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Amsterdam-based Brineworks has raised €6.8 million in funding to bring its Direct Air Capture (DAC) technology to market. The round was led by SeaX Ventures, with participation from Pale Blue Dot, First Momentum, AiiM Partners, Energie360°, and Katapult.
In addition, Brineworks has been awarded a €1.8 million grant from the European Innovation Council’s Accelerator program. The grant will support research and development and help pilot the deployment of the company’s technology.
Central to Brineworks’ approach is a patented electrolyzer that captures carbon dioxide directly from the air at ultra-low cost while simultaneously producing hydrogen. The dual output is particularly relevant for industries such as aviation and shipping, which face significant challenges in achieving carbon neutrality. Aviation currently accounts for around 2.5% of global CO₂ emissions, while shipping contributes more than 3%.
One of the notable features of Brineworks’ electrolyzer is its ability to operate intermittently. This allows the device to adapt to variable renewable energy inputs without losing efficiency, addressing a key challenge that has long limited the performance of DAC technologies relying on low-cost materials.
Since its founding in late 2023, Brineworks has moved quickly from concept to a validated prototype. The latest funding round will allow the company to scale operations to a pilot level, with commercial readiness targeted by the end of 2026. If successful, airlines could begin introducing carbon-neutral fuels derived from DAC before the decade ends, representing a significant milestone for sustainable aviation.
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Brineworks’ technology can also integrate with methods for synthesising e-fuels, potentially enabling countries to become self-sufficient in fuel production if renewable energy capacities are expanded. This approach could reduce greenhouse gas emissions, support localized fuel production, and contribute to a more decentralized transition to cleaner energy.
“It’s clear where the world is heading. 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,” said Gudfinnur Sveinsson, CEO of Brineworks.
Dr. Joseph Perryman, co-founder and CTO of Brineworks, added: “We envisioned the electrolyzer of the future — and now it’s here. 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.”
Dr. Kid Parchariyanon, Founder and Managing Partner at SeaX Ventures, said: “At SeaX, we’re always looking for visionary founders solving massive problems with science-backed solutions, and Brineworks is exactly that. 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.”
