January Climate & Sustainability Investor Deal Share by 4WARD.earth 🔋 🌱🚜 💧 🚢 🌳 ♻️

4WARD Editor’s Note

Welcome to this month’s climate deal flow roundup by 4WARD.earth. We’ve identified 12 promising climate and sustainability startups across key sectors that may be actively raising funds or considering a raise in the coming months who might be worth reaching out to :)

🚀 Featured Climate & Sustainability Dealshare January Edition

Sector: Energy Storage & Circular Batteries

🇩🇪 tozero (Seed) provides lithium-ion battery recycling extracting critical minerals for EVs and stationary storage—addressing circular economy needs. Recovers valuable metals from old batteries for new production, reducing waste and mining dependence. Seed-stage with proven tech credibility; strong regulatory tailwinds and OEM relationships create barriers to entry.

Sector: Advanced Solar & Thermal Energy

🇺🇸 Antora Energy (Series B+) builds thermal batteries storing renewable electricity as heat in solid carbon blocks—delivering zero-emissions industrial heat and power at fossil fuel-competitive costs. Dual heat and power output with thermophotovoltaic technology achieving >40% conversion efficiency; unlocking complete decarbonization of manufacturing processes. $230M+ raised; first commercial facility operational near Fresno, scaling to gigaton impact.

🇺🇸 Tandem PV (Series A) manufactures perovskite-silicon tandem solar panels achieving 28% efficiency (projected 30%+ by late 2025)—30% more powerful than average silicon panels. Perovskite layer 200x thinner than silicon requires only 10% of production energy; seamlessly integrates into existing infrastructure. $83M raised to build US manufacturing facility; Eclipse-led Series A accelerating domestic clean energy production.

Sector: Sustainable Food Systems & Proteins

🇫🇮🇺🇸 Onego Bio (Series A) produces precision fermentation egg proteins replacing livestock-derived ingredients with dramatically lower emissions—same functionality without intensive animal farming. Series A stage with clear product and regulatory paths; defensible biotech with better margins than branded consumer plays. Addresses growing protein demand sustainably.

🇧🇷 Pink Farms (Seed / Series A) operates vertical farms for leafy greens in dense cities, using much less water and no pesticides—bringing fresh food closer to urban populations. Reduces resource use and food waste through indoor agriculture. Seed/Series A stage enables investors to support unit economics development and expansion; strong LatAm positioning.

Sector: Regenerative Agriculture & Green Fertilizer

🇺🇸 Nitricity (Series B) creates organic nitrogen fertilizer from almond shells, air, water, and renewable electricity—92% emissions reduction vs. Haber-Bosch process. Flagship “Ash Tea” product cost-competitive, pathogen-free, and flowing smoothly through irrigation systems; field trials show up to 30% yield increases. $90M+ raised; World Fund and Khosla Ventures-backed; first commercial facility in Delhi, CA operational 2026 with production sold out through 2028.

Sector: Water & Climate Adaptation

🇮🇪 StormHarvester (Series A) provides AI-driven stormwater and wastewater forecasting preventing overflows and flooding—helps cities predict and manage climate-driven precipitation events. Prevents pollution from reaching waterways; makes cities more resilient. SaaS for regulated infrastructure tends to be sticky; tied to resilience mandates without physical assets.

Sector: Maritime Decarbonization

🇺🇸 Voltic (Seed / Series A, YC-backed) launches solar and battery-powered cargo ships delivering zero emissions at 50-75% lower operating costs than diesel vessels—$100M+ in signed sales to major shipping companies. MIT Ocean Engineering spinout with patented tech stack; first commercial deployment targeting early 2026. Addressing 2.2% of global CO2 emissions from shipping with both environmental and economic advantages.

Sector: Regenerative Agriculture & Soil Carbon

🇺🇸 Lithos Carbon (Seed/Series A) applies enhanced rock dust to farms for accelerated CO2 sequestration, yield boosts, and soil pH correction—no farmer practice changes needed. Gigaton removal potential with agricultural VC backing; rapid US/EU rollout underway. Simple, scalable approach to durable carbon removal with immediate agronomic benefits.

🇦🇺 Loam Bio (Series B trajectory) deploys second-generation fungal inoculants for soil carbon storage and crop resilience delivering high-quality carbon credits—outperforms rivals with global grower partnerships. Positioned well in multi-billion-dollar soil carbon market growth; strong technical differentiation and commercial traction.

Sector: Nature-Based & Biomass Carbon Removal

🇬🇧 Ponterra (Seed) restores farmland ecosystems with farmers for premium biodiversity-enhanced carbon credits—corporate demand surging for nature-based solutions. Tech Nation Climate 2025 standout; combines carbon sequestration with measurable biodiversity outcomes.

🇩🇪 Pina Earth (Seed, YC-backed) certifies and monetizes forest carbon projects digitally while adapting European woodlands to climate risks—thousands of hectares verified. Green Deal policy tailwinds supporting forest-based carbon removal; digital MRV approach improves transparency and reduces costs.

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Disclaimer: This newsletter is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice. All investment decisions should be made based on independent research and due diligence.