This Startup Wants To Decarbonize The Construction Industry Using Biochar. Check Out The 11slide Pitch Deck EcoLocked Use To Raise $1.8 Million.

• A climate tech startup that develops building materials using carbon capture has raised $1.8 million.
• The German company EcoLocked aims to absorb more than 500 megatons of carbon each year.
• We got an exclusive look at the 11-token presentation used to raise fresh money.

A climate tech startup developing building materials using biochar, a carbon-like form of carbon capture, has raised 1.8 million euros (about $1.8 million) in its first round of financing.

Founded in 2021, Berlin-based company EcoLocked develops concrete mixes and biochar recipes for use in construction and to reduce carbon emissions in industry.

Waste such as wood, food and agricultural residues contain carbon and release it into the atmosphere when it decomposes. To create biochar, waste goes through a process called pyrolysis, in which it is heated to high temperatures. The carbon stored there is compressed into a solid coal-like substance, said Mario Schmidt, founder and CEO of Insider.

"It keeps the carbon stable for about 1,000 years," he said. By storing biochar in concrete, buildings and infrastructure become carbon sinks and replace cement, the main driver of emissions, added the former BCG environmental consultant.

According to the International Energy Agency, construction and installation work accounted for 39% of all emissions in 2018. The construction materials industry, such as steel, cement and glass, accounted for 11% .

EcoLocked will sell the biochar mixes to builders, who will then mix them into concrete. Schmidt said it was designed to integrate into existing production processes, which is key to decarbonizing the sector and growing the business.

According to the co-founder, different prescriptions are needed depending on the end use of the drug. For example, the type of waste used to create biochar can affect its properties when mixed with concrete. The required properties of strength and durability of concrete pavements differ, for example, from constructions. Currently, EcoLocked is focused on non-structural uses such as pavers and pipes, but hopes to one day serve the entire concrete market.

Schmidt said using biochar as an additive improves the insulation and durability of the final material. He added that changing building materials is a "main means" of decarbonization through better energy efficiency.

The company uses biochar produced by others, not itself. "We can solve the climate crisis if we work together effectively," Schmidt said.

“That means everyone is doing what they do best; if we're not the best at producing biochar, but the best at developing the materials, that's an efficient value chain.

Decarbonizing Counteract led the round with participation from Germany's SFO, the startup's first family office , Better Ventures Angels Syndicate and other angels. It will be used to grow the team from 7 to 10 people by the end of the year, transfer the company's first pilot projects and launch its first product in 2023.

Eventually, EcoLocked sees itself developing recipes for other building materials and concrete. It aims to absorb more than 500 megatons of carbon each year with its additions.

Check out all 11 slides reviewed below.

Greenhouse Startup Show Day (Group 2) - Edited