What Releaf Earth does

Releaf Earth (legal entity: Releaf MarketPlace Nigeria Limited) is a Nigerian climate technology company that converts agricultural waste into biochar for permanent carbon sequestration and soil regeneration, operating from its headquarters in Cross River State, Nigeria. The company's vertically integrated platform combines three proprietary components: the Kraken hardware system — a patented palm nut de-shelling technology specialized for smallholder oil palm varieties that operates 25 times faster than local cracking equipment and delivers 95% purity output versus an 88% industry standard; the SITE geospatial mapping platform, co-developed with Stanford University, which uses ArcGIS-based location intelligence to plan optimal biochar facility placement based on feedstock proximity, crop density, road networks, and weather patterns; and a pyrolysis-based biochar production process yielding a certified premium product with 81% fixed carbon content meeting EBC, IBI, Airminers, Biochar Euler, and Global Carbon Alliance standards.

Releaf generates revenue across multiple streams: selling verified biochar carbon removal credits to corporate buyers via carbon market platforms (Milkywire, Ceezer) and direct enterprise sales; selling premium oil palm products (palm kernel oil at 95% purity); distributing agricultural biochar through licensed distributor stores in Nigeria; and offering Kraken technology licensing and franchising for biochar production across Africa. The company's go-to-market operates across three motions: B2B direct sales to consumer goods manufacturers and carbon credit buyers, distribution through licensed resellers for biochar product, and a direct-to-farmer sourcing model via USSD short-code (*347*80#) that bypasses smartphones to engage dispersed smallholder producers.

Releaf's target customers span three segments: corporate carbon offset buyers seeking verifiable, large-scale removal credits (a market where biochar represented 94% of 2023 carbon removals globally); consumer goods manufacturers requiring traceable palm oil supply chains; and smallholder oil palm farmers who supply palm nuts to Releaf and benefit from premium pricing, year-round processing, and biochar soil amendments (with a stated 40% yield improvement target). Strategic partnerships with Stanford University, RMI, IITA, and Eurofins provide academic validation, renewable energy expertise, agricultural research support, and independent lab testing. The company was founded in 2017 by Ikenna Nzewi (CEO) and Uzoma Ayogu (CTO), is headquartered in Lagos with operations in Cross River State, employs 51–100 people, and has raised over $10 million across seed, grant, and pre-Series A rounds led by Y Combinator, Samurai Incubate Africa, and Consonance Investment Managers.

Name

Releaf Earth

Legal name

Releaf MarketPlace Nigeria Limited

Website

https://wereleaf.earth

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Releaf Earth is a Nigerian climate technology company that uses its patented Kraken de-shelling hardware and Stanford-co-developed SITE geospatial platform to convert oil palm agricultural waste into certified biochar for permanent carbon sequestration, serving corporate carbon credit buyers, consumer goods manufacturers, and Nigerian smallholder farmers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Biochar Carbon Removal

NAICS

Fertilizer and Compost Manufacturing (32531)

akta.pro primary industry

Biochar Production & Soil/Material Applications (EUABAFAC)

Keywords

• Biochar carbon removal
• Palm nut processing
• Carbon offset credits
• Geospatial mapping platform
• Agricultural processing hardware

Headquarters

HQ city

Lagos

HQ country

Nigeria

HQ region

Africa

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Biochar Carbon Removal Credits: Releaf Earth generates revenue by producing and selling biochar carbon removal credits (BCR) to corporate buyers and organizations seeking to offset their carbon emissions. Biochar represented 94% of 2023 carbon removals globally.
2. Premium Oil Palm Products: Releaf buys nuts from smallholder farmers and processes them using Kraken technology, producing premium oil palm products including palm kernel oil with 95% purity (exceeding 88% industry standard).
3. Biochar Sales: Releaf's biochar is sold to licensed distributor stores. The biochar is available for purchase by farmers, climate projects, and sustainability partners.
4. Technology Licensing and Franchising: Releaf offers Kraken technology licensing and franchising opportunities for biochar production, allowing others to deploy their processing technology.
5. SITE Platform Services: SITE geospatial mapping solutions are used for planning biochar projects and providing location intelligence to carbon removal credit buyers for supply chain transparency.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Releaf Earth produces industrial-scale biochar for carbon sequestration and soil amendment using proprietary palm nut processing technology. The company operates Kraken hardware to de-shell palm nuts from smallholder farmers, converting resulting palm kernel shells into biochar through pyrolysis. It sells biochar carbon removal credits to corporate buyers and premium agricultural biochar to farmers through licensed distributor stores.

Product overview

Releaf Earth is a climate technology company operating a modular platform focused on biochar carbon removal. The core offerings include Kraken (proprietary palm nut de-shelling hardware technology), SITE (proprietary geospatial mapping and supply chain intelligence platform), and Biochar Carbon Removal Credits (carbon sequestration product). These products work together in an integrated workflow: Kraken processes palm nuts from smallholder farmers, producing palm kernel shells that are converted into biochar via pyrolysis, while SITE optimizes facility location planning and provides supply chain transparency for carbon credit buyers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Kraken: Patented palm nut de-shelling technology that processes palm nuts 25 times faster than local cracking equipment and 240 times faster than hand-shelling, delivering 95% purity output.
• SITE
• Biochar

Quantifiable outcome

• 25x faster processing than local cracking equipment, 240x faster than hand-shelling
• +7 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Stanford UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated with Stanford to develop SITE geospatial mapping application. Stanford validated key GIS insights including oil palm cluster ages and yield determinants. Research published in academic journals.
• RMI (Rocky Mountain Institute)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership leverages renewable energy solutions to drive sustainable growth and resilience in agricultural value chains.
• IITA (International Institute of Tropical Agriculture)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration advances agricultural sustainability through innovative technologies and support for smallholder farmers across Nigeria.
• Biochar Euler (BE)minorOthersBiochar Euler provides certification for Releaf's biochar products, verifying they meet European Biochar Certificate (EBC) standards.
• AirminersminorOthersAirminers provides certification for Releaf's biochar carbon removal projects.
• Global Carbon Alliance (GCA)minorOthersGCA provides certification supporting Releaf's biochar carbon removal claims.
• MilkywireminorOthersCarbon market platform partner supporting carbon credit distribution and verification.
• CeezerminorOthersCarbon market platform partner for Releaf's biochar carbon removal credit sales.

Scale indicators14 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Charm Industrial: Charm Industrial is a US-based biochar/biogenic CO2 removal company converting biomass into stable carbon-rich liquid for underground sequestration. Both companies pursue industrial-scale biochar/carbon removal via pyrolysis of agricultural waste, targeting corporate buyers of high-integrity carbon removal credits.
• Carbonfuture: Carbonfuture is a carbon credit marketplace and MRV platform specializing in biochar and nature-based removal projects. Both companies sell biochar carbon removal credits with third-party-verified MRV (EBC/Puro.VERRA standards) to corporate buyers, with Releaf's credits distributed via Carbonfuture partner channels like Milkywire and Ceezer.
• Pachama: Pachama is a digital marketplace for nature-based and tech-based carbon credits, including biochar removal projects. Both companies sell verified carbon removal credits to corporate buyers with supply chain transparency, though Pachama is primarily a marketplace while Releaf is an integrated producer-plus-platform.
• Octavia Carbon: Octavia Carbon is a Kenya-based DAC (direct air capture) and carbon removal project developer operating across Africa. Both companies are Africa-headquartered carbon removal startups targeting the voluntary carbon market with permanent removal credits, though Octavia focuses on DAC while Releaf focuses on biochar.

Emerging players

• Carboneers: Carboneers is an early-stage biochar carbon removal project developer producing biochar from agricultural residues. Both companies convert biomass waste into biochar for sale as carbon removal credits, but Carboneers is smaller-scale and Europe-based versus Releaf's industrial-scale African operations.
• Terraprima: Terraprima is a Portuguese carbon project developer focused on soil carbon sequestration and biochar application in agriculture. Both companies develop biochar-based carbon removal projects with MRV/verification for corporate buyers, though Terraprima focuses on European agricultural soil carbon while Releaf operates in African palm oil value chains.

Broad incumbents

• Sistema.bio: Sistema.bio is a Mexico/Kenya-based biogas and biofertilizer producer serving smallholder farmers globally. Both companies serve smallholder farmers with biomass-to-product (biogas/biochar) conversion technology targeting rural agricultural markets in emerging economies.
• Indigo Ag: Indigo Ag is a US-based agricultural technology company that includes carbon credit generation (Indigo Carbon) from agricultural practices. Both companies sell agricultural carbon credits to corporate buyers, though Indigo focuses on regenerative farming soil carbon while Releaf focuses on biochar-based durable removal.
• CropX: CropX is an Israeli agtech company providing soil sensing and farm management software. Both companies leverage geospatial and soil data analytics for agricultural optimization, though CropX sells precision farming SaaS while Releaf's SITE platform is purpose-built for biochar facility siting and supply chain transparency.

Regional players

• African Clean Energy: African Clean Energy (ACE) is a Lesotho-based clean cooking and biomass energy company producing cookstoves and biochar. Both companies operate in African biomass-to-energy/biochar markets serving rural communities, though ACE focuses on household cooking while Releaf focuses on industrial-scale carbon removal.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-releaf-group
• Xx.com/ReleafEarth
• Facebookfacebook.com/releaf.africa

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds11 records

Investors20 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 Releaf Earth