Avnos, Inc. (Avnos), the Los Angeles-based company developing novel Hybrid Direct Air Capture (HDAC) technology for carbon dioxide removal, has closed $36 million in Series A funding, according to a news release.
Avnos will use the new funds to grow its world-class team, deploy additional HDAC assets across North America and Europe, and open a new, state-of-the-art research and development facility located just outside New York City.
NextEra Energy, one of America’s largest utilities and investors in clean energy infrastructure, led the round. Other investors include Safran Corporate Ventures, Shell Ventures, Envisioning Partners, and Rusheen Capital Management. The funding supplements Avnos’ previously announced capital raises and strategic commercial agreements with Shell Ventures, ConocoPhilips, JetBlue Ventures and the Grantham Foundation, as well as pilot projects with the U.S. Department of Energy and the U.S. Office of Naval Research.
Avnos has pioneered HDAC using proprietary materials and processes to capture both carbon dioxide and water simultaneously from the atmosphere, according to a news release. The process eliminates the need for external heat input and produces approximately 5 tons of water for every 1 ton of carbon dioxide captured. Avnos’ resource-intelligent technology means lower impact on and expanded employment opportunities for the communities surrounding HDAC facilities.
“At Avnos, we believe our novel HDAC technology is the world’s best shot at reaching the much-needed gigaton scale of carbon dioxide removal,” said Will Kain, CEO of Avnos. “We feel the urgency to roll out HDAC more broadly so as to deliver on the enormous, positive climate and economic opportunities in front of us. With this substantial funding, Avnos continues to expand its unparalleled roster of partners supporting our rapid acceleration.”
The new, multi-million-dollar research and development facility, equipped with best-in-class equipment and infrastructure, will enable Avnos to accelerate the pace of scaling the company’s HDAC technology while ensuring its systems continue to operate at peak performance. The 20,000 square foot facility will be fully operational in February 2024 and will employ an estimated 20 new employees.
“Our state-of-the-art lab underscores our mission to push the frontiers of innovation and deliver scalable and efficient carbon removal solutions,” said Ben McCool, Senior VP of Technology at Avnos. “As we expand our dynamic technical team, I’m proud to cultivate a collaborative environment that brings together top-notch talent, actively shaping and advancing the cutting-edge technologies driving Avnos towards impactful solutions.”
