TechCrunch Startup News Alt Carbon scores $12M seed to scale carbon removal in India
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May 26, 2025 Discover the inspiring journey of a climate venture that transformed a struggling family tea estate into a promising startup. Alt Carbon has secured $12 million to enhance carbon dioxide removal in India. Learn about their innovative methods, including enhanced rock weathering using waste basalt, aimed at revolutionizing agricultural practices. Their ambitious mission strives to significantly cut carbon emissions by 2030, showcasing a blend of technology and sustainability in action.
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Family Tea Estate Inspires Startup
- Shrey and Sparsh Agarwal returned home expecting to close their bankrupt family tea estate.
- This visit inspired them to start Alt Carbon to revive the estate using carbon markets.
Enhanced Rock Weathering Benefits
- Enhanced rock weathering transforms waste basalt dust to capture carbon dioxide for thousands of years.
- It also improves soil fertility, benefiting crops like tea, rice, and bamboo in India.
Ambitious Scalability and Impact Goals
- Alt Carbon aims to expand from 500 acres to 500,000 hectares by 2030.
- Their goal is to remove 5 million tons of carbon from the region by then.