Carbon Reform is a company.
Carbon Reform has raised $9.0M across 2 funding rounds.
Key people at Carbon Reform.
Carbon Reform has raised $9.0M in total across 2 funding rounds.
Key people at Carbon Reform.
Carbon Reform has raised $9.0M in total across 2 funding rounds.
Carbon Reform's investors include Azolla Ventures, Bradley Horowitz.
Carbon Reform is a Philadelphia-based climate tech startup founded in 2020 that develops modular carbon capture devices for commercial buildings, targeting indoor CO₂ removal, air purification, and energy efficiency.[1][2][3][6] Its flagship Carbon Reduction System (including the Carbon Capsule and portable Carbon Canister) integrates into existing HVAC infrastructure as a drop-in retrofit, capturing CO₂, VOCs, particulates, and other contaminants while reducing HVAC energy use by up to 60% (and building-wide energy costs by 16%), improving indoor air quality, and enabling emissions reductions for ESG reporting.[2][3] The company serves building owners, Fortune 500 firms, energy providers, and developers in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic, addressing the built environment's 40% share of global emissions with scalable, profitable solutions that pay back in 4-7 years and qualify for incentives.[1][2][3] With $9M raised (including recent Cisco Foundation investment), Carbon Reform demonstrates strong growth through pilots, real-world deployments, and a diverse team in engineering, materials science, and sustainability.[1][7][8]
Carbon Reform was co-founded in 2020 by CEO Jo Norris and COO Nick Martin, initially in Delaware before establishing headquarters in Philadelphia's Center City at 401 N. Broad Street.[1][4][6] Norris, blending art, science, and engineering, previously led R&D on aquatic robots for water remediation and researched biodegradable materials for heavy metal filtration.[4] Martin brings chemical engineering expertise in solar energy, biofuels, research, and consulting.[4] The idea emerged from recognizing overlooked indoor pollution in buildings—where people spend 90% of their time—as a key emissions driver, prompting development of retrofit tech that turns HVAC systems into carbon capture tools without major construction.[1][2][4] Early traction includes deployments of Carbon Canisters at customer sites, industry recognition, and $9M in funding from strategic investors like Cisco Foundation, fueling pilots with Fortune 500 clients and case study data collection.[1][2][7][8]
Carbon Reform rides the net-zero building wave, capitalizing on the built environment's 40% of global emissions amid tightening ESG mandates, local carbon standards, and incentives for clean air/energy retrofits.[1][2][3] Timing aligns with post-2020 climate urgency, rising energy costs, and indoor health awareness (e.g., post-pandemic), where buildings must balance ventilation for air quality without spiking HVAC loads.[2][4] Market tailwinds include demand from Fortune 500s for verifiable decarbonization data, growth in carbon credit markets (where Carbon Reform's direct removal outshines indirect offsets), and retrofit preferences over costly rebuilds.[2][5][8] By influencing HVAC norms and enabling "right now" impact ahead of DAC scalability, it shapes the ecosystem toward practical, profitable climate tech, democratizing carbon removal for schools, offices, and underserved areas.[1][4][5]
Carbon Reform is poised for expansion with its new Philly HQ, scaling pilots into widespread commercial adoption via case studies proving ROI and sequestration.[2][6] Trends like AI-optimized building controls, maturing carbon markets, and stricter net-zero regulations by 2030 will amplify its edge, potentially unlocking at-home/office variants and new sequestration applications.[3][5] Influence may evolve from niche innovator to ecosystem leader, partnering deeper with energy giants and credits platforms—transforming overlooked indoor emissions into a cornerstone of equitable decarbonization, much like its origin vision of healthier buildings driving planetary health.[1][4]
Carbon Reform has raised $9.0M across 2 funding rounds. Most recently, it raised $6.0M Seed in March 2025.
| Date | Round | Lead Investors | Other Investors |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 1, 2025 | $6.0M Seed | Azolla Ventures, Bradley Horowitz | |
| Nov 1, 2022 | $3.0M Seed | Azolla Ventures, Bradley Horowitz |
