This German startup turns CO2 into mineralised water and stores it in the ocean; raises Seed funding

Hamburg-based Planeteers, a company specialising in carbon capture and storage (CCS), announced that it closed a single-digit million seed funding. The amount, however, remains undisclosed.

The round saw participation from existing investors and new contributors BonVenture, Smart Energy Innovationsfonds AG from Energy 360° AG, and ClimaNow.

Christof Signer, Investment Manager at E360°, says, “The vision of Planeteers is a world where natural processes are used to combat climate change. This means reducing carbon emissions and actively removing them from the atmosphere, which will restore the delicate balance of our planet’s ecosystem. We were immediately impressed by this vision.”

“Additionally, we are confident in the experienced founding team’s capability to successfully implement this vision. We are proud to invest in a company that not only addresses CO2 sequestration but also presents a solution to counteract ocean acidification.”

Capital utilisation

Planeteers will use the funds to advance its marine carbon dioxide removal (CDR) technology based on ocean alkalinity enhancement (OAE). 

This investment, which follows significant technology development and commercial progress, will help Planeteers scale operations, grow its team, and expedite its market entry. 

The funds will also support further development of its technology for efficient CO2 removal and mineralised water production, reinforcing Planeteers’ commitment to combating climate change.

Co-founder of Planeteers, Florian Birner, says, “We are thrilled to have the support of such reputable investors. This investment is a testament to the potential of our technology to make a significant impact on climate change.”

Turning CO2 into mineralised water

Planeteers was founded in December 2022 by Florian Birner, Frank Rattey, Jens Hartmann, and Florian Brinkmann. The company aims to develop a low-cost, scalable carbon capture and storage technology based on 12 years of research.

The technology developed by the company transforms CO2 into mineralised water by neutralising it with limestone and permanently storing it in the ocean as hydrogen carbonate, a compound found in natural mineral water.

This process mimics the natural reaction where atmospheric CO2 forms carbonic acid with rainwater, which then decomposes limestone into bicarbonate. Rivers transport this bicarbonate to the oceans, where it is stored for over 100,000 years. 

Planeteers’ technology accelerates this natural process, allowing large amounts of CO2 to be neutralised and stored permanently within minutes, compared to the thousands of years required for natural limestone weathering.

The company says, “Our vision is a world where natural processes are used to combat climate change. We envision a future where carbon emissions are not only reduced but also actively removed from the atmosphere, restoring the delicate balance of our planet’s ecosystem.”