Belgian deeptech startup D-CRBN has raised €17.5 million in a Series A funding round to scale its plasma-based technology that converts industrial carbon dioxide into useful carbon molecules. The round was led by Astaia, with participation from the European Innovation Council Fund and SFPIM, bringing the company’s total funding to over €20 million.
The Antwerp-based company, founded in 2021, is also opening a secondary funding window of up to €5 million for strategic industrial partners. These partners are expected to support the company’s move from pilot-stage validation toward large-scale industrial deployment.
D-CRBN’s core technology uses renewable electricity and electrified plasma processes to convert CO₂-rich industrial emissions and hydrocarbons into carbon monoxide and syngas. These outputs serve as key building blocks for producing sustainable fuels, chemicals, and materials. Unlike traditional carbon conversion methods, the process avoids fossil-fuel-based feedstocks and eliminates byproducts such as carbon black, positioning it as a cleaner alternative for heavy industry.
The company has already tested its system at industrial pilot scale in collaboration with partners in the steel and chemicals sectors. These early demonstrations are now evolving toward commercial-scale deployment, with the technology targeting industries that are among the hardest to decarbonize.
Investor interest in D-CRBN reflects growing urgency around industrial decarbonization in Europe. Heavy industries such as steel and chemicals face increasing regulatory pressure under frameworks like the EU Emissions Trading System and the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism. Technologies that can transform emissions into usable feedstocks are becoming strategically important, offering both environmental and economic benefits.
Astaia and other investors emphasized that D-CRBN’s approach supports Europe’s push toward circular carbon systems, where emissions are reused as industrial inputs rather than released into the atmosphere. The European Innovation Council Fund highlighted the company as an example of how deeptech innovation can be scaled into real industrial impact.
Proceeds from the funding round will be used to build industrial demonstration units, expand engineering capabilities, and accelerate commercialization of the CO₂-to-syngas platform. Strategic partnerships with industrial players in steel, chemicals, and energy are expected to play a key role in scaling adoption.
As the company moves toward full industrial deployment, its success will depend on the performance of its demonstration systems and the strength of its partnerships. If successful, D-CRBN could become a key player in Europe’s emerging circular carbon economy, helping transform industrial emissions into valuable commercial products while supporting long-term decarbonization goals.
