Amsterdam-based startup unlocks ultra-low-cost carbon feedstocks using renewables-only electrolyzer
Amsterdam-based climate tech startup Brineworks has secured €6.8 million in new funding to accelerate the commercialization of its ultra-low-cost Direct Air Capture (DAC) technology. The round was led by SeaX Ventures, with participation from Pale Blue Dot, First Momentum, AiiM Partners, Energie360°, and Katapult. Brineworks has also been awarded a €1.8 million grant from the European Innovation Council (EIC) Accelerator, the EU’s flagship program for breakthrough innovations, to further advance R&D and pilot deployment.
At the heart of Brineworks’ breakthrough is a patented electrolyzer that drives ultra low-cost Direct Air Capture (DAC) while co-producing significant amounts of hydrogen (H₂). Together, these two outputs provide the critical building blocks for sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) and e-methanol for shipping — industries urgently in need of scalable, carbon-neutral alternatives. Aviation alone accounts for 2.5% of global CO₂ emissions — and demand is still rising — while shipping contributes over 3%. Without breakthroughs like Brineworks’, these sectors have no clear path to decarbonization.
“It’s clear where the world is heading,” said Gudfinnur Sveinsson, CEO of Brineworks. “Renewable energy is becoming cheaper faster than anyone predicted. The bottleneck now is technology that can use this power flexibly and affordably. That’s exactly what we’ve built — an electrolyzer that runs when the sun shines or the wind blows, and pauses when it doesn’t. We’re unlocking a dream that’s been out of reach for decades.”
Unlike conventional systems, Brineworks’ electrolyzer is designed for intermittent operation, enabling it to follow renewable power availability without degrading performance. This capability solves a long-standing technical challenge: how to make DAC work reliably with low-cost materials in a renewable-powered grid.
“We envisioned the electrolyzer of the future — and now it’s here,” said Dr. Joseph Perryman, co-founder and CTO of Brineworks, who completed his postdoctoral research in electrochemistry at Stanford University. “With many long nights of work, we’ve proven a clear path to capturing CO₂ directly from air at below $100 per ton. That’s the threshold the world has been waiting for, and now the scale-up begins.”
Since its founding in late 2023, Brineworks has advanced rapidly from concept to prototype validation. The new funding will be used to scale the system to pilot level, targeting commercial readiness by the end of 2026. If Brineworks hits its targets, airlines could be flying on carbon-neutral fuels before the decade is out.
“At SeaX, we’re always looking for visionary founders solving massive problems with science-backed solutions, and Brineworks is exactly that,” said Dr. Kid Parchariyanon, Founder and Managing Partner at SeaX Ventures. “Their team is rethinking how we tackle carbon removal and clean fuel from the ground up, with an approach that’s as ambitious as it is necessary. This investment marks an inflection point for Brineworks, and we believe they have the potential to meaningfully reduce global emissions. Supporting them aligns directly with our goal of helping to cut 1% of the world’s carbon footprint—we’re proud to be part of their journey.”
By coupling Brineworks’ DAC system with e-fuel synthesis technologies, any nation can now produce its own fuels, provided it scales renewable capacity. This opens the door to energy independence, emissions reduction, and localized fuel production — a decentralized model for the global energy transition.
Discover the latest trends and insights—explore the Business Insights Journal for up-to-date strategies and industry breakthroughs!
