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Aircela

Aircela, a New York-based startup, is revolutionizing fuel production. They capture CO2 directly from the air using direct air capture technology to create carbon-neutral e-fuels powered by renewable energy. Aircela’s modular systems are designed for flexibility and can be deployed anywhere, making clean fuel production more efficient and accessible. Their solution produces carbon-neutral, fossil-free fuel by capturing CO₂ directly from the air, eliminating net greenhouse gas emissions. Aircela’s decentralized approach reduces reliance on traditional fuel supply chains, making it a promising, scalable alternative to conventional fossil fuels. Aircela’s technology for synthetic fuel production is patented.
2019
11-50
New York, New York, United States
Carbon CaptureClean EnergyEnvironmental EngineeringManufacturingSustainability

Innovation

Industry Problem

Aircela aims to replace fossil fuels with an affordable, carbon-neutral alternative to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and combat climate change.

R&D Focus

Aircela is conducting R&D in synthetic fuel production using direct air capture and renewable energy, focusing on the decentralized, carbon-neutral fuel segment for engines.

Innovative Solution

Aircela’s solution uses renewable electricity, water, and carbon dioxide captured from the air to produce synthetic, motor-grade fuel. Their compact machines convert these inputs into fuel directly on-site, enabling a decentralized, carbon-neutral alternative to fossil fuels, without emissions or reliance on traditional fuel infrastructure.

Solution Effectiveness

Aircela’s solution effectively produces carbon-neutral, fossil-free fuel by capturing CO₂ directly from the air and using renewable electricity and water, eliminating net greenhouse gas emissions. Its decentralized approach reduces reliance on traditional fuel supply chains, cutting emissions from extraction and transportation, which together account for a significant portion of global carbon output. This makes Aircela a promising, scalable alternative to conventional fossil fuels.

Investment Funding

Last Funding Stage

Seed

Total Funding Amount

$5.5M

Last Funding Amount

$5.5M

Last Funding Date

July, 2022

Startup Stage

Seed

Lead Investors

Maersk Growth

Revenue

<$5 M

People

Founders

Board Members

CEO

Products

Product

Aircela Synthetic Fuel Production Machine – A device that uses air, water, and renewable electricity to produce carbon-neutral, motor-grade synthetic fuel for any engine, enabling fossil-free fueling with no emissions. – Customer Reviews – NA

Star Product

Aircela Synthetic Fuel Production Machine is Aircela’s star product because it uniquely transforms air, water, and renewable electricity into carbon-neutral, motor-grade fuel, offering a scalable and emissions-free alternative to fossil fuels. Its ability to produce clean fuel on-site, from a single garage unit to large networks, makes it revolutionary in addressing climate change while meeting real-world energy needs.

Demo Product or Complete Product?

Aircela’s synthetic fuel production machine was first publicly unveiled on May 20, 2025, during a rooftop demonstration in Manhattan’s Garment District. This marked the debut of the first working machine in the U.S. capable of producing gasoline directly from air, water, and renewable electricity. The event showcased the machine’s ability to capture CO₂ from the atmosphere and convert it into usable, fossil-free gasoline compatible with existing engines.

Awards and Recognitions

Awards

Carbontech Development Initiative (CDI) Round 2 Award 2024

Media Apperance

– Globe News wire – Energy News – Morningstar – Carbon Herald

M&A and Collabs

Collab

Aircela is part of Columbia University’s Lab-to-Market Accelerator Network, which focuses on commercializing technologies that address global challenges. Through this program, Aircela is developing a prototype of its off-grid, swarm-automated fuel production system, aiming to capture CO₂ from the atmosphere and convert it into carbon-neutral e-fuels.

Collab

Aircela secured funding from Maersk Growth, the venture capital arm of shipping giant A.P. Moller-Maersk. This partnership supports the pilot testing and initial manufacturing of Aircela’s systems, which produce carbon-neutral methanol. The goal is to deploy thousands of these units as “server farms for green fuel,” contributing to Maersk’s decarbonization efforts.