Karmanterra

What Karmanterra does

Karmanterra is a U.S.-based climate technology company that produces carbon-negative biocarbon and biochar through proprietary pyrolysis and post-treatment refinement of waste biomass, headquartered in San Diego with a UK entity (Karmanterra Markets Limited, London) supporting European operations. Its core products are engineered for two distinct end markets: Biocarbon and Biocoke (an agglomerated dense pellet) are positioned as drop-in replacements for metallurgical coke, petcoke, and coal in steel blast furnaces, EAF, and DRI processes, as well as in cement manufacturing; Biochar and Nanochar (micronized, biostimulant-infused) are designed for soil remediation, desertification reversal, and agricultural applications, including a Middle East-specific acidic formulation for saline and alkaline soils. The company also generates Carbon Dioxide Removal Credits (CORCs) through the Voluntary Carbon Market using Puro and Vera methodologies, and provides Carbon Compliance services supporting EU ETS, CBAM, and REDII frameworks.

The business operates on three revenue streams: (i) direct, quote-based one-time sales of biocarbon/biocoke and biochar/nanochar with multi-year enterprise contracts (no public pricing disclosed; all sales via [email protected]), (ii) transaction-fee revenue from issuance of verified carbon credits, and (iii) indirectly via a channel-partner model — most recently the November 2025 Greenway Steel partnership for U.S. metals-market distribution — alongside active participation in industry forums such as ResponsibleSteel and attendance at COP28. The customer base is concentrated in hard-to-abate industries (steel and cement), Middle Eastern governments and agribusinesses tackling desertification, and buyers of verified CDR credits, with a secondary pipeline into battery and advanced-materials manufacturers. Operationally, the company is early-stage: 1-10 employees, ~11,500 MT/year of base-level production capacity, and forward-impact targets (18 million MT sequestered and 12.5 million MT of green steel by 2050) that frame the current period as pilot-scale validation rather than commercial scale.

Name

Karmanterra

Legal name

Karmanterra LLC

Website

https://karmanterra.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2022

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Karmanterra is a San Diego-based climate technology company that produces carbon-negative biocarbon and biochar via proprietary pyrolysis, supplying engineered carbon replacements for fossil fuels in steel and cement industries, soil amendments for desertification reversal in the Middle East, and verified carbon removal credits for compliance markets.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Carbon Materials

NAICS

Carbon and Graphite Product Manufacturing (335991), Other Basic Organic Chemical Manufacturing (32519)

SIC

Industrial Organic Chemicals (2860)

akta.pro primary industry

Biochar Production & Soil/Material Applications (EUABAFAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Biochar Carbon Projects (Biomass to Biochar & Soil Application) (EUABABAH), Bio-based Carbon Products & Advanced Bioproducts (Biochar, activated carbon, carbon black alternatives) (EUAAAIAM), Carbon Removal Credits Trading (DAC, BECCS, Biochar, Mineralization) (EUAGAIAL)

Keywords

• Biocarbon production
• Biochar manufacturing
• Industrial decarbonization materials
• Renewable carbon solutions
• Carbon compliance services

Headquarters

HQ city

San Diego

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Biocarbon and Biocoke Product Sales: Sale of biocarbon and biocoke products to steelmakers, cement producers, and other hard-to-abate industries as a direct replacement for fossil-based carbon sources (petcoke, metallurgical coke, coal). Products are sold with SBP/REDII certification enabling EU ETS carbon-neutral classification for buyers.
2. Biochar and Nanochar Sales: Sale of biochar and nanochar products for soil remediation, desertification prevention, and agricultural applications, including biostimulant-enhanced variants engineered for Middle Eastern saline/alkaline soils. Revenue also derives from carbon sequestration and CDR credit generation.
3. Carbon Compliance and CDR Credits: Carbon Dioxide Removal Credits (CORCs) generated through Puro and Vera methodologies when biochar is integrated into soil or materials like cement, accessed via the Voluntary Carbon Market. Also supports compliance with CBAM and EU ETS frameworks.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Karmanterra produces carbon-negative biocarbon, biocoke, biochar, and nanochar products from waste biomass through proprietary pyrolysis and post-treatment refinement. These engineered materials directly replace fossil carbon (petcoke, coal, metallurgical coke) in steel and cement manufacturing, support soil remediation and desertification reversal in arid regions, and enable carbon compliance with EU ETS, CBAM, and REDII frameworks. The company also generates CORC carbon dioxide removal credits via Puro and Vera methodologies.

Product overview

Karmanterra offers a portfolio of transformative carbon materials derived from pyrolysis and refinement of forestry and agricultural waste. The core offerings include Biocarbon and Biocoke for industrial decarbonization of steel and cement manufacturing, and Biochar and Nanochar for agricultural and environmental applications. Carbon Compliance services provide certification and regulatory support for emissions markets. The products form an integrated system where raw waste biomass is converted through proprietary pyrolysis and post-treatment processes into high cFix, low ash/metal materials suited for different end uses.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Biocarbon A renewable, carbon-rich material produced by thermally converting biomass such as forestry residues under low-oxygen conditions. Engineered with high cFix and low ash/metals content to directly replace coke or coal in steel and cement manufacturing, integrating into existing blast furnace and electric arc furnace operations without requiring new CapEx investment, supporting Scope 1 CO2 emissions reduction.
• Biocoke An agglomerated, dense pellet form of biocarbon that provides increased durability and calorific value compared to standard biocarbon, serving as a direct substitute for metallurgical coke in blast furnaces and electric arc furnaces.
• Biochar A stable, carbon-rich material made by heating organic biomass under low-oxygen conditions (pyrolysis). Engineered for long-term carbon storage in agriculture, construction, and environmental management. Each ton of biochar can sequester 2-3 tons of CO2 equivalent, with durability exceeding 1000 years. Provides 40-70% water retention improvement, pH stabilization, toxin neutralization, and 50-80% fertilizer reduction when applied to soil.
• Biostimulant-Enhanced Acidic Biochar Biochar with an acid pH profile infused with biostimulants (humic acids, amino acids, seaweed extracts) within its porous structure, engineered specifically for saline and alkaline soils of the Middle East. Acts as a dual-action soil amendment and biostimulant delivery platform for governments, NGOs, and agribusinesses combating desertification.
• Nanochar A refined derivative of biochar created through proprietary micronizing into nano-particles, infusing with biostimulants, and blending with other media to create structural soils. Engineered specifically for treating desert soils with high alkalinity, low nutrient density, and high salinity in regions like Saudi Arabia and the UAE. Also applied in advanced materials including battery anode development.
• Carbon Compliance Certified products and compliance solutions for customers subject to emissions taxation, tariffing, or those unable to access Voluntary Carbon Credit markets. Includes SBP certification, REDII-compliant biomass, EU ETS zero-rated emissions support, and CORC (Carbon Dioxide Removal Credits) generation via Puro and Vera methodologies. Positions products for CBAM and other regulatory frameworks.

Quantifiable outcome

• Steel industry decarbonization: biocarbon replaces fossil carbon in blast furnaces, EAF, and DRI, reducing Scope 1 CO2 emissions immediately without CapEx investment
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Greenway SteelcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 November 2025Greenway Steel, a U.S.-based sustainability solutions provider serving the metals and manufacturing supply chain, partnered with Karmanterra in November 2025 to advance industrial applications for Karmanterra's biogenic carbon. The companies will jointly identify applications in EAF, Blast Furnace, and DRI steelmaking, evaluate performance and emissions benefits, and execute pilot programs and furnace trials through 2025-2026 with select industrial partners.
• ResponsibleSteelcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Karmanterra joined ResponsibleSteel in January 2025 as a member, contributing firsthand insights from biocarbon product supply to steelmakers. The company actively participates in developing green steel standards, attending global conferences, industry roundtables, and working groups to advocate for scalable decarbonization strategies.
• Leading Research Institution (UAE)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 November 2023Partnership with a leading research institution in the United Arab Emirates to advance deployment of biostimulant-enhanced nanocarbon products specifically designed for the alkaline and saline soils of the Arabian Peninsula. The research partnership was formalized during COP28 events in Dubai in December 2023.
• Government of Saudi Arabia (Afforestation Pilots)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 November 2023Commencement of afforestation and agricultural pilot projects in Saudi Arabia's Eastern Province, testing Karmanterra's carbon products' effects on water retention, soil carbon, and plant health. Hundreds of trees planted within a larger afforestation project to create quantifiable baselines for scaled carbon sequestration and desertification reduction.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Charm Industrial: Climate technology company producing bio-oil for permanent carbon sequestration and industrial decarbonization; directly comparable as a carbon removal startup targeting hard-to-abate sectors with biomass-derived products.
• Biochar Supreme: One of the largest U.S. biochar producers operating pyrolysis facilities; directly comparable as a North American biochar manufacturer selling into agriculture, soil amendment, and carbon removal credit markets.
• Carbofex: Finnish pyrolysis-based biochar producer focused on carbon removal credits and soil applications; directly comparable biochar manufacturing model with European market exposure and CDR credit origination.
• CarbonCure Technologies: Carbon utilization company injecting CO2 into concrete; comparable as a decarbonization technology provider for hard-to-abate industries (cement/concrete) with a carbon compliance and credit generation angle.
• Standard Biocarbon: U.S.-based producer of biocarbon and biochar from forestry residues using pyrolysis; competes directly in the same industrial biocarbon and biochar markets targeting steel, agriculture, and carbon removal.
• Wakefield Biochar: UK-based biochar producer operating pyrolysis facilities for agriculture, horticulture, and carbon removal; comparable as a regional biochar peer with similar agricultural and CDR market focus.

Emerging players

• Boston Metal: Green steel technology company developing molten oxide electrolysis; comparable as a steel industry decarbonization startup but competes with biocarbon by offering an alternative process pathway rather than a feedstock substitute.
• NetZero / Kibo Energy: West Africa-focused biochar carbon removal developer with significant scaling ambitions; comparable as a biochar-based CDR project developer using pyrolysis of agricultural residues, though geographically distinct.

Broad incumbents

• Ingevity: Specialty chemicals company producing activated carbon and performance materials; broader incumbent in the carbon products space with established industrial customer relationships that could overlap with biocarbon use cases.
• H2 Green Steel: Large-scale green steel producer using hydrogen-based DRI; a broader decarbonization incumbent in the same end market (steel) that could compete for industrial decarbonization budgets against biocarbon-based solutions.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks3 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/karmanterra
• Instagraminstagram.com/karmanterra

Compliance5 records

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 Karmanterra