What Avnos does

Avnos is a Los Angeles, California-based climate technology company founded in 2020 (per the company's own history) that is commercializing Hybrid Direct Air Capture (HDAC™) technology to capture atmospheric CO2 while simultaneously producing clean water. The company's core innovation is a proprietary moisture-responsive CO2 adsorbent material — based on intellectual property developed at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and licensed to Avnos — that captures CO2 from ambient air and releases it when exposed to moisture changes, eliminating the need for external heat input and enabling operation on low-grade waste heat from sources such as data centers. HDAC is designed to be water-positive, producing approximately 5-10 tons of clean water per ton of CO2 captured, and reduces total energy use by more than 50% compared to traditional heat-based DAC systems. Avnos operates a modular, factory-built deployment platform intended for repeatable integration into existing customer infrastructure across multiple industries and geographies.

Avnos generates revenue through a combination of project financing arrangements with strategic partners, technology licensing, and the sale of carbon removal credits, CO2, and clean water co-products. The company employs a project-based enterprise sales motion targeting large infrastructure operators and federal agencies, with multi-million-dollar deals and long sales cycles rather than standardized product pricing. Primary customer segments are data centers (waste heat reuse, cooling support, on-site water, embedded carbon removal), geologic sequestration and carbon storage hubs (high-purity CO2 for Class VI injection), and e-fuels/sustainable aviation fuel/CO2-based chemical producers (clean carbon feedstock plus process water). Secondary segments include food, beverage, and controlled-environment agriculture, and industrial/energy companies pursuing decarbonization. Three flagship projects anchor the deployment pipeline: Project Alpine (DOE-backed pilot in Bakersfield, California, operational since September 2023), Project Brighton (ONR-funded demonstration unit at the Bridgewater, New Jersey Technology Development Center, expected online in early 2026 at 450 tons CO2/year), and Project Cedar (the first commercial-scale facility, deploying four HDAC modules to capture 3,000 metric tons CO2 and produce more than 6,000 tons of clean water annually, funded with up to $17 million from Shell and Mitsubishi Corporation and scheduled to come online by end of 2026).

Avnos has secured over $100 million in combined public and private funding. Strategic and venture investors include Shell, Mitsubishi Corporation, NextEra Energy Resources (Series A lead), ConocoPhillips, JetBlue Ventures, Safran Corporate Ventures, Rusheen Capital Management, Grantham Foundation, and Thistledown Foundation, alongside multi-million-dollar contracts from the U.S. Department of Energy and the U.S. Office of Naval Research. The company is led by Founder and CEO Will Kain, supported by a leadership team drawn from Tesla, ExxonMobil, Bloom Energy, 1PointFive, AMEC Foster Wheeler, General Electric, and Verdagy.

Name

Avnos

Legal name

Avnos, Inc.

Website

https://avnos.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Avnos commercializes Hybrid Direct Air Capture (HDAC™) technology that captures atmospheric CO2 while producing clean water, serving data centers, industrial operators, geologic sequestration hubs, and e-fuels/SAF producers via modular, project-based deployments.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Direct Air Capture (Carbon Capture Technology)

akta.pro primary industry

Direct Air Capture (DAC) Systems & Plants (EUABAFAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Direct Air Capture (DAC) Project Development (EUABABAJ)

Keywords

• Direct air capture
• Carbon capture technology
• Atmospheric water generation
• Waste heat utilization
• Modular carbon infrastructure

Headquarters

HQ city

Santa Monica

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Project Financing and Infrastructure Deployment: Avnos generates revenue through project financing arrangements and direct deployment of HDAC systems. Major projects like Project Cedar are funded through financing from strategic partners (Shell, Mitsubishi Corporation) totaling up to $17 million per facility. Revenue is derived from selling carbon removal services and water co-products to industrial and government customers.
2. Carbon Removal Credits and CO2 Sales: Revenue from capturing and selling CO2 to various customers including geologic sequestration hubs, e-fuels producers, sustainable aviation fuel manufacturers, and industrial companies requiring high-purity CO2 for their processes.
3. Technology Licensing: HDAC technology is designed to be licensed and deployed by companies committed to decarbonization - from energy companies to carbon utilization to project developers - allowing customers to set up and manage their own direct air capture programs.
4. Water Sales: Clean water produced as a co-product of the HDAC process can be sold to data centers, industrial facilities, and agricultural operations, creating an additional revenue stream from what would otherwise be a waste byproduct.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Avnos develops and deploys Hybrid Direct Air Capture (HDAC™) modular infrastructure systems that capture CO2 from ambient air while producing clean water as a co-product. The platform uses a proprietary moisture-responsive adsorbent material and converts low-grade waste heat from industrial operations into cooling support, water production, and integrated carbon removal, targeting data centers, energy companies, and industrial facilities through project-based deployments and technology licensing.

Product overview

Avnos offers a modular infrastructure system based on its Hybrid Direct Air Capture (HDAC™) technology platform. The core HDAC technology transforms low-grade waste heat into cooling support, water production, and integrated carbon removal through a single integrated system. The product portfolio includes the HDAC™ platform as the core technology, supported by deployment projects including Project Cedar (first commercial-scale facility with 4 modules), Project Brighton (demonstration unit with U.S. Navy), and Project Alpine (DOE-backed pilot in California), all supported by the company's 20,000 sq ft Technology Development Center in Bridgewater, NJ.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• HDAC™ (Hybrid Direct Air Capture) Platform
• Project Cedar
• Project Brighton
• Project Alpine
• HDAC™ Technology Licensing

Quantifiable outcome

• Cuts total energy use by more than 50% compared to heat-based DAC
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and foundational.

• U.S. Office of Naval ResearchcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 6 February 2024The U.S. Office of Naval Research (ONR) is funding Project Brighton, a commercial-scale HDAC demonstration unit at Avnos' Technology Development Center in Bridgewater, New Jersey. ONR is also piloting CO2 capture and e-fuels production using HDAC-sourced CO2.
• U.S. Department of EnergycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2023The U.S. Department of Energy has awarded Avnos multi-million-dollar projects to demonstrate its HDAC solution in the field. DOE is supporting Project Alpine pilot in Bakersfield, California. Avnos is also a selected tech provider for four US federally funded DAC hubs.
• Pacific Northwest National LaboratoryfoundationalTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2020Avnos' HDAC technology is based on intellectual property from Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. This technology transfer provided the foundational materials science for Avnos' proprietary moisture-responsive CO2 adsorbent.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Broad incumbents

• Air Products and Chemicals: Air Products is a global industrial gases incumbent supplying merchant CO2 and hydrogen and investing in large-scale clean hydrogen and carbon capture projects. Comparable to Avnos as a broad incumbent in atmospheric CO2 and industrial decarbonization markets that could compete with or partner alongside Avnos for offtake.
• Linde plc: Linde is a global industrial gases major producing atmospheric and merchant CO2 for industrial customers. Comparable to Avnos as a supplier of high-purity CO2 to industrial and food/beverage buyers, though at vastly larger scale and using traditional capture/distribution methods.

Direct peers

• 1PointFive (Occidental subsidiary): 1PointFive is building Stratos, one of the world's largest DAC facilities, using technology licensed from Carbon Engineering. Comparable to Avnos as a project developer pursuing multi-million-ton DAC deployments and carbon removal offtake agreements with corporate buyers, though backed by an oil major rather than venture capital.
• Heirloom Carbon Technologies: Heirloom uses limestone-based DAC technology to capture CO2 and has raised significant venture capital from major strategic backers. Comparable to Avnos as a US-based DAC company targeting durable carbon removal credits and industrial off-takers, though its sorbent regeneration approach differs.
• Climeworks: Climeworks is the largest commercial Direct Air Capture operator and the most direct competitor to Avnos, deploying solid-sorbent DAC plants for corporate carbon removal buyers. Comparability is anchored on DAC technology, carbon credit offtake business model, and pursuit of data center and industrial off-takers.
• CarbonCapture Inc. CarbonCapture Inc. develops solid-sorbent direct air capture systems and is scaling multiple DAC facilities, often in partnership with major project developers. Directly comparable to Avnos on DAC technology, project-financed deployment model, and pursuit of large industrial and energy buyers.
• Global Thermostat: Global Thermostat operates solid-amine DAC technology and has been one of the longer-standing DAC developers, with commercial pilots and partnerships in the US and internationally. Comparable to Avnos as a DAC systems company pursuing industrial and energy customers.

Emerging players

• Sustaera: Sustaera is an early-stage DAC developer focusing on low-cost solid sorbent systems with backing from energy corporates. Comparable to Avnos as a US-based emerging DAC competitor targeting industrial and energy offtakes.
• Spiritus Carbon: Spiritus is an early-stage DAC company using sorbent-based systems and has raised venture capital from energy majors. Comparable to Avnos as an emerging DAC competitor chasing similar industrial and energy offtakes, though at a less mature stage.
• Captura: Captura is developing electrochemical direct air capture technology backed by notable climate-tech investors. Comparable to Avnos as an emerging DAC peer pursuing carbon removal at industrial scale, though using a different capture modality.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/avnos-inc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds5 records

Investors12 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Avnos