Climate Tech & Inclusive Innovation in Africa - The Case of Octavia Carbon

By Henry Duah

As the global climate crisis deepens, solutions emerging from Africa are beginning to capture international attention, not for their scale yet, but for their ingenuity, local relevance, and long-term potential. While Africa accounts for less than 4% of global emissions, it faces some of the harshest consequences of climate change. In response, a new generation of entrepreneurs is developing climate technologies that are both environmentally transformative and economically inclusive.

The next frontier of climate action is local, bold, and deeply rooted in impact. Across Africa, a new wave of climate tech startups is tackling environmental challenges and delivering inclusive solutions that transform communities and economies. From capturing carbon in the Great Rift Valley to turning plastic waste into clean energy systems, African-based ventures are redefining innovation in the Global South. They prove climate innovation doesn’t just happen in Silicon Valley labs – it occurs where the need is urgent, the talent is abundant, and the impact is immediate.

Why this matters
Africa is one of the regions most vulnerable to climate change, yet it contributes the least to global emissions. Startups like Octavia Carbon show how homegrown innovation can solve complex environmental issues while creating jobs, reducing inequality, and building sustainable economies. These stories matter for Africans and the global community looking for scalable, inclusive climate solutions.

As investors and policymakers look toward the next frontier of climate solutions, Startups in Africa offer both a blueprint and a challenge: innovation must be localised, inclusive, and designed for scale from the ground up.

Innovator Spotlight – Case Study
Octavia Carbon ( HQ – Kenya, Founded 2022)

Octavia Carbon, founded by Martin Freimüller and Duncan Kariuki, is building Africa’s first direct air capture (DAC) facility in Kenya’s Rift Valley, where naturally occurring geothermal conditions provide the ideal environment for low-cost carbon removal. Their technology filters CO₂ directly from the atmosphere and mineralises it into rock, permanently removing it from circulation. By leveraging local geology and talent, Octavia Carbon positions Africa as a global hub for carbon capture innovation, offering a uniquely African approach to solving the climate crisis.

How Octavia Carbon is Powering Africa’s Climate Tech Ascent
With a locally optimised solution, Octavia Carbon is tackling one of the most pressing global challenges — carbon removal. By leveraging Kenya’s geothermal energy and Rift Valley basalt formations, the company can offer a low-emission, cost-effective alternative to carbon capture in fossil fuel-reliant regions.

• End-to-End Carbon Removal Innovation

Octavia’s ambition to close the carbon removal loop, from capture to permanent geological storage, sets it apart. Their partnership with Cella for mineralisation storage and collaboration with Carbonfuture for digital MRV (Monitoring, Reporting, and Verification) solutions demonstrate a mature, integrated approach to carbon tech. This full-cycle capability has the potential to make Octavia one of the few DAC companies globally to deliver permanent storage at scale, a significant milestone in the emerging carbon removal ecosystem.

• Driving Costs Down, Scaling Impact Up

A key barrier to DAC adoption is cost, with current rates ranging from $680 to $820 per ton. Using Kenya’s geothermal waste heat and energy efficiencies, Octavia aims to slash this to around $100 per ton. This ambitious target and a growing customer base, with over 10 carbon credit buyers already, signal real market traction. As carbon credit demand surges globally, Octavia is positioned to become a go-to provider of high-integrity, verifiable, affordable, and sustainable removals.

Why Investor Interest Is Growing
Octavia Carbon has raised over $5 million, backed by Lateral Frontiers, E4E Africa, Catalyst Fund, and others. This reflects a growing investor appetite for scalable, climate-focused deep tech from emerging markets. The startup’s ability to build and operationalise DAC systems in under two years is particularly notable. It’s also securing advanced carbon credit sales—$1.1 million worth.

Octavia Carbon’s blend of tech readiness, early revenue, and alignment with global climate finance goals makes it a standout in the cleantech space.

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