Climate tech startups play a crucial role in advancing sustainability within the built environment, a sector that significantly impacts global carbon emissions and resource consumption. These innovative companies drive the development and implementation of technologies that enhance energy efficiency, reduce waste, and promote the use of sustainable materials in construction and building management. By introducing solutions such as smart energy systems, green building materials, and advanced waste management practices, climate tech startups enable the built environment to transition towards lower carbon footprints and greater resource efficiency. Following are 10 startups enabling sustainability in the built environment that you should know about in 2024.
- Biozeroc
Headquarters: Cambridge, England
About Biozeroc
Biozeroc is a climate-tech startup focused on developing carbon-negative construction materials through the application of biotechnology and scalable process technology. The company’s patent-pending BioConcrete solution aims to eliminate the need for cement in concrete manufacturing, thereby reducing carbon emissions. By leveraging advanced biotechnological methods, Biozeroc is committed to providing sustainable alternatives to traditional construction materials and contributing to a more environmentally friendly construction industry.
CEO and Co-Founder: Liv Andersson
- Aisti
Headquarters: Jyväskylä, Finland
About Aisti
Aisti is a company specializing in the manufacture of patented bio-based acoustic tiles made from wood fiber. These sustainable, high-performing, and cost-effective tiles offer an innovative alternative to traditional mineral wool acoustic solutions. Aisti’s products are natural, recyclable, and designed to be safe for both people and the environment. Aisti has successfully raised €1.6 million in its initial funding round.
CEO and Founder: Mikko Paananen
- MapMortar
Headquarters: London, United Kingdom
About MapMortar
MapMortar provides live retrofit simulation twins designed to enhance commercial real estate portfolios by adding an 11% premium to their buildings. The company specializes in unlocking new profits through accurate planning, optimization, and tracking of net-zero retrofits.
CEO and Co-Founder: Ranjeet Bhalerao
- Dandelion Energy
Headquarters: Mount Kisco, New York
About Dandelion Energy
Dandelion Energy offers geothermal solutions that replace traditional air conditioning and heating equipment. Unlike systems that rely on fossil fuels, Dandelion Energy uses a powerful heat pump to transfer heat between the earth and a home through a system of safe, underground pipes. This innovative approach provides an efficient and sustainable alternative for residential heating and cooling.
CEO and Chairman: Dan Yates
- MicroEra Power, Inc.
Headquarters: Rochester, New York
About MicroEra Power, Inc
MicroEra Power, Inc. is developing THERMAplus, a Thermal Energy Storage system designed to deliver cost-effective and low-carbon heating and cooling for commercial buildings. Utilizing smart software and Phase Change Materials, THERMAplus operates with off-peak energy, providing excellent value for building owners and supporting utilities in their transition to a renewable-intensive grid.
CEO and Co-Founder: Eleanor Rusling
- Urban Machine
Headquarters: Oakland, California
About Urban Machine
Urban Machine is a leader in sustainable wood reclamation, utilizing a robotic solution to remove metal fasteners from construction and demolition (C&D) lumber waste. This process allows for the reclamation of wood for premium products. Urban Machine aims to transform the construction industry by reducing wood waste and promoting circular practices.
CEO and Co-Founder: Eric Law
- Sublime Systems
Headquarters: Somerville, Massachusetts
About Sublime Systems
Sublime Systems is developing a breakthrough process for manufacturing low-carbon cement. The company’s technology replaces the traditional, fossil-fuel-intensive thermal calciner process with an electrochemical method that produces low-carbon cement at ambient temperatures using renewable electricity. This innovative approach significantly reduces the carbon footprint of cement production, aligning with sustainable practices in the construction industry.
CEO and Co-Founder: Leah Ellis
- SunRoof
Headquarters: Vänersborg, Västra Götaland County
About SunRoof
SunRoof is a prominent player in the building-integrated solar roof industry. The company’s 2-in-1 solar roofs and innovative façades are the most powerful on the market, providing an efficient and aesthetically unique alternative to regular roofs. SunRoof’s solutions offer the highest efficiency and the lowest carbon footprint.
CEO: Lech Kaniuk
- TileGreen
Headquarters: Cairo, Cairo
About TileGreen
TileGreen innovates technologies to produce premium, carbon-negative building materials from plastic waste, offering a concrete alternative. Utilising patent-pending technology, TileGreen can recycle nearly all types of plastic waste into over 40 types of building products. This process not only replaces many cement alternatives but also prevents carbon emissions and plastic landfilling, adding environmental, functional, and financial value to the market.
CEO: Amr Shalan
- Urban SDK
Headquarters: Jacksonville, Florida
About Urban SDK
Urban SDK, a Techstars company, offers a next-generation planning tool designed to help smart cities enhance mobility, transportation, sustainability, and safety operations through real-time location analytics. By connecting public agencies, policymakers, and the community with improved data, Urban SDK enables more informed policy and budgeting decisions.
CEO: Drew Messer
