Local frictions loom large as potable water demands put tech sector at odds with household and agricultural needs. AI-driven demand for data centres coupled with rising water stress worldwide is prompting investors to ask portfolio companies how they are navigating an increasing flow of operational, regulatory, and reputational risks. A total 632 data centres owned by US tech giants Amazon,…
NovoMOF Raises $5.4 Million to Scale Up Low-Cost Carbon Capture Materials
Swiss materials tech company novoMOF said it has raised CHF 4.4 million (USD $5.4 million) to further advance its sustainable materials for low-cost carbon capture in high-emissions industrial sectors. Founded in 2017 as a spinoff that grew out of the Swiss Paul Scherrer Institute PSI, novoMOF develops Metal Organic Frameworks (MOFs), a new class of highly porous materials with exceptionally…
Fintech Startup Crux Raises $50 Million to Build Capital Market Platform for Clean Energy Developers
Fintech startup Crux announced that it has raised $50 million in a Series B funding round to further develop its capital market platform for developers, manufacturers, investors, and lenders working on clean energy projects. Launched in 2023, Crux provides capital markets technology aimed at making funding options for clean energy projects more accessible. The company’s existing platform allows developers and…
Guest Post: What the SBTi’s Draft Corporate Net-Zero Standard Version 2.0 Means for Businesses
By: Ruaridh Welsh, Consultant at EcoAct, a wholly owned subsidiary of Schneider Electric Last month, the SBTi launched the draft of its revised Corporate Net-Zero Standard for public consultation. The update marks an important step forward in aligning corporate net-zero strategies with climate science. With changes to how companies are categorised, strengthened expectations on emissions reduction, and new guidance on…
EU to Set Sustainable Design Requirements for Apparel, Steel, Furniture Products
The European Commission announced the adoption of its 2025-2030 working plan for its Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR) and Energy Labelling Regulation, aimed at establishing sustainability requirements for products across the EU, and to improve information to consumers about products’ environmental sustainability. The release of the new plan follows an initial proposal by the Commission in March 2022 to…
Oxy Acquires Carbon Removal Tech Startup Holocene
Direct air capture technology startup Holocene announced that it has been acquired by energy giant Occidental (Oxy), marking the latest in a series of moves by Oxy to deepen its capabilities in DAC carbon removal. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. DAC technology, listed by the IEA as a key carbon removal option in the transition to a net-zero…