Minus Materials
Minus Materials is a Boulder-based materials startup that grows carbon-negative, biorenewable limestone using microalgae for sale to cement manufacturers seeking to decarbonize cement production. The company was spun out of the University of Colorado Boulder and operates at a pre-revenue, sample-stage commercialization level.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2021
- HeadquartersBoulder, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Minus Materials does
Minus Materials is a Boulder, Colorado-based materials startup spun out of the University of Colorado Boulder that grows carbon-negative, biorenewable limestone using microalgae. The company's core product is biogenic limestone produced through a biological cultivation process, designed as a replacement or supplement for conventional quarried limestone used in cement manufacturing. By substituting traditional limestone — a major source of industrial CO2 emissions — with a biologically produced input that captures carbon, Minus Materials targets cement producers and construction firms seeking to decarbonize their supply chains and meet corporate carbon-neutral commitments.
The company's underlying technology is a microalgae-based production platform that converts CO2 into limestone through biological fixation, representing a fundamentally different production architecture versus the energy-intensive mining, crushing, and calcining of conventional limestone. The technology originated as university research and is being commercialized as a single-product offering focused on the cement value chain. The company holds no publicly disclosed patents in the source data and is operating at a pre-revenue, sample-stage commercialization level.
Minus Materials operates a B2B enterprise sales motion targeting major cement producers and large technology and construction companies with sustainability mandates. Revenue, when generated, is expected to flow through direct sales of biogenic limestone to cement manufacturers. Pricing is not publicly disclosed. The company has received $275,000 in seed funding from SOSV (formerly IndieBio) in August 2022, and has supplied evaluation samples to Microsoft, signaling early enterprise interest but no commercial offtake. Headcount is 1-10 employees, consistent with an early R&D and pilot-stage organization.
Minus Materials firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Minus Materials
- Legal name
- Minus Materials
- Website
- https://minusmaterials.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2021
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Minus Materials is a Boulder-based materials startup that grows carbon-negative, biorenewable limestone using microalgae for sale to cement manufacturers seeking to decarbonize cement production. The company was spun out of the University of Colorado Boulder and operates at a pre-revenue, sample-stage commercialization level.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Minus Materials industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Sustainable Construction Materials
- NAICS
- Crushed and Broken Limestone Mining and Quarrying (212312)
- SIC
- Mining & Quarrying Of Nonmetallic Minerals (No Fuels) (1400)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Calcium Carbonate (GCC/PCC) (IMAEAFAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Limestone Quarrying (Industrial & Construction Grade) (IMAKAHAC), Cementitious Binders & Additives (Fly Ash, Slag, Silica Fume, Lime) (IMADAAAH)
Keywords
Where Minus Materials is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Boulder
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Minus Materials business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Operations, Supply Chain, Personnel, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Biogenic Limestone Supply: The company produces biogenic limestone from microalgae for sale to cement manufacturers. As a materials supplier to the cement industry, revenue is generated through the sale of their limestone product to cement producers seeking to reduce their carbon footprint.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Minus Materials product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Minus Materials produces biogenic limestone from cultivated microalgae for sale to cement manufacturers. The material serves as a sustainable replacement or supplement for conventional quarried limestone used in cement production, enabling carbon-neutral or carbon-negative cement manufacturing by capturing carbon through the biological growth process rather than releasing it during calcination.
Product overview
Minus Materials offers a single product category: biogenic limestone produced through microalgae cultivation, specifically developed as an alternative input material for the cement industry to enable carbon-neutral cement production.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Biogenic Limestone A physical limestone material produced via microalgae cultivation, intended for cement manufacturers seeking to reduce or eliminate process-related carbon emissions. The product is supplied to industrial cement producers and partners evaluating carbon-neutral construction material inputs.
Quantifiable outcome
- Cement production carbon neutral
Companies that use Minus Materials
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments1 record
Ideal customer profiles1 record
Minus Materials technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
Minus Materials partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- MicrosoftminorMicrosoft received samples of Minus Materials' biogenic limestone product for evaluation. This represents an early-stage partnership where a major technology company is assessing the product for potential use in carbon-neutral construction applications.
Scale indicators1 record
Recent moves4 records
Expansion highlights3 records
Minus Materials competitors and assessment
Company assessmentMarket position
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights5 records
Customer concentration
Minus Materials social profiles
Digital presenceMinus Materials financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Minus Materials leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Minus Materials funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors2 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Minus 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 Minus Materials
What does Minus Materials do?
Minus Materials produces biogenic limestone from cultivated microalgae for sale to cement manufacturers. The material serves as a sustainable replacement or supplement for conventional quarried limestone used in cement production, enabling carbon-neutral or carbon-negative cement manufacturing by capturing carbon through the biological growth process rather than releasing it during calcination.
Is Minus Materials a public or private company?
Minus Materials is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Minus Materials founded?
Minus Materials was founded in 2021. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Minus Materials based?
Minus Materials is headquartered in Boulder, United States, in the North America region.
How does Minus Materials make money?
One revenue line is on record: biogenic Limestone Supply.
Does Minus Materials have an API?
No public API is recorded for Minus Materials.
What industry is Minus Materials in?
Minus Materials's product category is Sustainable Construction Materials. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMAEAFAA, Calcium Carbonate (GCC/PCC), with a secondary code of IMAKAHAC, Limestone Quarrying (Industrial & Construction Grade). Its NAICS code is 212312 and its SIC code is 1400.