Brineworks is a technology company.
Brineworks has raised $10.0M across 2 funding rounds.
Brineworks has raised $10.0M in total across 2 funding rounds.
Brineworks is an Amsterdam-based climate-tech startup founded in 2023 that develops a patented seawater electrolyzer for ultra-low-cost Direct Air Capture (DAC) of CO₂ and co-production of hydrogen (H₂), enabling e-fuels like sustainable aviation fuel (e-SAF), e-methanol, and e-natural gas (e-NG).[1][2][3][5] It serves hard-to-decarbonize industries such as aviation and maritime by providing sustainable raw materials from saltwater, targeting sub-$100/ton CO₂ capture costs through intermittent renewable energy operation without batteries or precious metals.[3][4][5][6] The company has raised approximately $8 million in seed funding plus grants, achieving early milestones like pilot scaling and recognition on impact lists, with commercial readiness targeted for end-2026.[1][3][4][5]
Brineworks was founded in 2023 by CEO Gudfinnur Sveinsson, a Columbia University graduate with expertise in climate policy and innovation, and CTO Dr. Joseph Perryman, an electrochemist with postdoctoral research at Stanford University.[3][4] The idea emerged from advancing saltwater electrolysis to unlock ocean-based CO₂ removal and green hydrogen, addressing bottlenecks in flexible, low-cost carbon capture amid falling renewable energy prices.[2][3][7] Early traction included a $2.23M seed raise, a €5M seed round led by SeaX Ventures, €6.8M ($7.95M) for DAC scaling, and a $2.1M European Innovation Council grant, plus selection for Norrsken Foundation’s Impact/100 list.[1][3][4][5]
Brineworks rides the wave of plummeting renewable energy costs and surging demand for e-fuels to decarbonize aviation (needing SAF) and shipping (e-methanol), where direct electrification is impractical.[2][3][4] Timing is ideal as intermittent solar/wind scale globally, but flexible tech for cheap power utilization lags—Brineworks' electrolyzer fills this gap, enabling DAC+e-fuels at pivotal cost thresholds (<$100/ton CO₂) for net-zero goals.[3][5][6] Market forces like EU grants, policy mandates for sustainable fuels, and partnerships across North America/Europe/Asia/North Africa favor it, while its ocean electrolysis advances gigaton-scale CDR pathways amid rising voluntary carbon markets.[4][7] It influences the ecosystem by proving low-CAPEX DAC viability, spurring competition and investment in hybrid capture-fuel tech.
Brineworks is poised to pilot-scale in 2025-2026, targeting commercial e-fuel/DAC deployments by end-2026, with pilots in diverse climates like Northern Africa/Middle East to validate global scalability.[3][4] Trends like cheaper renewables, e-fuel mandates, and CDR buyer demand will accelerate growth, potentially expanding to Gt/year ocean removal if H₂ integration succeeds.[5][6][7] Its influence may evolve from niche innovator to key e-fuels supplier, reshaping supply chains—if it hits cost targets, Brineworks could unlock the "dream" of affordable decarbonization for aviation and maritime, turning seawater into the backbone of net-zero industries.[3][4]
Brineworks has raised $10.0M in total across 2 funding rounds.
Brineworks's investors include SeaX Ventures, Story Ventures, Ulu Ventures, DN Capital, Satgana.
Brineworks has raised $10.0M across 2 funding rounds. Most recently, it raised $8.0M Seed in September 2025.
| Date | Round | Lead Investors | Other Investors |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 1, 2025 | $8.0M Seed | SeaX Ventures, Story Ventures, Ulu Ventures | |
| Sep 1, 2024 | $2.0M Seed | DN Capital, Satgana |