Rice University and Greentown Labs are partnering to boost Houston’s climate tech innovation. A $4 million investment will expand Greentown Labs’ Houston operations, supporting entrepreneurs and accelerating the energy transition. This collaboration aligns with Rice’s strategic plan for sustainable solutions and features a new board of directors to guide the initiative.
Pivot Bio, a leader in sustainable agriculture, has been honored by TIME Magazine on its 2024 list of Best Inventions for its N-OVATOR® program. This innovative program incentivizes farmers for their environmental contributions by rewarding them for using natural nitrogen sources instead of synthetic fertilizers. The N-OVATOR® program has already paid over $13 million to farmers since its launch in 2022, and Pivot Bio continues to expand its reach and develop new technologies for a more sustainable future.
Tech billionaire Bill Gates, renowned for his philanthropic efforts in global health, believes that 2024 marks a pivotal year for climate innovation deployment. Drawing parallels to the early 2000s, when he transitioned from Microsoft to tackling global health challenges, Gates sees a similar inflection point in the fight against climate change, highlighting the growing investment and interest from both corporations and major investors.
Australian climate tech company Rumin8 is making strides towards providing its methane-reducing supplements to the world’s largest cattle herd after securing feed ingredient approval in Brazil. This follows a similar approval in New Zealand, signifying a key step towards global commercialization.
Breakthrough Energy Ventures, a climate-focused investment firm backed by tech giants like Bill Gates, Jeff Bezos, and Jack Ma, has successfully raised $839 million for its third flagship fund. This fund will focus on supporting startups developing innovative climate technologies, aiming to reach a total of $1 billion. The firm has already invested in over 110 companies, including electric vehicle battery maker QuantumScape and electric plane company ZeroAvia.
Carbon Upcycling Technologies Inc. has announced the appointment of Steven Berkenfeld as the Chair of its Board of Directors. Berkenfeld brings extensive experience in investment banking, climate tech, and sustainability to the role, having worked in various senior roles at institutions such as Barclays Capital and Lehman Brothers. In his new position, Berkenfeld will collaborate with Carbon Upcycling’s CEO and team to drive the company’s mission of providing decarbonization and carbon capture solutions for hard-to-abate industries.
Levidian, a leading British climate tech firm, has announced plans to establish a new base in the US to serve its growing customer portfolio. The company’s patented LOOP technology captures carbon from methane gas, converting it into clean hydrogen and high-quality graphene. Levidian is in discussions with potential customers in the US and is already working with Strategic Resources to deploy LOOP at the world’s largest green iron plant in Quebec. The company aims to generate revenues exceeding $100 million by 2030 and will create around 250 jobs in the US.
General Galactic, a new startup, aims to revolutionize the production of e-fuels by tightly integrating the entire process in-house. This approach aims to lower prices and advance the adoption of carbon-neutral fuels. General Galactic’s reactor currently produces 2,000 liters of methane per day, utilizing renewable energy and modular components for scalability.
