CarpeCarbon is a Turin-based startup that is preparing to build Italy's first plant to directly capture carbon dioxide from the air. The ambitious project is possible thanks to funding worth €1.7 million awarded by CDP Venture Capital's Tech4Planet initiative and 360 Capital, as well as other supporters, including the Club degli Investitori network and the co-investment fund PiemonteNext, which includes Finpiemonte.
The company is distinguishing itself as a pioneer in the sector, developing a plant based on DAC (Direct Air Capture) technology which in the Italian scene has so far only been used for the realization of a pilot plant in Puglia, built in 2018 by the Swiss company Climeworks. The funds obtained will be used to complete the development of this technology application to make it ready for implementation in the first plant, which will be built in Piedmont.
The technology DAC from CarpeCarbon overcomes some of the challenges and pain points typical of direct CO2 from the air. The startup says that many current DAC technologies are extremely energy intensive and often depend on critical minerals for renewable energy production. In contrast, CarpeCarbon's innovative approach offers a scalable and efficient energy solution to remove significant amounts of CO2 from the atmosphere, without compromising the energy transition or depending on critical resources. The company relies on renewable energy, avoids the use of harmful chemicals, and builds its supply chain without relying on critical raw materials.
The global context, as highlighted in the latest IPCC report, underscores the importance of technologies of carbon capture to keep global temperature within acceptable limits, especially considering the limited availability of carbon budgets. In this context, solutions such as DAC become increasingly crucial, and ambitious projects such as CarpeCarbon's take on a key role in the fight against climate change.
The The CEO of CarpeCarbon, Giuliano Antoniciello, commented enthusiastically on the business project, stressing its relevance to climate goals and the Paris Agreement. He also highlighted the value of the company's team, which is young, passionate and highly competent, with over 65 years of advanced training in STEM fields ranging from carbon capture chemistry to energy engineering.
