The French start-up aims to revolutionise carbon capture and utilisation for hard-to-abate sectors, such as maritime and aviation, by converting captured CO2 into e-fuels.
Contained in a single reactor, Aerleum’s breakthrough technology captures atmospheric CO2 to convert it into synthetic fuels. It bypasses many of the most energy-intensive steps in the carbon capture utilisation and storage (CCUS) value chain to produce green fuels for hard to abate sectors.
Their solution enables the production of cost-competitive e-fuels and chemicals at scale, all while reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. According to the company, Aerleum is setting the fastest timeline in the market to achieve price parity with fossil fuels, offering industries – such as maritime, aviation, and chemicals – a viable path to decarbonisation without compromising on cost or scalability.
Aerleum entered this funding round having collected several industry awards for its new technology, including the CMA CGM “Maritime Decarbonization” Award, Technip Energies’ “Clean Maritime Challenge”, the Prix Pépite, and the 2024 i-lab state Innovation Challenge.
Aerleum’s $6 million funding round was led be 360 Capital and HTGF, with support from Norrsken, Bpifrance, and Marble.
Sébastien Fiedorow, Aerleum co-founder & CEO, said of the funding round: “Our mission has been clear since the beginning: to make e-fuels as affordable and accessible as fossil fuels. With this seed round, we’re taking a major step forward in scaling our technology to meet the urgent demand for decarbonization. We’re here to reshape entire industries, enabling them to achieve net-zero emissions faster and more efficiently.”
Timo Bertsch, Investment Manager at HTGF, who were among the earliest investors in Aerleum, said: “What truly sets Aerleum apart is the powerful combination of breakthrough technology and an audacious vision to replace environmentally harmful chemicals like methanol with a sustainable, carbon-neutral alternative. This vision aligns perfectly with HTGF’s commitment to fostering innovation that not only drives business growth but also contributes to a healthier planet. In just one year, the team has demonstrated remarkable speed and execution, achieving significant technical milestones that highlight their capacity to scale rapidly. We are excited to support Aerleum on the next stage of their journey.”
Alexandre Mordacq and François Tison, partners at 360 Capital, commented: “We were seduced by Aerleum’s vision of a world where petroleum would be replaced by the CO2 present in the air – a vision rooted in reality as demonstrated by their first systems, and their economically sound business model opening the way to large scale applications.”
Source: Aerleum / EU-Startups