Climos

What Climos does

Climos was a San Francisco-based climate technology company founded in 2006 by Dan Whaley to commercialize Ocean Iron Fertilization (OIF) as a mechanism for atmospheric carbon dioxide removal. OIF is a geoengineering technique that introduces iron into iron-limited ocean waters (principally the Southern Ocean) to stimulate phytoplankton blooms; a portion of the resulting biomass sinks to the deep ocean, sequestering carbon for centuries. The company operated at the intersection of climate science, carbon markets, and international environmental regulation, developing the first Code of Conduct for ocean fertilization projects and commissioning a formal Environmental Impact Assessment with Tetratech to define scientific standards for the practice.

The company's product offering was prospective rather than commercial: Climos intended to generate and sell verified carbon credits from OIF projects into voluntary and compliance carbon markets at an estimated cost of $5-7 per ton of CO2 sequestered, substantially below many alternative mitigation approaches. Revenue mechanics were not realized; the firm monetized indirectly through partnerships with verification providers (DNV), carbon credit developers (Ecosecurities), and a network of research collaborators including the Alfred Wegener Institute and India's National Institute of Oceanography on the LOHAFEX experiment. The go-to-market relied on scientific credibility (a Science Advisory Board of prominent oceanographers), active engagement with the London Convention/Protocol and UN Convention on Biological Diversity, and extensive earned media coverage including a TIME Magazine feature.

Climos raised $3.5 million in venture funding in March 2008 and maintained a team of fewer than ten employees throughout its operating life. As of February 22, 2011, the company ceased regular business activities, with founder Dan Whaley transitioning his efforts to the non-commercial ISIS Consortium for next-generation OIF research. The website remained online as a record of past activities, and no subsequent funding, customer, or revenue milestones were reported.

Name

Climos

Legal name

Climos

Website

http://www.climos.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Closed

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Climos is exploring various natural processes.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Carbon Sequestration Services

NAICS

Aquaculture (1125)

akta.pro primary industry

Ocean-Based Carbon Removal (Alkalinity Enhancement, Seaweed, Ocean Biomass Sinking) (EUABAFAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Oceans, Coastal & Marine Resource Management (BPADALAI), CO₂ Storage Site Development & Permitting (Characterization, Licensing, Stakeholder Engagement) (EUABAHAF)

Keywords

• Ocean iron fertilization
• Carbon sequestration services
• Carbon credit generation
• Climate geoengineering
• Voluntary carbon markets

Headquarters

HQ city

San Francisco

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Carbon Credits from OIF Projects: Generating and selling carbon credits from ocean iron fertilization projects through carbon trading markets, including voluntary markets and potential compliance markets under regulatory frameworks. Research indicates potential for significant carbon sequestration that could be verified and monetized.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Climos commercialized Ocean Iron Fertilization (OIF), a geoengineering technique that adds iron to iron-limited ocean waters to stimulate phytoplankton growth, which absorbs CO2 from the atmosphere and sequesters carbon to the deep ocean as the organisms die and sink. The company generated and sold verified carbon credits from these projects into voluntary and compliance carbon markets, supported by a Code of Conduct for Ocean Fertilization and a formal Environmental Impact Assessment methodology developed with Tetratech.

Product overview

Climos was a technology company focused on Ocean Iron Fertilization (OIF), a climate intervention technique for carbon sequestration. The company developed scientific research, regulatory frameworks, and best practices for OIF. Climos ceased regular business activities in February 2011, with the ISIS Consortium taking over next-generation OIF experiments. The company's primary offering was its OIF research expertise and code of conduct for ocean fertilization projects.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Ocean Iron Fertilization (OIF) A geoengineering-based carbon sequestration technique that adds iron to iron-limited ocean waters to stimulate phytoplankton growth, which absorbs CO2 from the atmosphere and sequesters carbon to the deep ocean as the organisms die and sink. Offered to carbon credit buyers, governments, and research institutions seeking large-scale, cost-effective CO2 removal.

Quantifiable outcome

• Cost of $5-7 per ton of CO2 sequestration
• +3 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• DNV (Det Norske Veritas)coreTechnology or IntegrationWorking with Climos to help design the carbon abatement methodology for ocean iron fertilization projects. DNV is a leading classification, certification, and risk management provider for maritime and energy sectors.
• EcosecuritiescoreTechnology or IntegrationPartnered with Climos to design carbon abatement methodology. Ecosecurities is a specialist in carbon credit development and verification services, listed on LSE (ECO.L).
• TetratechcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerConducted formal Environmental Impact Assessment on Ocean Iron Fertilization, developing the Conceptual Model that reviews scientific knowledge and identifies questions to be addressed.
• ISIS Consortium (in situ iron studies)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerClimos CEO Dan Whaley was an early team member involved in concept and implementation. Mission to explore potential impact of iron fertilization for reducing CO2 and understanding environmental impacts. 12 universities and research centers founded the consortium.
• Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine ResearchcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerConducted LOHAFEX iron fertilization experiment in partnership with National Institute of Oceanography India. Joint Indo-German research effort aboard research vessel Polarstern.
• National Institute of Oceanography (NIO), IndiacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint conducting of LOHAFEX experiment with Alfred Wegener Institute. Part of MoU between Helmholtz Association Germany and Council of Scientific and Industrial Research India, signed in presence of Merkel and Singh.
• POGO (Partnership for Observation of the Global Oceans)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLOHAFEX experiment was a contribution to POGO, an international partnership for observation of global oceans.
• Climate Response FundminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHosted the Asilomar International Conference on Climate Intervention in March 2010, focused on developing risk reduction guidelines for climate intervention experiments.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Planktos: Early-2000s direct competitor pursuing commercial carbon sequestration via ocean iron fertilization, facing the same scientific scrutiny and political opposition as Climos and ultimately winding down commercial operations.
• Ocean Nourishment Corporation: Australia-based developer of ocean nutrient enrichment for CO2 removal and marine ecosystem restoration. Closest direct peer to Climos in ocean-based carbon removal methodology and target buyers.
• GreenFuel Technologies: Mid-2000s venture-backed company pursuing biological carbon capture through algae cultivation for carbon credits, with comparable verification and commercialization challenges to Climos's OIF approach.

Emerging players

• Running Tide: Modern ocean-based CDR company using kelp cultivation and biomass sinking, representing the contemporary evolution of OIF principles. Compares to Climos as both rely on marine biology to sequester CO2 and sell credits to voluntary market buyers.
• Equatic: Ocean-based carbon removal company using electrochemistry to capture CO2 from seawater while producing hydrogen. Comparable as a newer ocean-based CDR supplier targeting the same voluntary corporate buyer segment Climos was pursuing.
• Charm Industrial: Carbon removal company that converts biomass into bio-oil for underground sequestration. Comparable as an emerging engineered CDR supplier competing in the same voluntary market that Climos intended to serve.

Broad incumbents

• Climeworks: Leading direct air capture company offering atmospheric CO2 removal credits to enterprise buyers. Comparable to Climos as a competing engineered/natural CDR supplier serving the same voluntary carbon market customers.
• Carbon Engineering: Pioneer in large-scale direct air capture technology for permanent CO2 removal. Comparable as a competing CDR technology platform targeting identical corporate voluntary carbon credit buyers.
• Heirloom Carbon: Direct air capture company using limestone-based mineralization to permanently remove CO2. Comparable to Climos as a CDR supplier competing for the same voluntary market buyers with a more capital-backed and permitted pathway.

Others

• Puro.earth: Carbon removal registry and marketplace focused on engineered and natural CDR methodologies. Comparable to Climos as the type of platform that would list and verify OIF-derived carbon credits if commercialized.

Market position

Strengths3 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/climos

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 Climos