Carbelim raises $1.05M to scale microalgae carbon capture
What's the deal? Kerala-based deep-tech startup CarbelimDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → has raised US$1.36M from the IITM Unicorn Frontier Fund, becoming the first startup from the state to receive backing from the fund.
What does it do? Founded by Dr Karthika Gopi and Rahul Babu, Carbelim builds microalgae-based systems that capture atmospheric carbon dioxide and convert it into oxygen. The company has filed 13 patents — seven in the US and six in India.
What's the money for? Carbelim, which employs 42 people, expects the investment to create more than 50 jobs and lift turnover to US$13.6M through international markets. "This investment will support our efforts to develop and scale our technology," said Gopi.
Why now? The fund, raised by IIT Madras, IIT Madras Research ParkDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, and Unicorn India VenturesDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, was announced in February with a US$135.8M target. It closed a first phase at US$61.1M and has deployed nearly US$7.47M across four startups.
The fine print: Carbelim is one of the fund's first four bets, alongside companies in space, quantum technology, and batteries. Its US$1.36M cheque sits below the fund's expected US$2.04M–US$3.4M average, matching its focus on patient capital for long-timeline technologies.
The signal: India's climate-tech funding has grown, but recent capital has concentrated in a few large, later-stage deals. This round stands out as an early institutional commitment to carbon-capture hardware — though its payoff depends on Carbelim turning pilots into measured performance and repeat customers at scale.
Read more: newsexperts.in
Image credit: Generated with Gemini
