Terra CO2 cements $124M Series B to slash concrete’s carbon footprint

Terra CO2, a Golden, Colorado-based startup, has secured $124.5 million in a Series B funding round to advance its low-carbon cement alternative aimed at reducing the environmental impact of concrete production. Cement manufacturing, particularly Portland cement, is responsible for about 8% of global carbon emissions due to the chemical processes and fossil fuel use involved. Terra CO2’s approach involves producing supplementary cementitious materials (SCM) by melting silicate-containing rocks into glassy powders that mimic the properties of traditional cement but with significantly lower emissions. The new funding, co-led by prominent investors including Bill Gates’s Breakthrough Energy Ventures and Al Gore’s Just Climate, will support the construction of a large-scale facility near Dallas capable of producing 240,000 tons of SCM annually. Currently, Terra CO2’s SCM can replace up to 40% of Portland cement in concrete mixtures, reducing carbon dioxide emissions by 70% compared to conventional cement. The company is also developing a next-generation product intended