Kenyan direct air capture (DAC) startup Octavia Carbon has successfully closed a $5 million seed funding round, marking a pivotal moment in its efforts to revolutionize carbon removal technology across Africa. Led by Lateral Frontiers and E4E Africa, the investment also saw contributions from Catalyst Fund, Launch Africa Ventures, Fondation Botnar, and Renew Capital, alongside a notable $1.1 million generated from presales of carbon credits. This signals increasing global interest in sustainable and innovative climate solutions.
Founded in 2022, Octavia Carbon is pioneering the use of Kenya’s geothermal resources to remove CO2 directly from the atmosphere, a significant advancement over traditional carbon capture methods. With this funding, the startup is well-positioned to be recognized as the second DAC company globally to complete the full cycle of CO2 capture and geological storage, with Kenya being placed on the map for climate technology.
The core of Octavia Carbon’s expansion lies in Project Hummingbird, a pilot DAC and storage facility expected to launch by the end of 2024. Initially capable of removing 250 metric tons of carbon annually, the plant will scale up to 1,000 metric tons with support from Cella, a partner specializing in geologic CO2 sequestration. This collaboration will enable Octavia to permanently store captured carbon, turning CO2 into solid rock beneath the Earth’s surface.
CEO and co-founder Martin Freimüller expressed excitement about the company’s future, noting that the funding will accelerate their mission to make Kenya the most cost-effective place to deploy DAC technology by 2025. “This investment helps us position Africa as a leader in deep tech, showing the world that African companies can build the future,” Freimüller remarked.
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Octavia Carbon’s growth also includes the integration of the first digital monitoring, reporting, and verification (dMRV) mechanism for DAC, which was developed in partnership with Carbonfuture. This innovation ensures transparency and accountability, which are essential for scaling the technology across diverse markets.
As Africa’s tech ecosystem continues to expand, Octavia Carbon is at the forefront of both technological and environmental innovation, offering a promising solution to one of the world’s most pressing challenges—carbon emissions. With strong backing from leading investors and an ambitious roadmap, the company will drive large-scale deployment of DAC technology and cement its role as a trailblazer in the global carbon removal landscape.
