorbing carbon dioxide?"
Cement, a component of concrete, is responsible for at least 8% of global carbon dioxide emissions produced by humans. The industry's carbon footprint is so significant that even manufacturers have decided it's time to take action: Last year, 40 of the largest cement and concrete makers pledged to cut carbon dioxide emissions by 25% in the next eight years, with a goal to reach net zero emissions by 2050.
"Construction companies are looking for practical solutions they can use today to lower emissions," Sperry said. "A simple powder additive they can add to their concrete is practical."
Founded in early 2021 by Sperry and co-founder Oro Padron, Carbon Limit's five-person team is based at the Florida Atlantic University Research Park in Boca Raton. Sperry said the company's mineral additive increases the durability of concrete over time as it absorbs carbon dioxide, making structures stronger. He declined to specify what goes into the additive, citing trade secrets, but said Carbon Limit mines the minerals from locations in the U.S.
The startup completed a $1 million pre-seed round, but has been wary of accepting too much investor funding too quickly. Sperry said Carbon Limit, part of Google for Startup's Climate Change Accelerator, received unsolicited investment offers from large oil and gas companies when it was raising, with some offering as much as $5 million.
"We realized we could do a lot more with less and still meet our objectives without giving away too much control this early on," he added.
The company has already won contracts with the U.S. Army Corp. of Engineers, Department of Transportation and Department of Defense. The long-term goal is for Carbon Limit to sell and license its technology to large cement and concrete manufacturers to ensure every new concrete structure out there is doing its part to decarbonize the planet.
"Our ultimate mission is to remove at least 1 billion tons of carbon dioxide from the environment," Sperry said.
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