Terraset
Terraset is a 501c3 nonprofit (Boulder, CO) that pools tax-deductible philanthropic donations and deploys them via pre-purchase commitments, a Revolving Fund, and recoverable grants into early-stage carbon removal and superpollutant elimination projects, serving individual donors, foundations, family offices, and corporate credit buyers.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2022
- HeadquartersBoulder, United States
- Headcount—
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Terraset does
Terraset is a 501c3 nonprofit organization (legally Carbon Safe, EIN 88-1122351), founded in October 2022 and headquartered in Boulder, Colorado. It deploys philanthropic capital into high-impact, under-resourced climate solutions, focusing on three funding areas: greenhouse gas removal (direct air capture, bio-oil injection, enhanced rock weathering, biochar), superpollutant elimination (methane and refrigerant leaks), and emerging climate ideas requiring early-stage catalytic capital. The organization pools tax-deductible donations from individuals, foundations, family offices, and donor-advised funds to make strategic pre-purchase commitments to carbon removal projects.
Terraset's core differentiators are its financial mechanisms rather than physical technology. Its portfolio includes pre-purchase commitments (capital provided upfront before markets engage), a Revolving Fund that pre-purchases greenhouse gas credits and resells them to corporate buyers while reinvesting proceeds, and PRIs/recoverable grants that structure capital for risk-tolerant return-seeking funders. The organization applies evaluation frameworks from Frontier and CarbonPlan and has supported 24 portfolio companies including Capture6, Charm, Climeworks, Heirloom, Planetary, Vaulted Deep, Andes, Octavia Carbon, Graphyte, and Spiritus. To date it has committed $10M+ in catalytic funding and catalyzed $500M+ in external follow-on investment.
The business model is donation-driven (tax-deductible under 501c3 status) supplemented by Revolving Fund credit sales to corporate buyers. The GTM is direct-to-consumer via a website donation platform (Givelively) combined with content marketing through a Substack, podcast appearances, and climate industry events. Donors include Grantham Foundation, Schmidt Family Foundation, Conscience Bay Research, and individual philanthropists such as Tim Ferriss and Calvin French-Owen. Corporate credit buyers include Wren, Shopify, and MaRS. Operating geographies span the US, Kenya (via portfolio), and globally through portfolio companies.
Terraset firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Terraset
- Legal name
- Carbon Safe
- Website
- https://terrasetclimate.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2022
- Operating status
- Operating
- Short description
- Terraset is a 501c3 nonprofit (Boulder, CO) that pools tax-deductible philanthropic donations and deploys them via pre-purchase commitments, a Revolving Fund, and recoverable grants into early-stage carbon removal and superpollutant elimination projects, serving individual donors, foundations, family offices, and corporate credit buyers.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Terraset industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Climate Philanthropy and Carbon Removal Funding
- NAICS
- Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Environmental & Climate Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAM)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Carbon Removal Credits Trading (DAC, BECCS, Biochar, Mineralization) (EUAGAIAL), Carbon Markets & Climate Finance (Offsets, Allowances, Carbon Funds) (FSAAALAH), Renewable Energy & Energy Efficiency Offset Projects (Grid/Off-grid, Cookstoves, Buildings/Industry) (EUABABAN)
Keywords
Where Terraset is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Boulder
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Terraset business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Philanthropic donations: Pooled tax-deductible donations from individuals, foundations, family offices, and donor-advised funds used to purchase high-quality carbon removal. As a 501c3 nonprofit, donations are tax-deductible.
- Greenhouse gas credit sales: The revolving fund pre-purchases credits and sells them to corporate buyers, reinvesting proceeds for new commitments.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Tax-deductible donations for carbon removal |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels5 records
Terraset product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Terraset pools tax-deductible donations from individuals, foundations, family offices, and donor-advised funds to deploy philanthropic capital to high-impact, under-resourced climate solutions. The organization funds greenhouse gas removal projects (direct air capture, bio-oil injection, enhanced rock weathering, biochar), superpollutant elimination efforts, and emerging climate ideas, using mechanisms such as pre-purchase commitments, a revolving fund for greenhouse gas credits, and PRIs/recoverable grants.
Product overview
Terraset is a 501c3 nonprofit organization that serves as a tax-deductible vehicle for climate philanthropy, deploying philanthropic capital to high-impact, under-funded climate solutions. The organization offers three core funding focus areas: greenhouse gas removal (pulling CO₂ from atmosphere), superpollutant elimination (stopping methane emissions), and emerging climate ideas needing early capital. Terraset provides innovative financial mechanisms including pre-purchase commitments, a revolving fund (which pre-purchases credits, sells to corporate buyers, and reinvests proceeds), and PRIs/recoverable grants. The organization pools donations from individuals, foundations, family offices, and donor-advised funds to make strategic purchases from a portfolio of high-quality carbon removal projects (including Capture6, Charm, Climeworks, Heirloom, Planetary, Vaulted Deep, Andes, Octavia Carbon, Graphyte, Spiritus, and Frontier's portfolio). Donors receive tax-deductible receipts and tax-compliant documentation through Givelively, the donation platform used.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Greenhouse Gas Removal Funding
Quantifiable outcome
- $10M+ catalytic funding committed
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Terraset
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Terraset technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Terraset partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Carbon Removal AlliancecoreIndustry coalition working to advance carbon removal; Terraset participates as member and partner.
- DAC CoalitioncoreCoalition focused on Direct Air Capture; Terraset collaborates on DAC deployment.
- 4 Corners Carbon CoalitionminorRegional coalition focused on carbon management in the Four Corners region.
- Earthshot PrizeminorEnvironmental prize initiative; Terraset collaborates on climate solutions recognition.
- 1% for the PlanetminorMembership organization for companies committing 1% to environmental causes; Terraset benefits from network.
- CandidminorPlatinum-rated nonprofit evaluator providing transparency and accountability verification.
- FrontiercoreStripe's advanced market commitment for carbon removal; Terraset is an early Climate Orders customer with access to Frontier's CDR portfolio.
- CommonsminorPartnership for tax-deductible offsetting, enabling easier corporate carbon removal purchases.
- Unbound SummitsminorTerraset partnered with Unbound Summits to drive live removals at Carbon Unbound event.
- MaRSminorCanadian innovation hub; partnered with Shopify and Terraset to purchase first carbon removal from Planetary.
- IsometricminorVerification organization; Terraset/Shopify/MaRS purchase was delivered against Isometric's OAE protocol.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Terraset competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Wren: Subscription platform for individual carbon offset purchases. Wren is the first buyer from Terraset's Revolving Fund, making it directly comparable as a consumer-facing carbon removal marketplace with overlapping donor/buyer segments.
- Pachama: Marketplace for high-quality carbon credits combining nature-based and tech-based removal. Comparable as a buyer-facing platform sourcing from the same CDR project developers Terraset funds.
- Cloverly: Carbon offset integration platform for businesses; Terraset announced an integration partnership with Cloverly in Feb 2026. Directly comparable as a carbon credit transaction enabler serving corporate buyers.
- Patch: Carbon credit API and marketplace for businesses. Comparable as infrastructure for distributing high-quality carbon credits and a partner in the broader CDR transaction ecosystem where Terraset's revolving fund operates.
- Frontier: Stripe-led advanced market commitment for carbon removal. Terraset is an early Climate Orders customer with direct access to Frontier's curated CDR portfolio, making Frontier the most direct comparable in catalytic carbon removal procurement.
Broad incumbents
- Stripe Climate: Stripe's climate program funds carbon removal and fronts corporate giving. Comparable as a tech-led philanthropic vehicle channeling capital into CDR, though operating at far greater scale via Stripe's payment infrastructure.
Emerging players
- Charm Industrial: Biochar-based carbon removal company in Terraset's portfolio. Comparable as a CDR project developer funded by Terraset's catalytic capital.
- Carbon Removal Alliance: Coalition advancing carbon removal policy and deployment. Terraset participates as a member and partner; comparable as a closely aligned ecosystem actor promoting high-quality CDR.
- Heirloom Carbon: Direct air capture company using limestone-based technology in Terraset's portfolio. Comparable as a high-profile DAC startup benefiting from Terraset's pre-purchase commitments.
Others
- Grantham Foundation: Major philanthropic foundation focused on climate action and a major donor to Terraset. Comparable as a large-scale climate grantmaking institution operating in the same funding ecosystem.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Terraset social profiles
Digital presenceTerraset financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Terraset leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles6 records
Terraset funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Terraset M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments1 record
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Terraset
What does Terraset do?
Terraset pools tax-deductible donations from individuals, foundations, family offices, and donor-advised funds to deploy philanthropic capital to high-impact, under-resourced climate solutions. The organization funds greenhouse gas removal projects (direct air capture, bio-oil injection, enhanced rock weathering, biochar), superpollutant elimination efforts, and emerging climate ideas, using mechanisms such as pre-purchase commitments, a revolving fund for greenhouse gas credits, and PRIs/recoverable grants.
Is Terraset a public or private company?
Terraset is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Terraset founded?
Terraset was founded in 2022.
Where is Terraset based?
Terraset is headquartered in Boulder, United States, in the North America region.
How does Terraset make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Philanthropic donations are the primary driver. The others are greenhouse gas credit sales.
Who are Terraset's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Wren, Pachama, Cloverly, Patch and Frontier. Stripe Climate is listed as a broad incumbent. Emerging players are Charm Industrial, Carbon Removal Alliance and Heirloom Carbon. Grantham Foundation is listed as an others.
Does Terraset have an API?
No public API is recorded for Terraset.
What industry is Terraset in?
Terraset's product category is Climate Philanthropy and Carbon Removal Funding. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAKAM, Environmental & Climate Grantmaking Foundations, with a secondary code of EUAGAIAL, Carbon Removal Credits Trading (DAC, BECCS, Biochar, Mineralization). Its NAICS code is 813211.