Walloon startup ARK Capture Solutions, based in Louvain-la-Neuve, has announced a €2.2 million funding round to accelerate the development of its carbon capture technology. Specializing in cleantech solutions, the company is developing equipment capable of extracting CO₂ directly from gases emitted by industrial facilities, positioning ARK at the heart of the transition toward a low-carbon economy.
Founded just nine months ago, ARK closed this pre-seed round with support from strategic investors such as Aperam Ventures and Seeder Fund. This funding marks a major milestone in its ambition to make CO₂ capture more accessible and economically viable for heavy-emitting industries.
Targeting an Overlooked Segment of the Market
While most existing technologies focus on emissions with very high CO₂ concentrations, ARK Capture Solutions takes a different approach. The startup targets emissions between 4% and 15% CO₂—typical of industrial sites—which account for nearly 50% of global emissions. These intermediate concentrations are currently the hardest to treat, as capture remains costly and complex.
To address this challenge, ARK has developed an innovative hybrid technology that could cut capture costs by half, paving the way for large-scale adoption by the industrial sector.
A Favorable Regulatory Context
This funding round comes at a time when European tax exemptions related to CO₂ emissions are rapidly decreasing. Companies will soon face a notable increase in carbon taxes, making CO₂ capture and storage not only environmentally desirable but also strategically necessary from an economic standpoint.
Driving Global Impact
“We are proud to offer a solution targeting an untapped segment of the market that accounts for roughly 50 percent of emissions worldwide,” explain founders Samuel Thiry and Aurélien Vantomme. With this funding, ARK Capture Solutions positions itself as a key player in the race to decarbonize industry, reinforcing the strategic role of Belgian innovation in the fight against climate change.