ETCH

What ETCH does

ETCH, Inc. is a Baltimore, Maryland-based private decarbonization technology company that commercializes the patented ETCH Process™, a closed-loop methane decomposition method that converts natural gas into pure hydrogen and solid carbon without generating CO2 emissions and without requiring water. The proprietary thermochemistry, developed at Johns Hopkins University by founder and CTO Jonah Erlebacher under DOE ARPA-E funding beginning in 2015, uses a recyclable catalyst built from earth-abundant domestically sourced minerals and achieves near 100% conversion efficiency at any scale. The core hardware product is the Methane Decomposition Reactor (MDR); the dual outputs are gaseous hydrogen and pure solid carbon (at a ratio of 3+ tons of carbon per ton of hydrogen), with the carbon suitable for carbon black, activated carbon, synthetic graphite, and ultimately carbon fiber applications. The company operates under a Build-Own-Operate model: ETCH designs, installs, and operates on-site hydrogen production facilities of up to 5,000 kg/day at partner sites, with the partner providing land and collaborating on co-design and engineering under multi-year hydrogen supply contracts. ETCH handles carbon removal from the site, retaining optionality to sell the solid carbon to industrial markets or transfer it to partners. The company raised $7.5 million in seed funding from Emerald Development Managers LP in July 2023 and is actively seeking 1-2 strategic partners for first early deployment.

Name

ETCH

Legal name

ETCH, Inc.

Website

https://etchmaterials.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

ETCH, Inc. commercializes a patented methane decomposition process that converts natural gas into hydrogen and solid carbon with zero CO2 emissions, targeting heavy industries and natural gas operators via on-site Build-Own-Operate hydrogen production partnerships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Clean Hydrogen Production

NAICS

Industrial Gas Manufacturing (32512), Petrochemical Manufacturing (32511)

SIC

Industrial Inorganic Chemicals (2810), Industrial Organic Chemicals (2860)

akta.pro primary industry

Hydrogen (Industrial & Mobility) (IMAEACAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Hydrogen & Derivative Fuels for Industry (H₂, Ammonia, Methanol) (EUABAJAC), Refinery Hydrogen & Utilities Systems (SMR/ATR, Steam, Power, Water) (EUALAGAI)

Keywords

• Clean hydrogen production
• Methane decomposition technology
• Industrial decarbonization solutions
• Solid carbon byproducts
• On-site hydrogen generation

Headquarters

HQ city

Chevy Chase

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Hydrogen Sales: ETCH designs, installs, and operates on-site hydrogen production facilities (up to 5 metric tons/day capacity) and sells hydrogen to partners under supply contracts for the duration of the project, with possibility of extension.
2. Solid Carbon Sales: ETCH handles and removes carbon from partner sites. ETCH may sell the solid carbon produced (carbon black, activated carbon, synthetic graphite) or may provide carbon to partners who have a need for it.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

ETCH commercializes a patented chemical process (the ETCH Process™) that splits natural gas (methane) into hydrogen and solid carbon with zero CO2 emissions, using a recyclable catalyst based on earth-abundant, domestically sourced minerals and no water. The company designs, installs, and operates on-site hydrogen production facilities (up to 5,000 kg/day capacity) at partner industrial sites and supplies the resulting hydrogen under long-term contracts, while handling and selling (or transferring) the co-produced solid carbon.

Product overview

ETCH is a decarbonization technology company offering The ETCH Process™, a patented methane decomposition technology that converts natural gas into hydrogen and solid carbon with zero CO2 emissions and no water use. The product portfolio centers on The ETCH Process™ as the core technology, which enables Hydrogen Production as the primary output and Solid Carbon Products as valuable byproducts. ETCH's Methane Decomposition Reactors (MDRs) are the physical systems implementing the technology, available as Commercial Hydrogen Production Facilities deployed on-site at partner locations. The ETCH Process™ is scalable from small distributed uses to utility-scale production, delivering hydrogen at competitive costs targeting under $1/kg.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• On-Site Hydrogen Production Facility ETCH designs, installs, and operates on-site hydrogen production facilities based on the ETCH Process™ at partner industrial sites, with a proposed unit capacity of up to 5 metric tons (5,000 kg) of hydrogen per day. Partners provide land, collaborate on design and engineering, provide operational data, and enter multi-year supply contracts for the duration of the project. ETCH also handles and removes the co-produced carbon unless the partner has a use for it.
• Solid Carbon Byproducts Pure solid carbon produced as a co-product of ETCH's methane decomposition process (at least three tons per ton of hydrogen), suitable for sale into carbon black, activated carbon, synthetic graphite markets, and pursuit of higher-value applications such as carbon fiber. Carbon is handled and removed by ETCH from partner sites or provided to partners with a need for it.

Quantifiable outcome

• Near 100% conversion of natural gas to hydrogen regardless of scale
• +4 more outcomes

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 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 minor.

• Johns Hopkins UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerETCH technology was formulated in the labs of Johns Hopkins University by Prof. Jonah Erlebacher, Ph.D. Dean Ed Schlesinger expressed support for ETCH as it moves forward. The company builds on foundational chemistry discovered at JHU.
• ACMEminorOthersACME logo is shown in the Partners section of the ETCH website. Nature of partnership not specified in available source material.
• GevominorOthersKatie Ellet, CEO, currently serves on the board of Gevo, a renewable chemical and biofuels company. This represents a board position rather than a commercial partnership.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Air Products: Air Products is one of the world's largest hydrogen producers, operating SMR-based and electrolyzer-based hydrogen assets globally and leading several DOE Hydrogen Hub projects. It is a major incumbent customer and competitor in the same target markets ETCH is pursuing.
• ITM Power: ITM Power is a UK-based PEM electrolyzer manufacturer focused on green hydrogen for industry, transport, and power. It is an incumbent competing technology provider addressing overlapping industrial customer demand for clean hydrogen.
• Linde: Linde is a global industrial gases major with extensive hydrogen supply, pipeline, and merchant operations. It competes with ETCH across industrial hydrogen supply and is simultaneously a potential partner or anchor customer for on-site deployments.
• Nel ASA: Nel ASA is a leading global electrolyzer manufacturer supplying alkaline and PEM systems for green hydrogen production. It is a broad incumbent alternative pathway competing for the same decarbonization budgets and customer RFPs that ETCH targets.
• Plug Power: Plug Power is a leading US hydrogen and fuel cell company with end-to-end hydrogen production, distribution, and mobility offerings. It competes with ETCH for industrial hydrogen offtake and for DOE Hydrogen Hub participation, though it is primarily focused on electrolyzer-based green hydrogen.
• Cummins (Accelera by Cummins): Accelera, the zero-carbon business of Cummins, includes electrolyzer manufacturing and hydrogen solutions for industrial and mobility customers. It represents a broad incumbent in the hydrogen ecosystem competing for the same decarbonization capital and customers.

Regional players

• Hazer Group: Hazer Group (Australia) commercializes a methane splitting process that produces hydrogen and synthetic graphite, with operational pilots underway. It is technologically and commercially analogous to ETCH but operates primarily in the Australian and Asia-Pacific markets, making it a regional rather than head-to-head peer.

Direct peers

• Monolith Materials: Monolith produces both hydrogen and carbon black from natural gas via a thermal methane decomposition process, making it the most directly comparable peer. ETCH's newly hired COO Pankaj Chadha previously served as Senior Director at Monolith, underscoring the close technology and commercial overlap.
• C-Zero: C-Zero is a US-based climate technology company developing methane pyrolysis to produce clean hydrogen and solid carbon. It targets the same dual-product decarbonization value proposition as ETCH and serves as a direct competitor for early industrial partners and capital.

Emerging players

• KeyState Energy: KeyState Energy is an early-stage US hydrogen company focused on low-cost clean hydrogen production. While it pursues a different production pathway, it is targeting the same industrial decarbonization customers as ETCH and is competing for early deployment sites and DOE Hub allocations.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/etch-materials

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors2 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 ETCH