Carbon Drawdown Initiative
Carbon Drawdown Initiative is a German philanthropic foundation that accelerates the carbon dioxide removal industry through early-stage investments in 30+ CDR startups across 14 countries, enhanced rock weathering research, and co-founding of CDR policy organizations.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2020
- HeadquartersFürth, Germany
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Carbon Drawdown Initiative does
Carbon Drawdown Initiative (legal entity: Carbon Drawdown Initiative Carbdown GmbH) is a privately held philanthropic organization founded in 2019/2020 and based in Fürth, Germany, with a small team of 1–10 employees led by founder and CEO Dirk Paessler (former CEO of Paessler AG) and CTO Ralf Steffens. The organization's stated mission is to accelerate the creation and growth of the carbon dioxide removal (CDR) industry through three operational levers: (1) impact capital — providing super-early-stage investments to CDR startups via a portfolio of more than 30 companies across 14 countries that CDI describes as the largest private CDR fund by investment count; (2) policy work — co-founding and leading industry bodies NEP, DVNE, and CRIA to shape CDR frameworks in Germany and Europe; and (3) hands-on scientific work — operating the world's largest greenhouse experiment for enhanced rock weathering (ERW) with 400+ lysimeter pots generating more than 4 million data points daily, in collaboration with 14+ universities globally, and publishing open MRV research including an electrical conductivity proxy for total alkalinity (r ~0.95 correlation).
CDI's core products and assets are therefore non-commercial: a philanthropic investment program spanning DAC (Climeworks, Octavia Carbon), biochar (Syncraft, Cotierra), enhanced rock weathering (InPlanet, Flux, Lithos, Silicate, Eion, Silica, Tropicarbon), MRV infrastructure (Carbonfuture, Everest, AEROC), and emerging pathways (Sequestra, Syntopa); an ERW research platform consisting of greenhouse and XXL lysimeter experiments plus open scientific datasets on GitHub and Zenodo; and CDR-Shops.com, a two-sided online directory marketplace for CDR certificates intended to address the cold-start problem in carbon removal markets. CDI is funded by a family foundation, does not sell products or services at price points, has no disclosed commercial revenue, and has not raised external venture capital. Its customer base in the traditional sense comprises CDR startups (capital recipients), academic researchers (collaboration partners), and policymakers (advocacy counterparties) — engagement is structured through grants, investments, publications, and the annual Carbon Drawdown Symposium rather than commercial sales motions.
Carbon Drawdown Initiative firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Carbon Drawdown Initiative
- Legal name
- Carbon Drawdown Initiative Carbdown GmbH
- Website
- https://carbon-drawdown.de
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2020
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Carbon Drawdown Initiative is a German philanthropic foundation that accelerates the carbon dioxide removal industry through early-stage investments in 30+ CDR startups across 14 countries, enhanced rock weathering research, and co-founding of CDR policy organizations.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Carbon Drawdown Initiative industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Climate Tech Impact Investment
- NAICS
- Scientific Research and Development Services (5417), Environmental Consulting Services (541620)
- SIC
- Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Carbon Removal Project Development, Financing & Offtake (Developers, Aggregators, Buyers Clubs) (EUABAFAL)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Carbon Offtake Structuring & Contracting (ERPA, Long-term Offtakes, Price Floors) (EUABADAE), Carbon Neutrality/Claims Strategy & Communications (claims substantiation, greenwashing risk) (EUABAKAK), Project-Originated Carbon Credit Marketing & Offtake (Primary Market) (EUAGAIAC)
Keywords
Where Carbon Drawdown Initiative is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Fürth
- HQ country
- Germany
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
Carbon Drawdown Initiative business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Philanthropic funding: Carbon Drawdown Initiative is a philanthropic project of a family foundation. They provide impact capital to CDR startups through grants and investments, not revenue-generating operations.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels5 records
Carbon Drawdown Initiative product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Carbon Drawdown Initiative is a philanthropic project of a family foundation that accelerates the carbon dioxide removal (CDR) industry through three levers: (1) impact capital — providing super-early funding to CDR startups (over 30 investments in 14 countries, including Climeworks, InPlanet, Octavia, and Syncraft); (2) hands-on scientific research on enhanced rock weathering (ERW), including the world's largest greenhouse experiment with 400+ lysimeter pots; and (3) policy advocacy through co-founding industry organizations NEP, DVNE, and CRIA. The organization also operates CDR-Shops.com, an online directory/marketplace connecting CDR certificate buyers and sellers.
Product overview
Carbon Drawdown Initiative is a philanthropic organization (project of a family foundation) dedicated to accelerating the carbon dioxide removal (CDR) industry since 2019. The organization operates across three main pillars: (1) impact investments in CDR startups through its portfolio investment program spanning 30+ investments across 14 countries, (2) hands-on scientific research centered on enhanced rock weathering (ERW) including the world's largest greenhouse experiment and field lysimeter studies, and (3) CDR-Shops.com, an online directory/marketplace connecting CDR buyers with sellers. The organization also conducts policy advocacy work and hosts the annual Carbon Drawdown Symposium to advance ERW science.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- CDR-Shops.com An online directory and two-sided marketplace platform connecting CDR certificate buyers with suppliers of carbon dioxide removal, helping address the cold-start problem in the carbon removal market.
- CDR Portfolio Investment Program Philanthropically-funded impact investment program providing super-early capital to carbon dioxide removal startups across direct air capture, biochar, enhanced rock weathering, and MRV infrastructure companies.
- Enhanced Rock Weathering Research Program Hands-on scientific research program on enhanced rock weathering as a carbon dioxide removal pathway, including the world's largest greenhouse experiment with 400+ lysimeter pots, XXL lysimeter field experiments, and collaborations with 14+ universities globally, focused on MRV methodologies such as alkalinity measurements, EC sensors, and CO2 efflux monitoring.
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 30 investments made in CDR companies across 14 countries
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Carbon Drawdown Initiative
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Carbon Drawdown Initiative technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Carbon Drawdown Initiative partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
19 partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- NEP (Negative Emissions Platform)coreCDI is a co-founder of NEP. Founder Dirk Paessler serves as Vice Chairman since 2021. NEP advocates for CDR policy development in Germany.
- DVNE (German Association for Negative Emissions)coreCDI is a co-founder of DVNE. DVNE organized the CDR Experience Tour 2026 which visited CDI greenhouse.
- CRIAcoreCDI is a co-founder of CRIA, working on CDR industry development.
- Carbon Business CouncilcoreCDI participates in EW Alliance convened by Carbon Business Council. Coalition aims to advance policy, create credible markets, and educate stakeholders on enhanced weathering.
- University of Erlangen-NürnbergcorePartner university in greenhouse experiment collaboration, hosting CDI Symposium 2026 in Erlangen.
- ETH ZürichcoreResearch partner in greenhouse experiment collaboration.
- University of MainzcoreResearch partner in greenhouse experiment collaboration.
- University of HamburgcoreResearch partner in greenhouse experiment collaboration.
- University of BonncoreResearch partner in greenhouse experiment collaboration.
- GFZ (Geoforschungszentrum Potsdam)coreResearch partner in greenhouse experiment collaboration.
- Alfred Wegener InstitutecoreResearch partner in greenhouse experiment collaboration.
- Wageningen UniversitycoreResearch partner in greenhouse experiment collaboration.
- University of AntwerpcoreResearch partner in greenhouse experiment collaboration.
- University of CopenhagencoreResearch partner in greenhouse experiment collaboration.
- Newcastle UniversitycoreResearch partner in greenhouse experiment collaboration.
- James Cook University (Australia)coreResearch partner in greenhouse experiment collaboration.
- UFZ (Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research)coreResearch partner in greenhouse experiment collaboration.
- ELGO Dimitra Institute (Greece)coreResearch partner in greenhouse experiment collaboration.
- Carbonfuture MRV+coreDigital trust layer for carbon removal. Underpins world's largest biochar CDR deal: 1.24 million tonnes over 10 years between Microsoft and Exomad Green.
Scale indicators4 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Carbon Drawdown Initiative competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Puro.earth: Puro.earth is a carbon removal marketplace and registry focused on biochar, CDR, and engineered removals. Like CDI's CDR-Shops.com, Puro addresses the buyer-seller cold start in carbon removal markets and operates as infrastructure for CDR offtake.
- Carbonfuture: Carbonfuture is a digital MRV and registry platform for high-quality carbon removal (a CDI portfolio company). It is comparable both as a CDR marketplace/MRV infrastructure peer and as overlapping activity with CDI's own MRV research and CDR-Shops.com.
- Lowercarbon Capital: Lowercarbon Capital is a venture firm that invests early across carbon removal, climate tech, and energy. It mirrors CDI's mission of channeling capital into CDR startups across multiple pathways with a focus on the very early stages.
- 2050 Capital: 2050 Capital is an early-stage climate and CDR-focused venture fund. It is comparable to CDI as a mission-driven investment entity focused on supporting the buildout of the carbon dioxide removal industry.
- Frontier (by Stripe): Frontier is an advance market commitment fund created by Stripe, Alphabet, Meta, Shopify, and McKinsey to spend $1B+ on permanent carbon removal. It is directly comparable to CDI as a CDR-focused capital vehicle channeling philanthropic and corporate capital toward high-quality removal suppliers and shaping offtake pricing.
Emerging players
- Eion: Eion is an ERW company producing olivine-based soil amendments for carbon removal and is a CDI portfolio company. It is comparable as an emerging ERW scaleup in which CDI holds an investment position.
- Octavia Carbon: Octavia Carbon is a Kenya-based DAC startup and a CDI portfolio company. It is comparable as an emerging player in the DAC pathway and an investee of CDI's super-early CDR fund.
- InPlanet: InPlanet is a Brazil-based ERW operator applying basalt to tropical soils and is a CDI portfolio company. It is comparable as an emerging ERW pure-play in CDI's geographic footprint and is illustrative of the kind of super-early CDR operator CDI backs.
Broad incumbents
- Microsoft Climate Innovation Fund: Microsoft's $1B Climate Innovation Fund invests in carbon removal, climate tech, and sustainability startups globally. As a much larger incumbent corporate-backed climate fund, it is a peer in the broad sense — channeling corporate capital toward CDR startups at scale — though it has different LP dynamics from a philanthropic family foundation.
- Stripe Climate: Stripe Climate enables merchants to direct a portion of revenue to permanent carbon removal. While not an investment vehicle in the same sense, it is a directly comparable ecosystem participant channeling capital toward CDR and operating the Frontier advance market commitment alongside peers like CDI.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Carbon Drawdown Initiative social profiles
Digital presenceCarbon Drawdown Initiative financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Carbon Drawdown Initiative leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Carbon Drawdown Initiative funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Carbon Drawdown Initiative M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments7 records
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Carbon Drawdown Initiative
What does Carbon Drawdown Initiative do?
Carbon Drawdown Initiative is a philanthropic project of a family foundation that accelerates the carbon dioxide removal (CDR) industry through three levers: (1) impact capital — providing super-early funding to CDR startups (over 30 investments in 14 countries, including Climeworks, InPlanet, Octavia, and Syncraft); (2) hands-on scientific research on enhanced rock weathering (ERW), including the world's largest greenhouse experiment with 400+ lysimeter pots; and (3) policy advocacy through co-founding industry organizations NEP, DVNE, and CRIA. The organization also operates CDR-Shops.com, an online directory/marketplace connecting CDR certificate buyers and sellers.
Is Carbon Drawdown Initiative a public or private company?
Carbon Drawdown Initiative is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Carbon Drawdown Initiative founded?
Carbon Drawdown Initiative was founded in 2020. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Carbon Drawdown Initiative based?
Carbon Drawdown Initiative is headquartered in Fürth, Germany, in the Europe region.
How does Carbon Drawdown Initiative make money?
One revenue line is on record: philanthropic funding.
Who are Carbon Drawdown Initiative's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Puro.earth, Carbonfuture, Lowercarbon Capital, 2050 Capital and Frontier (by Stripe). Emerging players are Eion, Octavia Carbon and InPlanet. Broad incumbents are Microsoft Climate Innovation Fund and Stripe Climate.
Does Carbon Drawdown Initiative have an API?
No public API is recorded for Carbon Drawdown Initiative.
What industry is Carbon Drawdown Initiative in?
Carbon Drawdown Initiative's product category is Climate Tech Impact Investment. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EUABAFAL, Carbon Removal Project Development, Financing & Offtake (Developers, Aggregators, Buyers Clubs), with a secondary code of EUABADAE, Carbon Offtake Structuring & Contracting (ERPA, Long-term Offtakes, Price Floors). Its NAICS code is 5417 and its SIC code is 8731.