Mati Carbon Secures Major Win in Global Carbon Removal Competition
Texas-based startup Mati Carbon, operating extensively in India, Tanzania, and Zambia, has claimed the prestigious $50 million grand prize at the $100 million XPRIZE Carbon Removal competition funded by the Musk Foundation. The ambitious contest, initially launched in 2021, drew significant international attention with over 1,300 teams competing to showcase practical solutions for long-term carbon sequestration. Mati Carbon emerged victorious thanks to their innovative enhanced rock weathering technology aimed at cost-effective and sustainable CO₂ removal.
The winning strategy employed by Mati Carbon involves the use of enhanced rock weathering (ERW), specifically through the application of finely ground basalt—a silicate rock abundantly available worldwide, often from construction waste. This basalt powder, when spread on agricultural land, accelerates the natural weathering process, permanently trapping carbon dioxide in soils as stable minerals and enriching the land with beneficial nutrients. The company currently collaborates with around 30,000 marginal farmers, providing basalt applications free of charge. This initiative is financially supported by grants and the commercial sale of validated carbon removal credits.
“Our approach combines essential climate solutions with supporting marginal farmers in developing regions, ensuring environmental benefits go hand-in-hand with economic improvements,” stated Shantanu Agarwal, Mati Carbon’s CEO.
The rigorous standards set forth by Mati Carbon mandate extensive soil sampling to validate carbon sequestration claims, requiring eight soil samples every three acres. This systematic approach not only certifies the accuracy of their carbon credits but also enhances trust among stakeholders investing in environmental credits, a burgeoning market expected to grow significantly in the next decade.
Diverse Field of Innovators Recognized in Rigorous XPRIZE Competition
The $100 million XPRIZE Carbon Removal competition aimed to stimulate solutions capable of removing billions of tons of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere annually. Contestants were evaluated based on their ability to demonstrate durable and sustainable methods poised for rapid scalability to gigaton-level removal by 2050. Mati Carbon’s solution not only achieved these ambitious criteria but also provided significant supplementary agricultural benefits, including increased soil fertility and improved crop yields by up to 20%.
Other notable winners included French biochar company NetZero, awarded $15 million for their work utilizing crop residues to improve agricultural yields sustainably. Vaulted Deep of the United States received an $8 million prize for developing methods to safely bury unusable organic waste, while UK’s Undo Carbon claimed $5 million with a rock weathering approach similar to Mati’s, yet focused on different terrains. Special recognition awards went to Canada’s Planetary Technologies and Oman’s Project Hajar, each receiving a $1 million XFACTOR honor for innovative approaches involving ocean alkalinity enhancement and mineralization technology, respectively.
“The breadth of solutions presented this year highlights both immediate and long-term pathways to effectively sequester carbon and provide additional ecological and economic benefits,” noted competition officials.
Experts praised the winning technologies, notably enhanced rock weathering and biochar methods, highlighting their immediate applicability and cost-effectiveness compared to longer-term solutions such as direct air capture or ocean-based methods, which are often more expensive and challenging to scale.
Historical Context and Broader Impact of Carbon Removal Efforts
Efforts to develop scalable carbon removal technologies date back several decades, but only recently have international competitions significantly accelerated innovation in this vital sector. XPRIZE, initiated by the Musk Foundation, is one of the largest global incentives dedicated explicitly to carbon dioxide removal, reflecting increasing acknowledgment of its importance alongside emission reduction strategies. Climate experts assert that achieving net-zero global emissions by mid-century requires substantial advancements in both fields.
Historically, enhanced rock weathering was overlooked in favor of more technologically intensive solutions like direct air capture systems. However, growing research and practical demonstrations have shown ERW’s potential as a low-cost, high-impact method, especially beneficial in developing regions where agriculture dominates local economies.
This approach is highly attractive in nations with extensive farming communities. Mati Carbon specifically emphasizes collaboration with smallholder farmers, considering approximately 200 million small-scale farmers globally could benefit financially and environmentally from basalt addition to their fields. Such practices could significantly uplift livelihoods and ensure food security, making Mati Carbon’s strategy not just environmentally advantageous but socially transformative.
“Solutions like enhanced rock weathering represent the intersection of climate action and economic development, providing dual pathways to poverty alleviation and carbon management across the global south,” observed climate policy analyst Dr. Emilia Rodríguez.
Looking forward, Mati Carbon plans ambitious expansions, aiming to deliver between 5,000 and 6,000 metric tons of carbon removal credits within the current year. They’re also targeting cost reductions, forecasting that carbon credits could be sold for under $100 per ton by the early 2030s, eventually stabilizing at around $70 to $80 per ton. With scalable business models and rigorous validation processes in place, Mati Carbon and their peers underscore the critical role technological innovation plays in achieving global sustainability goals and combating climate change effectively.