CarbonZero.Eco Raises $3.5 Million to Advance Biochar-Based Carbon Removal

Regenerative agriculture and carbon removal startup CarbonZero.Eco, founded by 16-year-old Harper Moss, has raised $3.5 million to support its biochar-based projects aimed at removing CO2 from the atmosphere while improving crop yields for farmers.

Based in Silicon Valley, CarbonZero.Eco was launched by Moss, driven by a passion for climate action and informed by engagement with experts in carbon capture and offset solutions. The company focuses on addressing an impending biochar shortage to engage farmers in regenerative agriculture and climate change mitigation. By enhancing soil quality, increasing crop yields, and generating additional revenue for farmers, the company aims to create a sustainable approach to carbon sequestration. Moss serves as CEO, co-founding the company with tech entrepreneur Gregory Ray as CTO.

Biochar, or biological charcoal, is created by heating biomass—such as forest residue, wood, or crop waste—in an oxygen-free environment, resulting in a stable form of carbon. When buried in soil, biochar enables centuries-long carbon sequestration while also improving soil fertility.

CarbonZero.Eco is currently developing its first biochar production facility in Colusa County, California. The company has secured deals worth $7 million with over 300 almond farms in the region to convert up to 1.5 million tons of almond shells—material that would otherwise decompose and release carbon into the atmosphere—into biochar. The new facility is expected to mitigate 1.5 million tons of CO2 emissions from waste breakdown.

Scheduled to open in April 2025, the facility is anticipated to begin generating carbon removal certificates by the summer. It has already passed a preliminary assessment by carbon crediting platform Puro.Earth, registering CarbonZero.Eco as a biochar CO2 Removal Certificate supplier.

Harper Moss commented, “Farmers are the beating heart of our country, yet haven’t been a big enough part of the carbon conversation before. Regenerative farming and carbon sequestration go hand in hand thanks to biochar, and I am humbled that hundreds of farms trust us enough to partner with us on this journey.”

The seed funding round included investments from managers and executives at Google, Meta, and Amazon, as well as CEOs of several late-stage startups. Angel investor Rich Miner, co-founder of Android and former founding partner at Google Ventures, remarked, “Harper’s passion, persistence, and drive led her to start an amazing company tackling regenerative farming and carbon emissions at a critical time for both, and I am so excited to see how far she takes it along with Greg and the impressive team they have put together.”