NetZero
NetZero produces biochar from tropical agricultural residues via pyrolysis, selling Puro Standard-certified carbon removal credits to enterprises and subsidized biochar to local farmers across facilities in Brazil and Cameroon, with a franchise model under development.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2021
- HeadquartersParis, France
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What NetZero does
NetZero SAS is a Paris-headquartered climate venture founded in January 2021 that produces biochar from tropical agricultural residues (coffee husk, cocoa shells, sugarcane bagasse, coconut shells, palm empty bunches) through pyrolysis at 550-700°C, yielding high-permanence carbon removal alongside soil amendment and renewable-energy co-generation. The company operates five biochar production facilities — four commercial-scale sites in Brazil's coffee belt (Lajinha, Brejetuba, Paraguaçu, and one franchise site) plus a pilot in Nkongsamba, Cameroon — with a fifth Gen2 facility under construction for 2027 operations. NetZero pursues an end-to-end circular model in which feedstock suppliers (farmers and cooperatives within a 30-km radius) are simultaneously biochar customers, and agronomic training, cooperative partnerships, and integration with agro-processors (Nespresso, ECOM, Atvos, Louis Dreyfus, Sucden, CMA CGM) anchor feedstock supply and biochar offtake.
NetZero monetizes primarily through Puro Standard-certified carbon removal credits (ICROA-endorsed, priced at €100+ per credit on multi-year enterprise contracts), supported by subsidized biochar sales to farmers and revenue from syngas-derived renewable energy supplied to local partners. The go-to-market combines direct enterprise sales of CDR credits to large corporations with credible net-zero roadmaps (BCG as first customer, Rothschild & Co under a multi-year partnership), channel partnerships with agro-processors for integrated supply-chain deployment, and a launching NetZero One franchise model intended to license the newly patented Gen2 production technology to third-party agricultural players across the tropics.
The company has raised roughly €44M+ in equity and grant capital across a seed round (23 business angels, Jan 2021), an €11M Series A led by Stellantis Ventures (Feb 2023), an €18M STOA-led round (Mar 2024), an INNOVX investment (Oct 2024), and a $15M XPRIZE Carbon Removal prize (Apr 2025), and is led by Co-founder & CEO Axel Reinaud (ex-BCG Senior Partner), Co-founder & Managing Director Olivier Reinaud, Co-founder & Scientific Advisor Prof. Jean Jouzel (former IPCC Vice-Chair), and Group CTO Pedro de Figueiredo (ex-Vallourec pyrolysis operations).
NetZero firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- NetZero
- Legal name
- NetZero SAS
- Website
- https://netzero.green
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2021
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- NetZero produces biochar from tropical agricultural residues via pyrolysis, selling Puro Standard-certified carbon removal credits to enterprises and subsidized biochar to local farmers across facilities in Brazil and Cameroon, with a franchise model under development.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
NetZero industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Carbon Removal Services
- NAICS
- Fertilizer and Compost Manufacturing (32531)
- SIC
- Cogeneration Services & Small Power Producers (4991)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Biochar Production & Soil/Material Applications (EUABAFAC)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Biochar Carbon Projects (Biomass to Biochar & Soil Application) (EUABABAH), Biochar & Carbon-Based Soil Conditioners (AFABADAD), Biochar & Carbon-Based Soil Builders (AFABAKAG), Bio-based Carbon Products & Advanced Bioproducts (Biochar, activated carbon, carbon black alternatives) (EUAAAIAM), On-Farm Circularity & Waste Valorization (Residue Management, Biochar, Manure/Organic Waste Use) (AFAGAMAI), Forestry Residues Supply & Aggregation (Harvest Slash, Thinnings, Sawmill Residuals) (EUAAAFAA)
Keywords
Where NetZero is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Paris
- HQ country
- France
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices6 records
Markets served
NetZero business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Infrastructure, Operations, Technology or R&D, Personnel, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR) Credits: NetZero generates primary revenue from selling high-integrity carbon removal credits certified under the Puro Standard. Credits are priced at three digits per credit in euros, ensuring only unavoidable and hard-to-abate emissions are offset. The revenue enables subsidizing biochar prices for farmers and funding operations.
- Biochar Sales to Farmers and Cooperatives: NetZero sells biochar directly to farmers and agricultural cooperatives who supply the agricultural residues used as feedstock. The circular model creates local customers within a 30km radius of production facilities. Carbon credit revenue subsidizes prices to make biochar affordable.
- Renewable Energy Co-generation: The pyrolysis process generates syngas (renewable energy) that is partially used to sustain the production process and partially supplied to local partners as electricity or heat, creating an additional revenue stream from renewable energy sales.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Transaction based/ take rate | Multi-year contract | High-integrity carbon removal credits priced for hard-to-abate emissions only |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
NetZero product offering
Product offeringCore offering
NetZero produces biochar from tropical agricultural residues (coffee husk, sugarcane bagasse, cocoa shells, coconut shells, palm empty bunches) through proprietary pyrolysis at 550-700°C, then sells the biochar as a soil amendment to local farmers and sells high-integrity, Puro Standard-certified carbon removal credits to corporations with credible net-zero commitments. The company operates an end-to-end circular model within 30km of production facilities and is launching the NetZero One franchise model to scale deployment of its patented Gen2 production technology globally across the tropics.
Product overview
NetZero offers a unified portfolio centered on biochar production and carbon removal. The core offering combines physical biochar (produced through proprietary pyrolysis technology) with certified carbon removal credits, enabling companies to neutralize unavoidable emissions while supporting sustainable agriculture. The portfolio includes the Gen2 production technology platform (used in both owned facilities and the NetZero One franchise model) for deploying biochar production across tropical regions. Biochar is sold to farmers for soil application, while carbon credits are sold to corporations with credible net-zero commitments.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- NetZero One: Franchise model for biochar production that NetZero plans to expand across tropical countries.
Products and services
- Biochar Solid carbon produced from tropical agricultural residues through proprietary pyrolysis at 550-700°C and applied to soil for high-permanence carbon removal while durably improving soil quality, enabling higher crop yields and reduced fertilizer use. Sold to farmers and agricultural cooperatives within a 30km radius of production facilities.
- Carbon Removal Credits (CDR Credits) High-integrity carbon dioxide removal (CDR) credits certified under the Puro Standard (ICROA-endorsed), enabling corporations with credible net-zero roadmaps to neutralize unavoidable hard-to-abate emissions while supporting sustainable agriculture and rural development.
- NetZero One (Franchise Model) Franchise offering for biochar production using NetZero's proprietary Gen2 technology and Puro Standard methodology, enabling agricultural industry players in tropical regions to deploy biochar production at scale under the NetZero brand and certification framework.
- Gen2 Production Technology Second-generation proprietary biochar production technology platform delivering greater efficiency, reliability, modularity, and scalability versus the first-generation system. Deployed in owned facilities and licensed to franchise partners under the NetZero One model.
Quantifiable outcome
- Crop yield increase of +25% on average in tropical regions with biochar application at 1.5 kg/m2
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use NetZero
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
NetZero technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
NetZero partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- AtvoscoreNetZero partnered with sugarcane giant Atvos for a new biochar project in Brazil, marking entry into sugarcane biomass processing.
- NespressocoreNespresso joined NetZero and ECOM in the first integrated biochar project in the coffee value chain, combining Nespresso's sustainability commitments with NetZero's biochar production and ECOM's agricultural expertise.
- ECOM / EISAcoreNetZero and EISA (ECOM) announced a pioneering partnership for construction of a biochar factory in Machado (MG), Brazil, integrating biochar into coffee farming supply chains.
- Rothschild & CocoreRothschild & Co, a global banking and financial services group, announced a multi-year carbon removal partnership with NetZero, purchasing CDR credits to neutralize unavoidable emissions.
- Boston Consulting Group (BCG)coreBCG was NetZero's first carbon credit customer. BCG has SBTi-validated net-zero goals and committed to reach net-zero across all scopes by 2030.
- Solar Impulse FoundationminorAwarded NetZero the 'Efficient Solution' label recognizing innovative clean technology solutions that are economically viable.
- International Finance Corporation (IFC)coreNetZero partnered with IFC to scale up its model in African agricultural supply chains. IFC's ESG Performance Standards guide NetZero's environmental and social action plan.
- StellantisminorStellantis Ventures invested in NetZero as part of sustainable mobility innovation investments.
- L'OréalminorL'Oréal Fund for Nature Regeneration supports biodiversity preservation efforts and partners with companies like NetZero working on regenerative agriculture.
- CMA CGMminorCMA CGM, a global shipping and logistics company, partners with NetZero as part of its sustainability and climate commitments.
- Louis Dreyfus CompanyminorAgricultural commodities merchant Louis Dreyfus Company collaborates with NetZero on sustainable agricultural initiatives.
Scale indicators9 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
NetZero competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Puro.earth: Carbon removal registry and marketplace that issues the Puro Standard certification under which NetZero's biochar credits are sold. Directly comparable as the leading venue for high-integrity biochar and other engineered CDR credit issuance, and a core sales channel for NetZero's primary revenue stream.
- Charm Industrial: US-based biomass-to-carbon-removal company that converts agricultural residues into bio-oil and sequesters it underground. Directly comparable as a biomass-based engineered CDR producer selling high-integrity removal credits to enterprise buyers.
- Loam Bio: Australia-based biochar company producing microbial-treated biochar for agriculture, also selling carbon removal credits. Directly comparable as a biochar pure-play targeting both farmer soil benefits and corporate carbon credit offtake.
- CarbonOrO: Biochar producer developing industrial pyrolysis projects in emerging markets, including Africa, focused on agricultural residues. Directly comparable to NetZero in feedstock strategy (ag residues), geography (tropics), and dual business model of farmer biochar sales plus CDR credit issuance.
- Wakefield Biochar: US-based biochar producer selling both agricultural biochar and carbon removal credits. Directly comparable as a vertically integrated biochar company with dual farmer and corporate CDR offtake.
- Biochar Now: Colorado-based biochar producer operating one of North America's largest biochar facilities and selling both soil products and certified carbon removal credits. Comparable as an industrial-scale biochar CDR player targeting similar dual customer bases.
Broad incumbents
- Carbonfuture: German carbon credit platform specializing in biochar and other removal credits, providing registry, MRV, and sales infrastructure. Comparable as a marketplace and certification intermediary for biochar removal credits that NetZero competes with and could alternatively use to distribute its credits.
- Climeworks: Swiss direct air capture (DAC) leader and one of the largest high-integrity engineered CDR players, selling removal credits to enterprise buyers. Comparable as a competing durable CDR pathway chasing the same corporate net-zero budgets, though its technology (DAC+sorption) differs from NetZero's pyrolysis-based approach.
- Carbfix: Icelandic carbon mineralization CDR company that dissolves captured CO2 into basalt formations. Comparable as a competing durable engineered CDR pathway selling high-integrity removal credits to enterprise buyers.
Emerging players
- Caban Energy: UK-based tropical biochar developer converting agricultural residues into biochar and removal credits with projects in Africa and Asia. Comparable as an emerging biochar CDR peer focused on tropical/developing-market feedstock strategies similar to NetZero's.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
NetZero social profiles
Digital presenceNetZero compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance4 records
NetZero financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
NetZero leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles12 records
NetZero subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
NetZero funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds4 records
Investors7 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
NetZero M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about NetZero
What does NetZero do?
NetZero produces biochar from tropical agricultural residues (coffee husk, sugarcane bagasse, cocoa shells, coconut shells, palm empty bunches) through proprietary pyrolysis at 550-700°C, then sells the biochar as a soil amendment to local farmers and sells high-integrity, Puro Standard-certified carbon removal credits to corporations with credible net-zero commitments. The company operates an end-to-end circular model within 30km of production facilities and is launching the NetZero One franchise model to scale deployment of its patented Gen2 production technology globally across the tropics.
Is NetZero a public or private company?
NetZero is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was NetZero founded?
NetZero was founded in 2021. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is NetZero based?
NetZero is headquartered in Paris, France, in the Europe region.
How does NetZero make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR) Credits are the primary driver. The others are biochar Sales to Farmers and Cooperatives and renewable Energy Co-generation.
Who are NetZero's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Puro.earth, Charm Industrial, Loam Bio, CarbonOrO, Wakefield Biochar and Biochar Now. Broad incumbents are Carbonfuture, Climeworks and Carbfix. Caban Energy is listed as an emerging player.
Does NetZero have an API?
No public API is recorded for NetZero.
What industry is NetZero in?
NetZero's product category is Carbon Removal Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EUABAFAC, Biochar Production & Soil/Material Applications, with a secondary code of EUABABAH, Biochar Carbon Projects (Biomass to Biochar & Soil Application). Its NAICS code is 32531 and its SIC code is 4991.