Twelve

High-Level Overview

Twelve is a Berkeley, California-based chemical technology company that develops carbon transformation technology to convert CO2, water, and renewable electricity into essential products like sustainable aviation fuel (E-Jet® SAF), syngas, chemicals, plastics, and materials—essentially "industrial photosynthesis" that replaces oil-based feedstocks.[1][2][5] It serves industries such as aviation, manufacturing, and consumer goods by solving the problem of greenhouse gas emissions in hard-to-decarbonize sectors, producing drop-in replacements with up to 90% lower emissions.[3][5] The company has shown strong growth momentum, raising $57M in Series A (2021), $130M in Series B (2022), and $645M more recently to scale commercial plants, including a historic deal with IAG for sustainable jet fuel and groundbreaking on an industrial-scale facility.[2][4]

Origin Story

Twelve was founded in 2015 by Dr. Kendra Kuhl, Dr. Etosha Cave, and Nicholas Flanders, emerging from Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory's Cyclotron Road incubator program.[2] Originally launched as Obtainium in 2014 and later Opus 12, the idea stemmed from breakthroughs in CO2 electrocatalysis, combining expertise in electrochemistry, materials science, and engineering to commercialize CO2-to-products conversion.[2][3] Early traction included awards like the Keeling Curve Prize, Roddenberry Prize, and Forbes' Change the World, plus SBIR grants; it gained visibility on Netflix's *Inside Bill's Brain* and partnerships with labs like Lawrence Berkeley.[2] Pivotal funding from DCVC (first in 2018) and others fueled evolution from R&D to industrial scaling.[2][4]

Core Differentiators

• Breakthrough Technology: Uses proprietary polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) electrolysis with metal catalysts to efficiently split CO2 into syngas (CO + H2), upgraded to fuels like E-Jet® SAF or chemicals—modular, scalable, and integrable into existing industrial systems from any emissions source.[2][3][5]
• Drop-in Compatibility: Produces ASTM-certified eFuels and CO2Made® products (e.g., polyethylene, ethylene, jet fuel) that match petroleum-based performance without quality trade-offs, enabling seamless adoption by brands in aviation, fashion, and consumer goods.[2][5]
• Efficiency and Byproducts: Requires only renewable electricity and water; outputs pure oxygen as the sole byproduct, with demonstrated conversion of raw biogas to carbon-neutral methane.[2][3]
• Team and Partnerships: Elite team of electrochemists and engineers from top programs, backed by world-class R&D facilities, Lawrence Berkeley Lab access, and investors like DCVC, Microsoft, and Chan Zuckerberg Initiative.[3][4][6]

Role in the Broader Tech Landscape

Twelve rides the wave of carbon utilization and eFuels, addressing net-zero demands in aviation and chemicals—sectors where hydrocarbons remain essential despite electrification.[4] Timing aligns with falling renewable energy costs, regulatory pushes like CORSIA for sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), and consumer demand (74% of Americans prefer CO2-based products per surveys).[5][6] Market forces favor it: abundant waste CO2 from industry, modular tech for rapid deployment, and deals like IAG's positioning Twelve to capture a slice of the $100B+ SAF market.[4] It influences the ecosystem by pioneering "CO2Made" supply chains, enabling brands to innovate sustainably and denting fossil fuel reliance through circular, non-extractive systems.[1][5]

Quick Take & Future Outlook

Twelve is poised to lead the carbon transformation industry, with commercial AirPlant™ factories scaling E-Jet® SAF production and expanding CO2Made® into consumer products amid rising eFuel mandates.[4][5] Trends like airline investments in SAF, deep-tech climate funding, and AI-optimized catalysis will accelerate its path to fossil-free hydrocarbons.[4][6] Its influence could evolve from innovator to platform provider, reshaping chemical manufacturing as oil-to-air shifts become standard—turning Twelve from climate tech pioneer into a cornerstone of the next industrial revolution.[1][2]