UNDO, a world-leading carbon removal company, has won $5 million from the coveted XPRIZE Carbon Removal competition for its enhanced rock weathering solution with operations in Canada.
The four-year, $100 million competition is the largest incentive prize in history. It aims to tackle the biggest threat facing humanity - climate change. It encourages the development of high-quality carbon dioxide (CO ) removal (CDR) solutions that are scalable to gigatonne level and durably and sustainably remove carbon dioxide (CO ) from the atmosphere and oceans.
UNDO's enhanced rock weathering (ERW) solution, being scaled out of Kingston, Ontario, accelerates the natural process of rock weathering, which draws down atmospheric CO and boosts soil health, to generate permanent, high-quality carbon removal with added co-benefits. The IPCC 2022 Mitigation of Climate Change report suggests that ERW, if scaled, could remove up to 4 billion tonnes of CO per year - equivalent to 40% of CO removal targets.
In the final year of the competition, 20 XPRIZE Carbon Removal Finalists were challenged to remove more than 1,000 net tonnes of CO . XPRIZE's assessment included verification of UNDO's project by two independent verification bodies who recognised that UNDO removed 1,209 tonnes as part of its operations in Canada, where it partners with mining firm Canadian Wollastonite in Ontario.
The mineral-rich crushed rock is supplied to local farmers free of charge. For farming communities in Ontario, fast-weathering wollastonite brings agronomic advantages such as improved soil pH, crop health and pest resistance.
With customers such as British Airways, Microsoft and McLaren Racing, UNDO is establishing a range of commercial partnerships that will enable the spreading of millions of tonnes of silicate rock each year, a first step towards billion-tonne scale operations. Today's announcement represents a significant contribution to UNDO's research and development, helping reduce the cost of carbon removal to make its solution more accessible.
UNDO chief Jim Mann joins XPRIZE at the TIME100 Summit at the Jazz at Lincoln Centre in New York today, where the winners will be recognized.
Jim Mann, Founder and CEO at UNDO, said: "Being an XPRIZE winner is a powerful validation - not just of UNDO's scientific rigour and massively scalable operational model, but of the incredible team and agricultural communities behind it all. In a field of truly impressive innovators, this recognition highlights the enormous achievement of taking enhanced rock weathering from the lab and into the real world. It's an honour to be part of this winning cohort, united in our mission of creating a livable planet for future generations."
"This is a monumental milestone for the climate movement at large," said David Babson, Executive Vice President, Climate and Energy, XPRIZE. "The vast potential of the carbon removal solutions coming out of this competition highlight the profound impact incentive competitions have in accelerating innovation. We're proud to serve as a powerful catalyst for transformative solutions to tackle the most pressing global climate challenges."
Last year, Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) concluded a clear link between the heat waves that Canada suffers annually and human-caused climate change. To avoid the worst effects of climate change, we need to be removing at least 10 billion tonnes of CO from the atmosphere every year by 2050.
In 2021, the Government of Canada announced its commitment to net zero emissions by 2050. The country has developed major political, business and financial backing for carbon removal and has attracted more than 70 carbon dioxide removal (CDR) companies around the country.
XPRIZE Carbon Removal is funded by the Musk Foundation.
About UNDO
UNDO is a pioneering nature-based carbon dioxide removal company with an ambition to remove over one billion tonnes of atmospheric CO in accessible, affordable, nature-friendly ways. Since 2022, UNDO has worked at the cutting edge of science alongside experts in the climate, carbon and agricultural sectors to develop an enhanced rock weathering technology which accelerates natural weathering processes to remove carbon from the atmosphere while bringing soil and crop benefits to agricultural communities. The UNDO operational, scientific and technical model leverages existing infrastructure, with a carbon efficiency of greater than 90 percent, allowing UNDO to quickly scale operations whilst offering carbon removal at competitive prices.
About XPRIZE
XPRIZE is the recognized global leader in designing and executing large-scale competitions to solve humanity's greatest challenges. For 30 years, its unique model has democratized crowd-sourced innovation and scientifically scalable solutions that accelerate a more equitable and abundant future. Donate, learn more, and co-architect a world of abundance at xprize.org.
