Calgary’s Carbon Upcycling has been named one of six winners of the prestigious Build Better Innovation Challenge, a program spearheaded by non-profit climate technology investor Elemental Impact.
The challenge, supported by global partners Microsoft, Capgemini, and Bouygues, aims to accelerate the adoption of innovative construction materials and processes that reduce emissions and promote sustainability in the building industry.
Carbon Upcycling is a leader in circular decarbonization solutions for hard-to-abate sectors, including cement, steel, and mining.
The Calgary-based company recently raised a $34.3 million Series A funding round co-led by BDC Capital’s Climate Tech Fund and Climate Investment to reshape how heavy industry approaches carbon emissions.
Carbon Upcycling’s technology transforms industrial CO₂ emissions and solid waste into low-carbon cement products.
By providing a scalable solution to one of the construction sector’s largest environmental challenges, the company is at the forefront of efforts to decarbonize concrete production—a process that accounts for approximately 8% of global carbon emissions.
RELATED: Carbon Upcycling’s Vision for Decarbonizing Heavy Industry
The Build Better Innovation Challenge highlights solutions that combat the significant carbon footprint of construction materials such as concrete and steel, which are essential for building infrastructure, including AI data centers. These centers are rapidly expanding to meet global demand for AI-driven services but pose a sustainability challenge due to their resource-intensive nature.
Carbon Upcycling’s approach directly addresses these concerns by offering an alternative that mitigates the environmental cost of traditional cement production. The company’s innovative process combines industrial byproducts with captured CO₂, producing a material that not only has a lower carbon footprint but also meets the durability standards required for modern construction.
Winners of the challenge were selected from over 75 applicants based on the proven capabilities of their technologies. Along with Carbon Upcycling, other winners include companies developing cement-free concrete, carbon-negative building materials, and sustainable construction aggregates. Each will receive funding for pilot projects, technical scaling support, and expert investment guidance.
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