Terraton, a biochar-focused carbon removal platform, has raised $11.5 million in seed funding to accelerate deployment of its technology in emerging markets. The round was co-led by Lowercarbon Capital and Gigascale Capital, with participation from leading angel investors including Jeff Dean, Bret Taylor and Pete Koomen, alongside strategic backing from ANA HOLDINGS INC. and East Japan Railway Company through funds managed by Global Brain Corporation.
The investment will support the expansion of Terraton’s vertically integrated software and hardware systems for biochar production, aimed at generating high-integrity carbon credits. Biochar, which converts agricultural waste into stable carbon while improving soil health, has emerged as one of the most scalable and cost-effective methods of durable carbon removal. In 2024, it accounted for more than 250,000 tonnes of carbon removals—outpacing other approaches.
Terraton’s model provides agribusiness operators in emerging markets with financing, technology and access to carbon markets, removing barriers such as high upfront costs and operational complexity. Its first projects include Three Mountains Cocoa in Ghana, which has preliminary approval from Puro.earth, and EcoFix in Kenya, currently under review by Isometric. Together, they are expected to deliver over 20,000 tonnes of annual CO₂ removal while generating income for thousands of smallholder farmers.
“We’re bridging the divide between high-demand biochar carbon credits and the agribusinesses who produce them,” said Kevin Gibbs, chief executive of Terraton. “By removing upfront costs and complexity, our full-stack platform enables businesses to diversify revenues while meeting growing market demand.”
In addition, Stanford University earth system scientist Professor Kate Maher has joined Terraton as its first scientific adviser, guiding the company’s efforts towards rigorous, science-based deployment.
Mike Schroepfer, founder of Gigascale Capital, described biochar as a critical tool for farmers and the climate economy: “Scaling biochar gives agricultural producers a new revenue stream while capturing carbon, and Terraton is uniquely positioned to connect these producers to global carbon markets.”
Further confidence came from Terraset, a non-profit climate fund, which has made a six-figure pre-purchase of carbon credits from the Ghana project—an early demand signal that helps accelerate commissioning.
