Brineworks Secures €6.8M To Expand Direct Air Capture For Sustainable E-Fuels

The funding round was led by SeaX Ventures and saw participation from Pale Blue Dot, First Momentum, AiiM Partners, Energie360°, and Katapult.

Brineworks has received a €1.8 million grant from the European Innovation Council (EIC) Accelerator to boost R&D and pilot projects.

Founded in 2023 by Gudfinnur Sveinsson and electrochemist Dr. Joseph Perryman, Amsterdam-based Brineworks develops direct air capture (DAC) technology with hydrogen co-production, aiming to make e-fuel production affordable. The company combines technological and policy expertise to deliver scalable decarbonization solutions for hard-to-abate sectors like aviation and maritime.

Its core innovation is a patented electrolyser that achieves ultra-low-cost DAC while generating substantial hydrogen. These outputs provide essential inputs for sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and e-methanol for shipping—two industries urgently needing scalable, carbon-neutral solutions.

Aviation accounts for roughly 2.5% of global CO₂ emissions, while shipping contributes over 3%, with both sectors’ demand continuing to rise. Brineworks’ technology offers a viable path to decarbonization.

“Renewable energy costs are dropping faster than many expected,” said Gudfinnur Sveinsson, CEO of Brineworks.

The bottleneck now is technology that can use this power flexibly and affordably. That’s exactly what we’ve built an electrolyser that runs when the sun shines or the wind blows, and pauses when it doesn’t. We’re unlocking a dream that’s been out of reach for decades, commented Sveinsson.

Brineworks’ electrolyser is designed to operate intermittently, unlike conventional systems, adapting to renewable energy availability without compromising performance. This overcomes a key challenge of running DAC reliably using low-cost materials on renewable-powered grids.

The new funding will help scale the system to pilot level, aiming for commercial readiness by late 2026.

About Brineworks

Brineworks is developing the world’s lowest-cost Direct Air Capture system using breakthrough electrochemistry. Their innovative approach enables scalable CO₂ removal, optional hydrogen co-production and supports affordable e-fuels and industrial decarbonization offering a practical globally deployable solution for reducing emissions in hard-to-abate sectors.