The case for moving money now
Turning donations into signal, speed, and scale for carbon removal.
The climate can’t wait for markets to mature.
We need to cut emissions and remove 200+ years of carbon already in the atmosphere, and we need to do it now. We know carbon removal is essential, but its market is still nascent.
Today, most buyers pay only after carbon is delivered. Corporations see risk. Governments move slowly. The result? Promising solutions stall. Not for lack of science or potential, but for lack of early demand.
Our solution is pre-purchases.
A pre-purchase means committing funds now for carbon removal that will be delivered later. Unlike investment, it’s non-dilutive. Unlike post-delivery contracts, it’s upfront, giving companies the runway to build and validate their projects.
Moving money now is critical.
Early demand turns plans into purchase orders, trials, and proof. Once projects are proven out, risk perception drops and larger buyers step in. Terraset pools donor capital and makes pre-purchases so projects can move today, not years from now.
Pre-purchases create momentum in three ways.
Speed – Immediate funding lets projects launch operations instead of waiting years.
Signal – Vetted, upfront commitments show other buyers where to follow.
Scale – Proof of delivery unlocks larger offtakes, grants, and project finance.
Philanthropy is the right capital for pre-purchases.
Traditional charity treats symptoms. Catalytic philanthropy builds systems. Pre-purchases need flexible, risk-tolerant dollars that can move before revenues exist. That’s exactly what philanthropy supplies: non-dilutive capital that fills the first-buyer gap and turns intent into buildable steps.
Pre-purchases:
move sooner than public programs or corporate budgets;
reduce perceived risk so offtakers, lenders, and grantmakers follow;
keep teams focused on execution by funding the critical first work.
This isn’t about buying credits. It’s about building the market for durable carbon removal.
In our latest round, those pre-purchases helped eleven teams across five countries turn plans into proof and attract new funding.
Four snapshots from our latest purchase round
Here’s how our strategy played out across the latest round of purchases—different pathways and geographies, same catalytic impact.
Carba – Biochar burial integrated with landfill cover (United States)
The gap.
Carba’s first commercial-scale reactor and landfill co-location needed upfront revenue; conventional project finance wasn’t available for this first-of-a-kind project.
How Terraset’s pre-purchase was catalytic.
Our pre-purchase provided early revenue that funded modular pyrolysis equipment for the Burnsville, MN site, supported commissioning and integration, and enabled alignment with Isometric’s MRV protocol for biochar burial.
With equipment procurement underway and site integration in progress, Carba is on track for first deliveries. Municipal partners are noticing co-benefits for waste management, and interest in forward purchases for 2026 and beyond is growing.
What’s next.
First deliveries from Burnsville and municipal Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) for additional sites will set the stage for broader expansion.
“Upfront capital is catalytic to growth as traditional project financing is not available for first of a kind projects. Without buyers willing to take this risk and provide funds that can be used for capital expenditures, innovative ideas that will help heal our planet will stay on the shelf.”
— Andrew Jones, CEO, Carba
Deep Sky — Direct air capture hub development (Canada)
The gap.
Deep Sky’s first-of-a-kind direct air capture (DAC) hub needed upfront funding to advance site preparation, integration, and validation for its initial modules.
How Terraset’s pre-purchase was catalytic.
Our pre-purchase provided early capital that accelerated deployment of DAC units at Deep Sky Alpha as well as early investments in new direct air capture hubs across Canada. With a fully operational site in Innisfail, Alberta today, Deep Sky is building a stronger pipeline of enterprise offtake conversations and attracting heightened interest from public and co-funders.
What’s next.
Continued operations at Deep Sky Alpha, the addition of new DAC units from world class companies, and preparation for new DAC hubs across Canada, setting the stage for larger-scale operations and additional offtakes.
Terraset’s pre-purchase commitment enables us to accelerate deployment of Deep Sky Alpha and make continued early investments in new direct air capture hubs across Canada.
— Charlie Renzoni, VP Carbon Markets, Deep Sky
Pyrogen — Biochar and low-cost building materials (Kenya)
The gap.
Pyrogen faced a capital gap needed to start steady biochar production and establish manufacturing capacity for its innovative biochar-concrete products.
How Terraset’s pre-purchase was catalytic.
Our pre-purchase funded equipment and feedstock operations to produce biochar at target specifications and enabled the start of concrete block production embedding biochar for durable carbon storage. The investment also supported sustainable incomes for the first group of women and youth in Baringo County.
Early production has lowered unit costs for affordable housing partners and sparked new interest from buyers and funders, validating Pyrogen’s approach and building momentum for the next growth phase.
What’s next.
Pyrogen is preparing to scale toward Kenya’s first full-scale biochar-concrete plant, unlocking broader climate and construction solutions across the region.
“Securing Terraset’s support has accelerated our commercial trajectory. As the exclusive holder of IP for biochar use in concrete in Kenya, Pyrogen is uniquely positioned to scale a climate and construction solution that works for Africa. This funding not only validates our model, it helps unlock the next phase of our raise - bringing us closer to launching Kenya’s first full-scale biochar-concrete plant.”
— Arthur Mulwa, Co-founder, Pyrogen
Sinkco Labs — Ocean-based biomass burial (United States)
The gap.
Sinkco Labs’ pilot-scale expansion required upfront funding for equipment and MRV to demonstrate durability and establish a credible cost curve.
How Terraset’s pre-purchase was catalytic.
Our pre-purchase supported procurement for a North America pilot, enabled initial deployment work, and funded monitoring and validation runs to evidence storage performance. It also facilitated permitting in Louisiana, supporting projects that help combat land loss in vulnerable communities.
Early deployment has strengthened follow-on financing opportunities and provided clearer price benchmarks for buyers, increasing confidence among investors and partners to expand this carbon removal pathway.
What’s next.
Sinkco Labs is preparing for larger-scale North American deployments, scaling ocean-based biomass burial and demonstrating a replicable, high-integrity carbon removal solution.
Terraset’s support came at a pivotal moment for Sinkco Labs. Their early commitment helped us close the necessary funding to launch our first large-scale deployment in North America, while also demonstrating to the market that high-integrity carbon removal is both investable and scalable.
— Viji Thomas, CEO, SinkCo Labs