Senken

# Senken: A Climate Finance Technology Company

High-Level Overview

Senken is a climate finance platform that curates and distributes high-quality carbon credits to help organizations achieve net-zero emissions without greenwashing risk.[2][3] Founded in 2022 and headquartered in Berlin, Germany, the company operates a digital marketplace where businesses can benchmark emissions using AI tools, purchase vetted carbon credits, and retire them to offset their carbon footprint.[2] Rather than simply connecting buyers and sellers, Senken differentiates itself by applying rigorous quality standards—analyzing each project against 600+ data points to ensure only the top 5% of climate projects reach its platform.[6]

The company serves corporate clients seeking transparent climate action aligned with their sustainability commitments. Senken's core value proposition addresses a critical market problem: the proliferation of low-quality or fraudulent carbon credits that expose companies to reputational risk. By combining AI-powered analysis with independent third-party verification, Senken enables organizations to confidently invest in climate solutions with measurable impact.[6]

Origin Story

Senken was founded in 2022 by Adrian Wons, who previously founded the blockchain competence center for Ernst & Young, bringing deep expertise in distributed ledger technology and financial infrastructure to the climate tech space.[3] The company emerged at a pivotal moment when corporate net-zero commitments were accelerating but the carbon credit market lacked transparency and quality assurance mechanisms.

The founding team recognized that while demand for carbon credits was surging, buyers faced significant challenges: difficulty distinguishing high-integrity projects from low-quality ones, exposure to greenwashing, and lack of standardized evaluation frameworks. This gap became Senken's founding thesis. The company raised $7.5 million in funding from investors including Vanagon Ventures, Four Acres Capital, Kraken Ventures, and Obvious Ventures—all aligned with climate and sustainability missions.[3][4]

Core Differentiators

• Sustainability Integrity Index (SII): A proprietary five-step quality verification process analyzing 600+ data points per project, including assessments from independent rating agencies like Sylvera, BeZero, and Renoster.[6]

• Curated Portfolio Approach: Rather than offering all available credits, Senken selects only the top 5% of global climate projects, customizing 3-5 project portfolios based on client requirements (regionality, social impact, pricing).[6]

• Buyer Protection Guarantee: Senken offers locked-in pricing for carbon removals and guarantees to replace underperforming credits—protections competitors in the DACH region cannot match.[6]

• Dual Solution Portfolio: Access to both nature-based solutions (forest protection, afforestation, mangrove restoration) and technology-based solutions (biochar, enhanced weathering).[6]

• AI-Powered Analysis: Leverages machine learning and big data to thoroughly evaluate project credibility and climate impact at scale.[2][6]

• Institutional-Grade Standards: All projects must meet baseline registration requirements with Gold Standard, Verra, or Puro.earth before entering the quality verification pipeline.[6]

Role in the Broader Tech Landscape

Senken operates at the intersection of three converging trends: the acceleration of corporate net-zero commitments, the maturation of carbon credit markets, and growing demand for climate tech solutions that combine transparency with impact.

The timing is critical. Regulatory pressure (EU carbon border adjustment mechanism, SEC climate disclosure rules) and investor expectations are forcing organizations to move beyond voluntary sustainability pledges to measurable emissions reductions. However, the carbon credit market has been plagued by integrity issues—studies show significant portions of credits fail to deliver promised environmental benefits. Senken's technology-driven quality assurance directly addresses this market failure, positioning the company as infrastructure for trustworthy climate finance.

The company also benefits from broader venture capital momentum in climate tech. Its investors—particularly Obvious Ventures and Kraken Ventures—are backing companies reshaping trillion-dollar industries. Senken's role is to professionalize and scale the carbon credit market, much as fintech companies standardized and democratized traditional financial services. By reducing friction and risk in carbon credit procurement, Senken enables broader corporate participation in climate solutions.

Quick Take & Future Outlook

Senken is well-positioned to become a critical infrastructure layer in the emerging climate finance ecosystem. As regulatory requirements tighten and corporate net-zero targets approach critical milestones, demand for trustworthy carbon credits will intensify. The company's AI-powered quality framework and buyer protections address the primary barrier to market growth: buyer confidence.

Looking ahead, several trends will shape Senken's trajectory. First, the integration of blockchain and distributed ledger technology (leveraging founder Wons' background) could enhance transparency and enable secondary market trading of verified credits. Second, expansion beyond the DACH region into North America and Asia-Pacific markets represents significant growth opportunity, as multinational corporations seek standardized carbon credit procurement platforms. Third, the acquisition of Ivy Protocol signals Senken's ambition to move upstream into early-stage project financing, capturing value across the full carbon removal lifecycle.[2]

The broader question: as climate finance matures, will Senken evolve from a marketplace into a comprehensive climate finance operating system? The company's trajectory suggests it is building toward that vision—one where technology, verification, and financial innovation converge to make climate action not just necessary, but seamlessly accessible.