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SeaO2

SeaO2 is an ocean carbon removal startup using Electrochemical Direct Ocean Capture technology. Their approach extracts CO₂ directly from seawater using renewable electricity, aiming to restore ocean health and balance the climate. SeaO2’s solution is unique because it uses a patented electrochemical method. Their technology has shown progress, removing 1 ton of CO₂ in 2023, with plans to scale up significantly by 2030 and target 1 gigaton of CO₂ extraction annually by 2045, highlighting its potential for large-scale, cost-efficient carbon removal.
2021
11-50
Amsterdam, Noord-Holland, The Netherlands
AgricultureAquacultureCarbon CaptureInformation TechnologyRenewable EnergySustainability

Innovation

Industry Problem

SeaO₂ aims to tackle the rising atmospheric CO₂ levels driving climate change and ocean acidification by removing carbon dioxide efficiently from the ocean, thereby helping to restore ocean health and balance the climate.

R&D Focus

SeaO₂ focuses its Research and Development on Electrochemical Direct Ocean Capture (DOC) technology for large-scale, cost-efficient carbon dioxide removal. Their niche lies in leveraging the ocean’s natural carbon absorption by using renewable electricity and seawater to extract CO₂ directly from the ocean surface. They develop compact, energy-efficient, and scalable systems for carbon removal and utilization, aiming to permanently store CO₂ or convert it into green fuels and chemicals for hard-to-abate industries.

Innovative Solution

SeaO₂ uses an innovative Electrochemical Direct Ocean Capture technology that extracts CO₂ directly from seawater using only renewable electricity and seawater, without chemicals or feedstock. By altering the carbonate balance in ocean water, it releases CO₂ in gas form for permanent storage or conversion into useful products. The decarbonized water is returned to the ocean to naturally reabsorb atmospheric CO₂, enabling a continuous, scalable, and energy-efficient carbon removal process that also helps reduce ocean acidification.

Solution Effectiveness

SeaO₂’s technology has demonstrated tangible progress, removing 1 ton of CO₂ with its prototype in 2023 and aiming to scale up to 250 tons by 2025 with its pilot plant. By 2030, they plan to achieve megaton-scale removal, targeting 1 gigaton of CO₂ extraction annually by 2045. This trajectory highlights the solution’s strong potential to deliver large-scale, cost-efficient carbon removal while leveraging the ocean’s vast natural capacity to absorb carbon.

Investment Funding

Last Funding Stage

Seed

Total Funding Amount

$2.2M

Last Funding Amount

$2.2M

Last Funding Date

November, 2024

Startup Stage

Seed

Lead Investors

DOEN Participaties, NV NOM, Future Tech Ventures, CarbonFix, Eduard. Talman

People

Founders

Board Members

CEO

Products

Product

– Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR) – Permanently stores removed CO₂ by sequestering it in underground geological formations or mineralizing it into concrete. Helps companies neutralize their irreducible carbon emissions through high-quality carbon credits. – Green CO₂ for Utilisation – Provides captured CO₂ as a valuable resource for various industries. It can be used directly in food, beverages, packaging, and agriculture or converted into alternative fuels (e.g., green methanol), chemicals (e.g., ethylene, alcohols, formic acid, syngas, urea), and other organic materials to decarbonize hard-to-abate sectors. – Customer Review – “It is easier to extract CO₂ from water than from the air.” – David Vermaas, Scientific Co-founder & Advisory Board Member, SeaO₂ & Associate Professor at Delft University of Technology

Star Product

Electrochemical Direct Ocean Capture (DOC) Technology, a patented, energy-efficient technology, uniquely leverages the ocean’s vast natural carbon reservoir to remove CO₂ at a large scale using only renewable electricity and seawater. Its compact, scalable design enables cost-effective, high-quality carbon removal that simultaneously combats ocean acidification, making it a breakthrough solution in the carbon removal industry.

Demo Product or Complete Product?

SeaO₂’s first product was its Direct Ocean Capture (DOC) prototype, developed as part of a PhD project at TU Delft and Wetsus. This prototype, operational since 2023, demonstrated the feasibility of extracting CO₂ from seawater using an electrochemical process. Located at the Afsluitdijk in the Netherlands, it successfully removed 1 ton of CO₂ in its initial year.

Awards and Recognitions

Awards

– Top Electrochemistry Innovator 2025 – XPRIZE Carbon Removal Competition top 100 2024

Media Apperance

– Carbon Capture Technology – Carbon Capture Journal – The Maritime Executive – Insight Success Magazine

M&A and Collabs

Collab

Ledgy a capital markets tech platform that collaborated with SeaO₂ in 2023 to support the development of its oceanic carbon capture technology.

Collab

Transavia Ventures an investment fund focused on sustainable technologies, collaborating with SeaO₂ in 2024 to scale its ocean-based carbon removal technology and explore applications in sustainable aviation fuels.