Dioxycle

High-Level Overview

Dioxycle is a French-American climate tech startup founded in 2021 that develops a proprietary low-temperature electrolyzer to produce sustainable ethylene from captured carbon emissions, water, and renewable electricity.[1][2][6] This technology converts industrial CO₂ into a key chemical feedstock used in plastics, fabrics, construction materials, and more, aiming to displace fossil fuel-based production at equal or lower costs, potentially preventing over 800 million tons of CO₂ emissions annually (more than 1% of global emissions).[3][4][6] Serving chemical manufacturers and industries reliant on ethylene, Dioxycle solves the challenge of high-cost "green premiums" in decarbonization by enabling modular, energy-efficient integration into existing plants, with strong growth momentum shown by a $17 million Series A in 2023 from Lowercarbon Capital, Breakthrough Energy Ventures Europe, and Gigascale Capital.[1][2]

Origin Story

Dioxycle was co-founded in January 2021 by Sarah Lamaison (CEO) and David Wakerley (CTO), leveraging their expertise in CO₂ chemistry and electrolysis after years of academic research.[1][2][5] Wakerley, after eight years in labs scaling carbon utilization, left to tackle industrial challenges, building on 50+ years of team experience in fuel cells, electrolysis, batteries, and materials science from a diverse group of 50% PhDs across 14 nationalities.[5] The idea emerged from breakthroughs in electrochemical CO₂ conversion, with early traction including a medium-scale proof-of-concept electrolyzer by 2022 and progression to a first industrial prototype, fueled by skepticism around cost-competitive clean ethylene that the founders proved viable.[2][3][4]

Core Differentiators

• Cost-Competitive "Green Discount": Produces sustainable ethylene at zero to negative green premium versus fossil equivalents through energy-efficient electrolysis, insulating users from oil price volatility.[2][4][6]
• Modular, Scalable Design: Stackable electrolyzer units with proprietary catalytic cores and high-efficiency stack design integrate easily into existing factories without massive CapEx, enabling rapid deployment.[2][4][6]
• Breakthrough Efficiency: Low-temperature process rearranges CO₂ atoms into ethylene using renewables, outperforming traditional methods by building molecules from sustainable feedstocks rather than breaking down fossils.[1][4][5]
• Proven Team and Traction: Combines deep scientific expertise with fast scale-up from lab to prototype, backed by top climate investors and partnerships for commercial rollout.[2][3][5]

Role in the Broader Tech Landscape

Dioxycle rides the wave of carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) and electrification of chemicals, targeting the $5 trillion sector dominated by fossil fuels amid rising net-zero mandates and volatile energy markets.[2][4] Timing is ideal with falling renewable electricity costs and policy pushes like EU carbon borders, making emission recycling faster to scale than rebuilding industries from scratch by leveraging incumbents' assets.[2][3] Market forces favor it through oil majors seeking clean alternatives for expansion, while Dioxycle influences the ecosystem as the "Intel Inside" of CCUS—providing trusted tech to disrupt incumbents and set standards for sustainable fuels, solvents, and materials, accelerating 1%+ global emission cuts.[2][4][6]

Quick Take & Future Outlook

Dioxycle is poised to deploy its first-of-its-kind industrial demonstrator, forging partnerships for commercial rollout and expanding the electrolyzer template to other chemicals.[2][3][4] Trends like cheaper renewables, AI-optimized catalysis, and corporate net-zero pledges will propel growth, potentially evolving its role from ethylene pioneer to CCUS platform leader. As a profitable decarbonization enabler, it exemplifies how breakthrough science can outcompete fossils, tying back to its mission of rethinking emissions as feedstocks for a sustainable chemical future.[2][6]