Startup Of The Week: Cocoon

Cocoon is helping to make the construction industry more green with its carbon capture technology.
The company turns industrial waste into low-carbon products to be used in construction.
This not only reduces waste, but creates more eco-positive construction products in the process.

What is Cocoon?

Cocoon is a climate tech company that is trying to decarbonise the steel and cement industries. These sectors are responsible for 14% of global CO2 emissions, as well as creating a lot of material waste in the process.

Cocoon is looking to change this by creating technology that takes industrial waste and upcycles it into a cement-like material, capturing CO2 in the process. This has allowed them to tackle the issue of high CO2 emissions and landfill waste from the industry.

This not only makes the industry more sustainable, but also creates cheaper materials for businesses to use in the process.

What Makes Cocoon Unique?

Cocoon is unique for essentially solving 2 issues with one solution.

On one hand, it is reducing waste by turning waste into a cement like product, helping construction companies make the most out of their materials.

On the other hand, it captures CO2 in the process, making it easier for these companies to hit sustainability targets and reach net zero. The products that have the most carbon-capture potential include steel slag, cement kiln dust, biomass ash, fly ash, mine tailings and demolition waste

In addition to this Cocoon’s technology can be integrated into existing processes, meaning businesses can operate as usual and still use the machines they always have. This has made it a real up and coming player in the construction industry, helping to make it more green and less wasteful.

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Is There A Market For Low Carbon Construction Materials?

The market for low-carbon construction materials is huge, driven by a need for the industry to lower its CO2 emissions and hit sustainability goals. As it currently contributes 14% of the world’s carbon emissions, it’s definitely a sector that needs innovation.

The equivalent of one New York City will be built every month for the next 40 years, meaning more materials will need to be sourced and used to power this growth. Not only that, but more materials means more waste – so solutions that help tackle this at both ends are definitely needed.

The need is so evident that the startup has just raised over $5 million in pre-seed funding from investors like Wireframe Ventures and Celsius Industries. These investors understand that when it comes to the future of construction, the industry needs to be more sustainable.