RepAir Carbon closes $1.5m seed round to develop cell for modular Direct Air Capture inspired by fuel cell technology

Funding led by Counteract and ESIL to refine the prototype and develop scaling plan

TEL AVIV, Israel, Oct. 6, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- RepAir Carbon's innovative technology uses electrical current and a unique selective membrane to separate CO₂ from the air. The company's prototype has already demonstrated several advantages relative to competing Direct Air Capture solutions, consuming up to 3 times less energy for each tonne of CO₂ captured without the need for high temperature or significant pressure differentials. RepAir's modular cell design is also expected to make it viable in many more deployment scenarios and with reduced capital expenditure.

Seed funding will allow the RepAir team to refine the company's existing prototype cell, maximizing efficiency and yield before scaling production for initial customer applications.

Amir Shiner, co-founder and CEO of RepAir said "Direct Air Capture plays a key role in any scenario where global temperature rises less than 2°C. However, today's solutions are too expensive, energy-hungry, and resource-intensive. We're working hard to develop a technology with a responsible energy footprint that can be deployed in many more settings. This investment will help us advance and optimize our TRL3 prototype. We're thrilled to be teaming up with like-minded investors who bring expertise and resources to the table along with capital."

Alongside Shiner, the Repair team includes co-founder and Chairman Yehuda Borenstein, CTO Ben Achrai, PhD, and Board Member Yushan Yan, PhD.

RepAir's seed round was co-led by Counteract and ESIL, with participation from Consensus Business Group, ImpactAssets and others. 

Andrew Shebbeare, Managing Partner at Counteract, said "We firmly believe in the part Direct Air Capture will play but are also convinced that today's technology needs to evolve. With a promising platform and exceptional team, we are convinced RepAir is advancing the state of the art and will help pave the way for responsible and scalable DAC."

Eli Cymbalista, CEO of ESIL, said "Our aim is to accelerate and commercialize start-ups delivering economically viable solutions that support the transition to a NetZero world. We believe RepAir fits that brief exactly and are excited to contribute the skills and resources of our partners' network to help accelerate their progress."

About Repair

RepAir develops a Direct Air Capture system based on a proprietary electrochemical cell technology that can capture CO₂ from the air in gigaton scale. Powered solely by renewable energy, our system can be deployed at the site of carbon storage or utilizations, saving arable land and avoiding CO₂ transport. 

About Counteract

Counteract combats the climate crisis through research, development and investment in carbon removal. Our team gives entrepreneurs the financial and strategic support to turn fresh ideas into self-sustaining businesses with the potential to capture or store greenhouse gases at a gigaton scale.

About ESIL

ESIL is a partnership of EDF Renewables, Johnson Matthey, and Bazan Group and provides a platform for establishing breakthrough sustainable innovation solutions.