Carbon removal investors funding direct air capture companies in 2026

Carbon removal pulled in $4.8B in 2025, mostly going to direct air capture and mineralization companies. The voluntary carbon market is still messy, but corporate offtake agreements are real now. These 18 investors closed deals in the last 18 months and understand the difference between lab efficiency and commercial viability.

Quick list

Finding investors who understand carbon removal economics

Technology credibility: Look for investors who've backed at least two carbon removal companies to commercial deployment. Most climate funds don't understand the difference between lab efficiency and ton-per-dollar economics at scale. They'll panic when your energy costs are higher than projected or when you need $100M for a commercial facility.

Offtake connections: Ask if they can intro you to corporate buyers like Microsoft, Stripe, or Shopify who actually purchase carbon removal credits. Technology validation doesn't matter if you can't sell tons. VC brand names are useless without connections to companies with net-zero commitments and carbon budgets.

Stage reality: Seed carbon capture investors understand you need $5M for a pilot facility. Growth investors often don't get why commercial scale requires $200M+ before positive unit economics. DAC funds understand energy infrastructure needs. Biochar investors get agricultural logistics timelines.

Portfolio outcomes: Check if their carbon companies have signed multi-year offtake agreements, not just pilot credits. Lots of funds back carbon startups that never get past 100 tons per year. Dead pilot facilities are a red flag. Use Ellty to share your deck with trackable links. You'll see who actually opens your unit economics vs. your climate impact slides.

Patient capital expectations: Some climate investors expect profitability in 36 months. That's not how direct air capture or mineralization plants work. Make sure they've funded companies with 7-10 year commercialization timelines. Ask their portfolio founders about pressure to show revenue before facilities are built. Generic "we're in it for the long term" answers are useless without proof.

Infrastructure understanding: Carbon removal requires energy infrastructure, land access, and sometimes geological storage permits. Software VCs won't help with utility interconnection or Class VI well permits. Ask specifically about their experience with capital-intensive climate infrastructure projects, not just their general climate thesis. Strong outreach habits like those used in effective investor outreach, help you filter who actually understands your space.

Reaching carbon capture investors in 2026

Research carbon-specific deals: Check Crunchbase for carbon removal investments from Q2 2025 onwards. Climate funds won't lead your DAC round if they only back software solutions. Ocean carbon investors rarely understand mineralization chemistry. Technology approach matters - DAC investors and biochar investors are different people.

Show ton-level economics: Carbon investors want to see cost-per-ton-removed projections with energy assumptions. Most are tired of gigatons-of-potential slides without facility-level economics. If you're pre-pilot, show detailed engineering studies from credible firms and partnerships with energy providers, not napkin math. This is the stage where careful sharing controls help keep sensitive partnership details in the right hands.

Track engagement properly: Upload to Ellty and send trackable links. Monitor which pages investors spend time on. If they skip your energy infrastructure section, they probably don't understand DAC facility requirements. That's useful information before you waste an hour explaining thermodynamics.

Leverage removal networks: Message founders from portfolio companies on LinkedIn. Ask about investor response to facility delays or energy cost overruns. Most will be honest about whether the VC actually understands hardware timelines and capital intensity.

Attend carbon removal events: CDR Summit, DAC Summit, and Carbon Removal Newsroom events are where deals happen. The Milken Institute climate conferences connect corporate buyers. Skip generic cleantech events where carbon removal is one afternoon panel.

Connect through specific channels: LinkedIn works after you've met at a carbon event or been introduced by a portfolio founder. Cold emails to carbon funds work slightly better than other sectors if your technology is novel. Join the Carbon Business Council or Frontier coalition networks if relevant.

Organize infrastructure docs: Set up an Ellty data room with your financial model, energy requirements, facility plans, and any offtake agreements before investors ask. Include engineering reports, site assessments, and permitting timelines. Carbon deals take 8-12 months, so organized materials matter.

Lead with technology differentiation: Start calls with why your approach gets below $100 per ton faster than competitors. Don't spend 20 minutes on climate crisis statistics investors have heard 500 times. They want to know your energy efficiency, capital costs per ton, and which corporate buyers you're talking to.

Why carbon capture funding matters in 2026

Carbon removal investment tripled from 2024 to 2025 as corporate offtake commitments hit $2B+. Microsoft, Google, and Stripe expanded their removal portfolios beyond Climeworks and Charm. The Inflation Reduction Act's 45Q tax credits made U.S. projects economically viable at scale. Voluntary carbon markets are still figuring out permanence and verification, but compliance markets are coming.

Direct air capture costs dropped from $600 to $400 per ton for leading companies. Mineralization and ocean alkalinity projects started showing real scale potential. Climate funds realized software can't solve physical removal - you need infrastructure. Carbon capture startups raised $4.8B in 2025, with DAC and mineralization taking 65% of total investment.

18 top carbon capture investors

1. Breakthrough Energy Ventures

Bill Gates-backed fund with massive check sizes for capital-intensive carbon removal. They understand decade-long development timelines and infrastructure requirements.

• Recent Deals: Climeworks $650M (2024), Heirloom Carbon $150M Series C (2023), Terrapower various rounds
• LinkedIn: Breakthrough Energy Ventures
• Sector Focus: direct air capture, mineralization, carbon storage, clean energy infrastructure
• Stage Focus: Series B, Series C, growth, late-stage
• Location: Kirkland, United States
• Website: breakthroughenergy.org

2. Lowercarbon Capital

Climate fund aggressively backing all carbon removal approaches from DAC to biochar. They move fast and understand technology risk.

• Recent Deals: Heirloom Carbon $150M Series C (2023), Charm Industrial $50M (2023), Ebb Carbon $20M Series A (2023), Running Tide $35M (2023)
• LinkedIn: Lowercarbon Capital
• Sector Focus: direct air capture, biochar, ocean alkalinity, enhanced weathering, mineralization
• Stage Focus: seed, Series A, Series B
• Location: San Francisco, United States
• Website: lowercarboncapital.com

3. DCVC

Deep tech fund backing carbon capture companies with defensible technology. They do serious technical diligence and have patient capital.

• Recent Deals: CarbonCapture $68M (2024), RepAir $17M Series A (2024), various climate infrastructure companies
• LinkedIn: DCVC
• Sector Focus: modular DAC, carbon capture technology, climate infrastructure
• Stage Focus: Series A, Series B, Series C
• Location: Palo Alto, United States
• Website: dcvc.com

4. Prelude Ventures

Climate tech fund focused on practical carbon removal solutions. Portfolio includes DAC companies getting to commercial scale.

• Recent Deals: Sustaera $23M Series A (2024), Moment Energy $20M Series A (2024), various cleantech companies
• LinkedIn: Prelude Ventures
• Sector Focus: direct air capture, carbon utilization, clean energy
• Stage Focus: Series A, Series B
• Location: San Francisco, United States
• Website: preludeventures.com

5. Union Square Ventures

Tech-focused VC that occasionally backs carbon companies with software components. Led Noya's round for building-integrated capture systems.

• Recent Deals: Noya $11M Series A (2023), Twelve $645M total raised, various tech companies with climate applications
• LinkedIn: Union Square Ventures
• Sector Focus: carbon capture with software, carbon marketplaces, climate tech with network effects
• Stage Focus: Series A, Series B
• Location: New York, United States
• Website: usv.com

6. Microsoft Climate Innovation Fund

Corporate fund that invests in carbon removal companies and signs offtake agreements. Portfolio access to Microsoft's $1B+ climate commitment.

• Recent Deals: $50M across multiple DAC companies including Climeworks, Heirloom, and others through 2024-2025
• LinkedIn: Microsoft Climate Innovation Fund
• Sector Focus: direct air capture, durable carbon removal, carbon storage
• Stage Focus: Series B, Series C, growth
• Location: Redmond, United States
• Website: microsoft.com/climateinitiative

7. Carbon Equity

European climate fund running dedicated carbon removal funds. They understand CDR verification standards and European carbon markets.

• Recent Deals: Invested in 8 companies in 2025 carbon removal fund including Carbyon, Carbfix, and others
• LinkedIn: Carbon Equity
• Sector Focus: direct air capture, mineralization, biochar, ocean carbon removal
• Stage Focus: seed, Series A
• Location: Amsterdam, Netherlands
• Website: carbonequity.com

8. Pale Blue Dot

European climate fund backing ocean-based and terrestrial carbon removal. They get biological and chemical permanence requirements.

• Recent Deals: Running Tide $35M (2023), Seaweed Generation $2M seed (2024), various ocean climate companies
• LinkedIn: Pale Blue Dot
• Sector Focus: ocean alkalinity enhancement, kelp sinking, enhanced weathering, biochar
• Stage Focus: seed, Series A
• Location: Berlin, Germany
• Website: paleblue.vc

9. Energy Impact Partners

Utility-backed fund investing in industrial carbon capture and CCS infrastructure. LP network includes power companies and industrial operators.

• Recent Deals: LanzaTech carbon capture partnerships (2024), various CCS and industrial decarbonization companies
• LinkedIn: Energy Impact Partners
• Sector Focus: point-source capture, industrial CCS, carbon utilization, cement decarbonization
• Stage Focus: Series A, Series B, growth
• Location: San Francisco, United States
• Website: energyimpactpartners.com

10. Amazon Climate Pledge Fund

Corporate investor backing carbon removal and carbon utilization companies. Portfolio access to Amazon's net-zero commitments.

• Recent Deals: Infinium $200M (2023) for e-fuels from captured carbon, various climate tech companies
• LinkedIn: Amazon Climate Pledge Fund
• Sector Focus: carbon utilization, sustainable fuels, direct air capture, industrial solutions
• Stage Focus: Series B, Series C, growth
• Location: Seattle, United States
• Website: amazon.com/climatepledgefund

11. Counteract

Early-stage fund specifically for carbon removal companies. They understand MRV requirements and durability standards better than generalist climate VCs.

• Recent Deals: Lithos Carbon $6.3M seed (2023), Planetary Technologies $9M (2023), other enhanced weathering companies
• LinkedIn: Counteract
• Sector Focus: enhanced rock weathering, ocean alkalinity, soil carbon, biochar
• Stage Focus: pre-seed, seed
• Location: San Francisco, United States
• Website: counteract.fund

12. Elemental Excelerator

Climate accelerator with deployment focus. They connect carbon companies to pilots and corporate buyers through their network.

• Recent Deals: Ebb Carbon $20M Series A (2023), various ocean and terrestrial carbon removal companies
• LinkedIn: Elemental Excelerator
• Sector Focus: ocean alkalinity enhancement, carbon mineralization, agricultural carbon removal
• Stage Focus: seed, Series A
• Location: Honolulu, United States
• Website: elementalexcelerator.com

13. At One Ventures

European climate tech fund backing carbon utilization and building materials. Portfolio includes companies using captured carbon in products.

• Recent Deals: CarbonBuilt $20M Series A (2024) for carbon-cured concrete, various carbon utilization companies
• LinkedIn: At One Ventures
• Sector Focus: carbon-cured concrete, carbon utilization, building materials, industrial applications
• Stage Focus: seed, Series A
• Location: London, United Kingdom
• Website: atone.vc

14. Prime Impact Fund

Growth-stage climate fund with check sizes for commercial DAC facilities. They understand capital requirements for physical infrastructure.

• Recent Deals: Verdox $80M Series B (2024) for electrochemical carbon capture, various climate infrastructure
• LinkedIn: Prime Impact Fund
• Sector Focus: direct air capture, industrial carbon capture, clean energy infrastructure
• Stage Focus: Series B, Series C, growth
• Location: New York, United States
• Website: primeimpactfund.com

15. Congruent Ventures

Early-stage climate fund backing novel carbon removal approaches. They take technology risk on unproven methods.

• Recent Deals: Holy Grail $8M seed (2023) for direct ocean capture, various early-stage climate companies
• LinkedIn: Congruent Ventures
• Sector Focus: direct ocean capture, novel DAC approaches, mineralization, ocean alkalinity
• Stage Focus: seed, Series A
• Location: Boston, United States
• Website: congruentvc.com

16. Sustainable Development Capital

European fund focused on circular economy and carbon removal. Portfolio includes agricultural and industrial carbon solutions.

• Recent Deals: Carba $4M seed (2023) for agricultural carbon removal, various biochar and soil carbon companies
• LinkedIn: Sustainable Development Capital
• Sector Focus: agricultural carbon removal, biochar, enhanced weathering, circular economy
• Stage Focus: seed, Series A
• Location: London, United Kingdom
• Website: sdcl-ib.com

17. S2G Ventures

Food and agriculture fund that backs soil carbon and agricultural carbon removal. They understand farm economics and carbon credit verification challenges.

• Recent Deals: Regrow Ag $38M Series B (2023), various agricultural carbon and regenerative farming companies
• LinkedIn: S2G Ventures
• Sector Focus: soil carbon sequestration, agricultural carbon removal, biochar, regenerative practices
• Stage Focus: Series A, Series B
• Location: Chicago, United States
• Website: s2gventures.com

18. Capricorn Investment Group

Impact investment firm backing carbon removal at scale. They have long-term patient capital and understand infrastructure timelines.

• Recent Deals: Charm Industrial various rounds, Heirloom Carbon co-investor, multiple climate infrastructure companies
• LinkedIn: Capricorn Investment Group
• Sector Focus: direct air capture, biochar, mineralization, carbon infrastructure
• Stage Focus: Series A, Series B, growth
• Location: Menlo Park, United States
• Website: capricorninvestmentgroup.com

Start tracking your carbon removal fundraising

These 18 investors closed carbon capture deals from 2024 to early 2026. Before pitching, set up tracking so you understand which investors actually care about your approach.

Upload your deck to Ellty and create separate links for each investor. You'll see exactly which slides they review and how long they spend on your energy requirements. Most carbon removal founders learn that investors skip climate impact projections but spend 10+ minutes on facility economics and energy infrastructure. If an investor doesn't open your cost-per-ton analysis, they're not serious.

When investors request engineering reports or energy assessments, share an Ellty data room instead of scattered email attachments. Your financial model, facility plans, offtake agreements, and technical reports in one secure location with view analytics. You'll know if they actually reviewed your thermodynamic efficiency before your next call.

Common questions

How do I know if a carbon investor understands my technology approach?

Check their portfolio for similar technologies. DAC investors often don't understand biochar logistics. Ocean alkalinity investors might not get mineralization chemistry. Ask portfolio founders if the VC panicked during technical challenges or supported pivots when energy costs changed.

Should I target climate funds or carbon-specific investors?

Carbon-specific funds understand MRV standards, durability requirements, and offtake market dynamics. Generalist climate funds have bigger checks but might push unrealistic timelines. If you need $50M+ for a commercial facility, you'll need both.

What financial metrics do carbon removal investors care about?

Cost-per-ton-removed projections with detailed energy assumptions. Energy requirements in kWh per ton. Capital costs for pilot vs. commercial facilities. Offtake agreements or corporate buyer conversations. They want to see a path below $100 per ton, even if you're at $400 today.

How long does carbon removal fundraising take?

Seed rounds take 5-7 months if you have pilot data. Series A takes 8-12 months because technical diligence is extensive. Investors need to validate your energy efficiency claims and facility economics. Start fundraising 12-18 months before you need the capital.

Do I need offtake agreements before raising?

Not for seed rounds, but LOIs from corporate buyers help significantly. For Series A and beyond, investors want to see Stripe, Microsoft, or Shopify in your pipeline. Upload your offtake conversations and corporate buyer interest to Ellty so investors can see commercial traction.

When should I set up a data room?

Before Series A conversations start. Carbon removal due diligence requires engineering reports, energy assessments, site studies, LCA analyses, and MRV protocols. Having everything organized in Ellty cuts diligence time from 4 months to 6-8 weeks.