Biochar Industrial Group Raises USD 1.5 M To Scale Carbon Removal In Africa

Biochar Industrial Group (BIG), a climate tech startup operating in Sub-Saharan Africa, has raised USD 1.5 M in pre-seed funding to scale its Biochar-as-a-Service model.

Founded by Ikenna Nzewi, Uzoma Ayogu, and Isaiah Udotong, BIG provides industrial-scale carbon removal solutions by helping food processors convert agricultural waste such as nut shells, husks, cobs, and stalks into biochar through continuous pyrolysis.

The company is based in Africa, with its founding team bringing nearly a decade of industrial and agricultural experience from Nigeria.

The biochar locks carbon away for hundreds to thousands of years while producing a soil amendment and generating carbon removal credits.

BREEGA led the round, with participation from Catalyst Fund, while Mulago Foundation provided non-dilutive funding. BIG will use the capital to expand partnerships with food-processing factories and scale its carbon-removal infrastructure.