Low Carbon Materials
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2022
- HeadquartersSeaham, United Kingdom
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Low Carbon Materials does
Low Carbon Materials (LCM) is a UK-based climate-tech company founded in 2022 and headquartered in County Durham that develops carbon-negative construction material additives. Its core products are ACLA, a biochar-mineral aggregate that permanently sequesters approximately 798 kg of CO2e per tonne via biochar and CO2 mineralisation pathways, and OSTO, a drop-in lightweight aggregate manufactured from waste streams that would otherwise be incinerated. Both are designed as drop-in solutions requiring no changes to existing asphalt or concrete manufacturing workflows, and ACLA additionally acts as a filter for water pollutants such as microplastics and phosphates.
LCM sells primarily to enterprise and government customers in the UK, including highway operators (National Highways), local authorities (Redbridge Council, Central Bedfordshire Council), major contractors (Murphy, Skanska, Huyton Asphalt, Tarmac), and building materials manufacturers (Ibstock), with the Duchy of Cornwall Nansledan housing project as a flagship residential deployment. The go-to-market combines direct enterprise field sales, a construction supply chain channel (Tarmac, Huyton Asphalt, Ibstock), and listing on the National Highways Low Carbon Opportunities Register. Revenue is generated through hardware sales of ACLA and OSTO via sales enquiry, with no public pricing; the company states its 2025 supply is sold out and is focused on securing 2026 supply.
The company has raised a £3 million Growth Acceleration Round led by Ada Ventures with Green Angel Ventures, Northstar Ventures, an Innovate UK grant, and Deloitte sponsorship, and has accumulated recognitions including PAS 2080 certification (the first start-up in the construction sector), Earthshot Prize Finalist (2022), Construct Zero Awards double win, BE100 SCALE winner (2025), and a Chelsea Flower Show Silver Medal (2025). A Q1 2026 PitchBook reference associating a $1.5 billion valuation with LCM appears to describe aggregate European climate-tech deal value rather than a company-confirmed valuation and should be treated cautiously.
Low Carbon Materials firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Low Carbon Materials
- Legal name
- Low Carbon Materials Ltd.
- Website
- https://lowcarbonmaterials.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2022
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Low Carbon Materials industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Low-Carbon Construction Materials
- NAICS
- Cement and Concrete Product Manufacturing (3273), Ground or Treated Mineral and Earth Manufacturing (327992)
- SIC
- Abrasive, Asbestos & Misc Nonmetallic Mineral Prods (3290), Miscellaneous Chemical Products (2890), Asphalt Paving & Roofing Materials (2950)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Mineralization & Carbon-Cured Materials (In-situ/Ex-situ) (EUABAFAD)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Bio-based Carbon Products & Advanced Bioproducts (Biochar, activated carbon, carbon black alternatives) (EUAAAIAM), Functional Carbon Fillers (Carbon Black, Graphite) (IMAEAFAO)
Keywords
Where Low Carbon Materials is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Seaham
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Low Carbon Materials business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- ACLA® Sales: Sale of carbon-negative biochar-mineral aggregate (ACLA®) for use in asphalt and concrete. Sold directly to construction companies, contractors, and local authorities. Product is available in two sizes (0-2mm and 2-8mm).
- OSTO® Sales: Sale of lightweight aggregate made from waste materials for concrete applications. Provides circular economy solution to construction industry.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Direct sales to enterprise customers via enquiry |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
Low Carbon Materials product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Low Carbon Materials develops and manufactures carbon-negative biochar-mineral aggregate additives for the construction industry. Its flagship products ACLA® (for asphalt and concrete) and OSTO® (lightweight aggregate for concrete) are drop-in solutions that permanently sequester CO2 within construction materials, enabling carbon-negative asphalt and concrete without changes to existing manufacturing or laying workflows.
Product overview
Low Carbon Materials offers two core products: ACLA® and OSTO®. ACLA® is a carbon-negative biochar-mineral aggregate additive that can be integrated into both asphalt and concrete to create permanent carbon sinks, achieving -798kg CO2e per tonne. OSTO® is a lightweight aggregate made from waste materials (that would otherwise be incinerated) for use in concrete applications, providing circular economy benefits and CO2 mineralisation. Both products are designed as 'drop-in' solutions requiring minimal changes to existing manufacturing and construction workflows.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- ACLA®: Carbon-negative biochar-mineral aggregate additive for asphalt and concrete that permanently locks carbon into construction materials. Achieves -798kg CO2e/T and has been deployed in over 40 projects including motorways and car parks.
- OSTO®
Products and services
- ACLA® ACLA® is a high-performance, carbon-negative biochar-mineral aggregate additive designed to turn concrete and asphalt into permanent carbon sinks. It permanently removes approximately 798kg CO2e per tonne and is available in two sizes (0-2mm and 2-8mm) for use in both asphalt and concrete applications. It is sold to construction companies, contractors, and local authorities.
- OSTO® OSTO® is a high-performance, drop-in lightweight aggregate made from waste products that would otherwise be incinerated. It provides an ultra-low carbon alternative to conventional lightweight aggregates like expanded clay, with CO2 mineralisation properties that convert carbon dioxide into stable carbonate within the material matrix. Designed for concrete applications including blockwork for residential construction.
Quantifiable outcome
- ACLA removes 798kg CO2e per tonne produced
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Low Carbon Materials
Customer profileNamed customers9 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Low Carbon Materials technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Low Carbon Materials partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Ten partnerships are on record, tiered flagship and core.
- Greentown LabsflagshipClimate tech incubator selected LCM as one of five startups for Greentown Go Build 2026 coalition focused on CO2 mineralisation technologies. Program involves collaboration with Amazon and Global CO2 Initiative to develop lower-carbon construction materials.
- AmazonflagshipPartner in Greentown Go Build 2026 program alongside Greentown Labs and Global CO2 Initiative, focused on carbon dioxide mineralisation technologies for decarbonising the built environment.
- Global CO2 InitiativeflagshipPartner in Greentown Go Build 2026 program supporting development and deployment of CO2 mineralisation technologies in construction materials.
- National HighwaysflagshipGovernment-owned road operator trialling LCM's carbon-negative aggregate on motorways (A64, M11). Listed ACLA on National Highways Low Carbon Opportunities Register. Collaborating on testing and specification compliance.
- SkanskacoreCollaborated with LCM on testing of ACLA carbon-negative aggregate for UK road network decarbonisation.
- TarmacflagshipMajor construction materials company collaborating on multiple projects including carbon-negative car park and Chelsea Flower Show concrete. Tarmac precast elements and provides technical product support.
- Huyton AsphaltcoreSurfacing contractor that proactively introduced ACLA solution, developed over 18 months of collaboration. Provided lower-carbon surfacing solutions since 2020.
- MurphycoreConstruction and infrastructure company that incorporated ACLA into carbon-negative car park at One Murphy Hub depot in Golborne, demonstrating innovation in low carbon infrastructure delivery.
- IbstockcoreManufacturer of blockwork using LCM's OSTO aggregate for Duchy of Cornwall sustainable housing project at Nansledan. Partnership demonstrates circular economy benefits of low-impact materials.
- GetjarcoreDeveloped world-first net zero concrete mix combining ACLA, oyster shells, and calcined clay for Asthma + Lung UK Breathing Space Garden at Chelsea Flower Show.
Scale indicators8 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Low Carbon Materials competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- CarbonBuilt: US-based developer of CO2-sequestering concrete formulations used in masonry blocks and precast products. Direct peer to LCM: both target embodied-carbon reduction in concrete products via CO2 mineralisation and pursue similar block/aggregate manufacturer partnerships.
- Solidia Technologies: US-based company using CO2 curing to produce low-carbon concrete and masonry products with permanent mineralised carbon storage. Directly comparable to LCM in chemistry approach (CO2 mineralisation in cementitious systems) and target market (precast concrete products).
- CarbiCrete: Canadian-based producer of carbon-negative concrete masonry units made by injecting CO2 into steel-slag-based cement-free mixes. Closely aligned with LCM in deploying CO2 mineralisation as a drop-in construction material and selling via established block manufacturers.
- Neocrete: New Zealand-based startup developing CO2-cured concrete admixtures and aggregates. Identified alongside Low Carbon Materials in the Greentown Go Build 2026 coalition focused on CO2 mineralisation for construction; comparable technology stack, application focus, and stage.
- Brimstone: California-based producer of carbon-negative Portland cement made from CO2 and calcium silicate feedstocks. Comparable to LCM in targeting the cement/concrete value chain with CO2-mineralised binders, but at the cement-clinker level rather than as an additive.
- CarbonCure Technologies: Canadian-based company that injects captured CO2 into ready-mix concrete during batching, where it mineralises permanently. Most direct comparable to Low Carbon Materials: both sell carbon-sequestering concrete inputs via construction supply chains and pursue embodied-carbon reduction as the core value proposition.
Broad incumbents
- CRH plc: Irish-based global building materials group and parent of Tarmac (LCM's flagship UK channel partner). Indirectly comparable as the incumbent that aggregates construction-materials demand; CRH's own decarbonisation investments compete with LCM's value proposition.
- Heidelberg Materials: One of the world's largest building materials groups (parent of Hanson UK), with a low-carbon cement and concrete portfolio including the Evocrete CO2-mineralised concrete range. Competes with LCM via scale, distribution, and incumbency in UK infrastructure; not a niche specialist.
- CEMEX: Mexican-based global building materials company with Vertua low-carbon concrete and net-zero cement products. Overlaps with LCM's end-markets (asphalt and concrete) and increasingly competes on embodied-carbon specifications in UK and Europe.
- Holcim: Global building materials major with the ECOPlanet low-carbon cement range and ECOPact low-carbon concrete. Competes with LCM across multiple geographies with much broader product lines; relevant due to overlap in decarbonised construction materials.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Low Carbon Materials social profiles
Digital presenceLow Carbon Materials compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
Low Carbon Materials financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Low Carbon Materials leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles10 records
Low Carbon Materials funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds2 records
Investors4 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Low Carbon Materials 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 Low Carbon Materials
What does Low Carbon Materials do?
Low Carbon Materials develops and manufactures carbon-negative biochar-mineral aggregate additives for the construction industry. Its flagship products ACLA® (for asphalt and concrete) and OSTO® (lightweight aggregate for concrete) are drop-in solutions that permanently sequester CO2 within construction materials, enabling carbon-negative asphalt and concrete without changes to existing manufacturing or laying workflows.
Is Low Carbon Materials a public or private company?
Low Carbon Materials is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Low Carbon Materials founded?
Low Carbon Materials was founded in 2022. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Low Carbon Materials based?
Low Carbon Materials is headquartered in Seaham, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Low Carbon Materials make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. ACLA® Sales are the primary driver. The others are OSTO® Sales.
Who are Low Carbon Materials's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are CarbonBuilt, Solidia Technologies, CarbiCrete, Neocrete, Brimstone and CarbonCure Technologies. Broad incumbents are CRH plc, Heidelberg Materials, CEMEX and Holcim.
Does Low Carbon Materials have an API?
No public API is recorded for Low Carbon Materials.
What industry is Low Carbon Materials in?
Low Carbon Materials's product category is Low-Carbon Construction Materials. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EUABAFAD, Mineralization & Carbon-Cured Materials (In-situ/Ex-situ), with a secondary code of EUAAAIAM, Bio-based Carbon Products & Advanced Bioproducts (Biochar, activated carbon, carbon black alternatives). Its NAICS code is 3273 and its SIC code is 3290.