Decarbonization and water technology startup Capture6 has raised $27.5 million in a Series A funding round, with the capital aimed at expanding its projects that convert waste brine from water treatment into a carbon removal solution while recovering fresh water. The funding round was led by private equity firm Tetrad Corporation, with participation from Hyundai Motor Group’s ZER01NE Ventures, Energy Capital Ventures, Elemental Impact, Bridge Investment, Sopoong Ventures, Third Derivative, Stan and Jane Rodbell, and the Jacob S. Shapiro Foundation. Rothschild & Co. served as the financial advisor for the deal.
Aaron Hilkemann, Tetrad spokesperson and board member, highlighted Capture6’s ability to address critical water management challenges, stating:
“Numerous businesses and industries face wastewater disposal and freshwater acquisition challenges to their growth and long-term success. In Capture6, we see a company committed to addressing these challenges head-on. Their solution decreases the financial burden for businesses and builds momentum around environmentally beneficial methods of water production and waste treatment.”
Founded in 2021, Capture6 operates out of California and New Zealand, focusing on innovative solutions that integrate carbon removal with water treatment. The company’s system repurposes brine, a costly waste byproduct of desalination and wastewater treatment, by transforming it into a solvent that mineralizes CO2. This process effectively traps carbon while simultaneously recovering fresh water, addressing both environmental and industrial needs. Compared to traditional direct air carbon capture methods, Capture6’s technology requires less energy while tackling two urgent global challenges—carbon reduction and water scarcity.
With the World Economic Forum projecting a 40% gap between freshwater demand and supply by 2030, Capture6 sees its system as a way to help close this shortfall. CEO Ethan Cohen-Cole emphasized the importance of the company’s mission:
“Climate change is creating water insecurity for much of the world’s population, driving up demand for freshwater worldwide, and exacerbating the root problem as current methods of water treatment are carbon intensive. Our approach reduces waste streams from desalination and wastewater treatment while generating new water sources, lowering waste disposal costs, improving the efficiency of water production facilities, and decarbonizing projects simultaneously.”
As part of its expansion, Capture6 recently partnered with the Palmdale, California Water District to integrate its technology into a new facility. The project aims to eliminate the need for up to 100 acres of brine ponds and reduce lifetime costs by up to 40%, supporting California’s goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2045.
In addition to its latest funding round, Capture6 has also gained industry recognition, with the Frontier Coalition facilitating a pre-purchase of 1,000 tons of carbon removal for Shopify and Stripe in 2024. With growing support from investors and industry leaders, the company continues to develop scalable solutions that contribute to a sustainable water and climate future.
