Climeworks named to CNBC Disruptor 50 List of 2023
Climeworks has been selected as one of CNBC’s Disruptor 50 companies of 2023 for its pioneering and transformative role in the carbon removal industry.
Key take-aways:
Climeworks has been selected as one of Fast Company’s World’s 50 Most Innovative Companies of 2024 for spearheading and guiding the international growth of the carbon removal industry via direct air capture (DAC) technology.
This prestigious annual list, published by Fast Company, the world's leading business media brand, highlights some of the most innovative companies acting as trailblazers and trendsetters in business, showcasing inspiring and insightful stories well beyond the current hot thing.
The list, which positions Climeworks as the number one company in the Sustainability category, recognizes the scale-up’s strong commitment to leadership and growth demonstrated over the last year. In 2023, Climeworks announced a landmark agreement of 15 years with BCG, marking one of the most significant purchases in the DAC industry. This deal and several others concluded in 2023 demonstrate the demand for and support of Climeworks’ high-quality, high-integrity approach to carbon removal services via direct air capture and storage (DAC+S).
Additionally, Climeworks announced its expansion into the U.S., with plans to hire over 100 new employees in the near term, and only last week opened its offices in Austin, Texas. The U.S. Department of Energy also pre-selected three Climeworks projects for a $600 million fund under the Regional DAC Hubs program. This notification of selection was a major recognition for Climeworks’ decade-long experience in DAC technology and support for its ability to bring high-quality carbon removal to scale.
As part of its global expansion efforts, Climeworks revealed plans to venture into Kenya in collaboration with the development firm Great Carbon Valley. Together, they aim to establish DAC+S projects capable of removing up to one million tons of CO₂ from the atmosphere annually, with the first plant set to commence operations as soon as 2028. This would be the first DAC development of this magnitude in Africa and the Global South.
In a remarkable achievement for the industry, Climeworks delivered the first-ever third-party verified CDR services at Orca to corporate clients, including Microsoft, setting industry-wide standards and underscoring its leadership position in the DAC sector. Furthermore, Climeworks announced a strategic partnership with Puro.earth to certify its CDR services under the Puro Standard.
About Fast Company
The Fast Company’s World’s 50 Most Innovative Companies list has been published annually since 2008 and has included notable companies such as OpenAI, Airbnb, and SpaceX. The ranking recognizes the top 50 companies based on criteria such as innovation, impact, timeliness, and relevance. Being included in this list reflects a company's exceptional creativity, forward-thinking approach, and significant contributions to driving innovation forward on a global scale.
Learn more about Climeworks’ award achievements:
Climeworks' co-CEOs recognized on the TIME100 Climate list
Jan Wurzbacher and Christoph Gebald have been recognized by TIME among the 100 most innovative leaders driving business climate action.
Climeworks is one of the TIME100 Most Influential Companies of 2022
TIME has revealed its second annual TIME100 Most Influential Companies list, featuring Climeworks as one of 20 companies in the category "Innovators".
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