Tulum Energy

What Tulum Energy does

Tulum Energy is an early-stage private startup developing methane pyrolysis technology for the production of turquoise hydrogen from natural gas. The company's platform uses electric-arc plasma reactor systems configured around repurposed, commercially available equipment to thermally decompose methane (CH4) into hydrogen (H2) and solid carbon (C) in the absence of oxygen, yielding hydrogen with little to no CO2 emissions and capturing the carbon as a marketable co-product (carbon black, graphite, graphene, biochar, and construction-related materials). The platform is designed to avoid the capital-intensive carbon capture and storage (CCS) infrastructure required by traditional Steam Methane Reforming (SMR), Partial Oxidation (POx), and Autothermal Reforming (ATR) pathways, and is configured for point-of-use deployment leveraging existing natural gas pipeline infrastructure.

The company's go-to-market targets large industrial hydrogen consumers in three primary verticals: heavy industry, refinery operations, and chemicals production — segments requiring substantial volumes of hydrogen as feedstock and seeking cost-effective decarbonization pathways. Distribution is direct enterprise field sales to industrial off-takers. Pricing is not publicly disclosed and no customers have been named in source material.

Commercialization is in the pilot phase. The company's first turquoise hydrogen pilot plant is being constructed in Pesquería, Mexico, with engineering, procurement, and construction delivered by Scandinavian Energy Contractors (SEC) and subcontracted engineering from Norway-based Generoc; design, engineering, and construction management work is scheduled across 2026 and 2027. The company is led by CEO and co-founder Massimiliano Pieri and CTO and co-founder Donald Kendrick, operates with a headcount of 1–10 employees, and has raised a $27M funding round (2025-07-07) from strategic corporate investors including CDP Venture Capital (lead), TDK Ventures (lead), Doral Energy-Tech Ventures, MITO Tech Ventures, and TechEnergy Ventures. A country-of-origin discrepancy exists across sources — dedicated news coverage describes Tulum Energy as an Italian startup, while a decarbonization report lists it under Luxembourg methane pyrolysis; the Italian attribution is treated as more authoritative based on source specificity.

Name

Tulum Energy

Legal name

Tulum Energy

Website

https://tulum.energy

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Tulum Energy is an early-stage startup developing methane pyrolysis technology to produce turquoise hydrogen and solid carbon from natural gas using repurposed equipment and electric-arc plasma reactors. It targets heavy industry, refineries, and chemicals producers seeking cost-effective clean hydrogen for industrial decarbonization.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Clean Hydrogen Production

NAICS

Industrial Gas Manufacturing (32512)

SIC

Industrial Inorganic Chemicals (2810)

akta.pro primary industry

Hydrogen & Derivative Fuels for Industry (H₂, Ammonia, Methanol) (EUABAJAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

On-Site Gas Generation Systems (IMAEACAJ), Hydrogen Production Supply & Offtake (Green/Blue H2) for Utility Blending (EUAJAJAF)

Keywords

• Clean hydrogen production
• Methane pyrolysis technology
• Turquoise hydrogen
• Industrial decarbonization
• Solid carbon co-products

Headquarters

HQ city

Luxembourg

HQ country

Luxembourg

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Clean Hydrogen Sales: Tulum Energy produces and sells clean hydrogen (turquoise hydrogen) generated via methane pyrolysis to industrial customers requiring hydrogen as feedstock for industrial processes including heavy industry, refinery, and chemicals production.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

Tulum Energy develops and operates a methane pyrolysis platform that converts natural gas into clean (turquoise) hydrogen and solid carbon using repurposed, commercially available equipment. The technology is deployed at industrial point-of-use sites, leveraging existing natural gas infrastructure, and is targeted at large industrial consumers (heavy industry, refinery, chemicals production) that require substantial volumes of clean hydrogen as a feedstock.

Product overview

Tulum Energy offers a single unified product: a methane pyrolysis platform that produces turquoise hydrogen from natural gas. The platform converts methane into hydrogen and solid carbon using repurposed commercial equipment, eliminating the need for CCS infrastructure. The solid carbon byproduct has multiple industrial applications including carbon black for tires, graphite for batteries, graphene for electronics, and construction materials. The company targets industrial applications requiring substantial volumes of clean hydrogen at competitive costs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Methane Pyrolysis Platform A proprietary methane pyrolysis platform that uses repurposed, commercially available equipment to thermally decompose methane (CH4) into hydrogen (H2) and solid carbon (C) without oxygen. Designed for industrial point-of-use deployment at large hydrogen consumer sites (heavy industry, refinery, chemicals production).
• Turquoise Hydrogen Clean hydrogen generated via methane pyrolysis, producing hydrogen with little to no CO2 emissions. Sold to large industrial consumers requiring hydrogen as a feedstock for industrial processes.
• Solid Carbon Co-Product Solid carbon captured during methane pyrolysis and marketed for industrial and manufacturing applications including carbon black (tires, inks, paints, coatings, plastics), graphite (lithium-ion batteries, lubricants, electrodes), graphene (electronics, sensors, composites), biochar (soil enhancement), concrete/cement additives, asphalt, fuel cell catalysts, electrodes, 3D printing powders, nanomaterials, and carbon-based filtration.

Quantifiable outcome

• Produces hydrogen with little to no carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions compared to traditional Steam Methane Reforming (SMR), Partial Oxidation (POx), and Autothermal Reforming (ATR)
• +1 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Scandinavian Energy Contractors (SEC)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 16 March 2026SEC has been commissioned by Tulum Energy to deliver engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) services for the first turquoise hydrogen pilot plant in Pesquería, Mexico. SEC is responsible for design, engineering, and construction management work scheduled across 2026 and 2027.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves3 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Emerging players

• Methanos: Methanos is an early-stage methane pyrolysis company developing bioenergy-integrated turquoise hydrogen production. It overlaps with Tulum's core chemistry but focuses on biogas feedstocks, representing an emerging adjacency in the same technology category.

Direct peers

• Monolith Materials: Monolith produces clean hydrogen and carbon black via methane pyrolysis using plasma-based technology. It is the closest direct competitor to Tulum, using the same turquoise hydrogen pathway and selling solid carbon co-products to industrial markets.
• C-Zero: C-Zero is a methane pyrolysis startup developing turquoise hydrogen from natural gas. It pursues the same chemistry as Tulum—splitting CH4 into H2 and solid carbon without CO2 emissions—and is targeting industrial decarbonization customers.
• Hazer Group: Hazer Group has developed catalytic methane pyrolysis (the Hazer Process) to produce hydrogen and graphitic carbon. It directly parallels Tulum's turquoise hydrogen approach with a different reactor configuration but the same product slate.

Broad incumbents

• Air Products: Air Products is one of the world's largest industrial gas and hydrogen producers, supplying grey, blue, and green hydrogen to refineries and chemicals plants. It is a broad incumbent whose customer base overlaps with Tulum's target industrial segments and which could either partner with or compete against Tulum.
• Linde: Linde is a global industrial gas major with major hydrogen production, distribution, and clean hydrogen project development activities. It serves the same heavy industry, refinery, and chemicals customers Tulum targets, representing a potential offtake partner or competitive incumbent.
• Air Liquide: Air Liquide operates one of the largest hydrogen and industrial gas businesses globally, including blue and green hydrogen projects. Its existing customer base and supply infrastructure make it a relevant broad incumbent comparable to Tulum's industrial hydrogen go-to-market.
• Nel ASA: Nel ASA is a leading electrolyzer manufacturer and hydrogen technology company focused on green hydrogen production. It competes for the same industrial decarbonization customers as Tulum through an alternative clean hydrogen pathway.
• ITM Power: ITM Power is a UK-based PEM electrolyzer specialist supplying green hydrogen to industrial customers including refineries and chemicals producers. It is comparable to Tulum as an alternative clean hydrogen supplier targeting hard-to-abate sectors.
• Plug Power: Plug Power is a major green hydrogen producer and fuel cell company building a network of hydrogen production plants across North America. It targets industrial and mobility customers with comparable clean hydrogen offtake ambitions.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors5 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 Tulum Energy