If the next decade of climate progress hinges on technologies that can operate at an industrial scale, the startups below offer a glimpse into how that future is being engineered.
These climatech startups are MIT Startup Exchange portfolio companies advancing climate innovation across areas including carbon capture, advanced energy systems, thermal management, and next-generation cooling. Their solutions are designed to operate within existing industrial and built environments, addressing efficiency, cost, and emissions challenges in sectors where incremental improvement is no longer sufficient. Through sustained collaboration with industry, these companies have the potential not only to advance technical performance but also to help redefine how leadership in decarbonization and climate resilience is established. EvolOH, https://evoloh.com/
EvolOH is advancing water electrolyzer technology designed to produce low-cost green hydrogen at an industrial scale. Its system is based on an Anion Exchange Membrane (AEM) electrolyzer architecture, which combines the efficiency of proton exchange membrane systems with the use of lower-cost materials typically associated with alkaline electrolysis. By eliminating the need for precious metal catalysts and enabling modular large-area electrolyzer stacks, the technology aims to significantly reduce the capital cost of hydrogen production. EvolOH’s systems are intended to support large-scale hydrogen deployment for applications such as clean fuels, ammonia production, and the decarbonization of heavy industry.
Femto Energy, https://www.femto.energy/ Femto Energy is developing low-carbon power systems based on nuclear fission reactors that can operate for years without refueling. The architecture leverages the exceptionally high energy density of nuclear fuel to provide steady, dispatchable electricity in a transportable, offshore configuration, which helps accelerate construction and minimizes balance-of-plant requirements such as large-scale cooling infrastructure. By prioritizing operational predictability and long service intervals, the system is well-suited for deployment in support of increased grid demand, remote environments, and industrial settings with constrained or unreliable grid access. The Femto solution offers a firm, low-emissions alternative to support growing energy demand in coastal regions.
Helix Carbon, https://www.helixcarbon.co Helix Carbon deploys modular carbon dioxide conversion systems that are the first to directly process CO₂-rich flue gas from emissions-intensive industrial operations, including steelmaking, and electrochemically convert the CO2 into syngas. By improving the efficiency of processes and recycling fuel-rich waste gases, the system reduces operating costs in hard-to-abate sectors while abating emissions. Designed for compatibility with existing plant infrastructure, the system enables retrofit deployment at active facilities, lowering the barrier to decarbonization.
Infinite Cooling, http://www.infinite-cooling.com/ Infinite Cooling helps industrial facilities improve production and lower energy and water use by optimizing their cooling systems. Its product, TowerPulse™, combines wireless sensors with physics-informed machine learning to continuously monitor cooling system performance and identify operational improvements. By improving cooling effectiveness and lowering cooling water temperatures, TowerPulse can significantly increase the efficiency of upstream processes such as condensers, chillers, and heat exchangers. These improvements often translate directly into higher production throughput, lower operating costs, and reduced water and chemical usage across industrial facilities.
Mantel, https://mantelcapture.com/ Mantel is the carbon capture company built for industry. Our high-temperature, liquid-phase carbon capture uses a proprietary molten-borate system that integrates directly into industrial operations. Mantel’s system reduces energy losses by 97% and operates at less than half the industry-average cost per tonne. Backed by leading global energy investors, Mantel is deploying across oil & gas, power generation, pulp & paper, chemicals, and other critical sectors. For more information, visit mantelcapture.com.
Pascal Technology, http://www.pascaltechnology.com Pascal Technology advances solid-state refrigerant materials engineered to function within the temperature and pressure envelopes of conventional HVAC systems while eliminating the climate impact associated with high-GWP gaseous refrigerants. Heat transfer is achieved through repeatable, controlled phase transitions in the solid material, enabling thermal cycling without compression or volatile working fluids. By rethinking the refrigerant itself rather than the surrounding equipment, the approach opens a pathway to higher-efficiency heating and cooling with substantially lower environmental impact when deployed in commercial and building-scale systems.
Sandbox Carbon, https://sandboxcarbon.com Sandbox Carbon is building “waste management for air pollution,” delivering managed industrial air filtration as a service to small and medium emitters. Its modular Carbon Dumpster system connects to boilers, furnaces, and generators to capture CO₂, smog-forming pollutants, and indoor air contaminants directly at the source. Rather than requiring complex retrofits or compressed gas handling, the system transforms pollutants into stable solids and swaps modules like trash or recycling. Sandbox Carbon is currently deploying pilots with GTI Energy in the CO₂ space and with the Chicago Transit Authority to address indoor air quality challenges in active rail service.
Transaera, http://transaera.com Transaera is reinventing air conditioning and climate control by using advanced absorbent materials, specifically metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), to pull moisture out of incoming air before cooling it. By separating dehumidification from cooling and using the heat produced by the system to regenerate the absorbent material, their technology reduces the energy required for climate control. This approach can lower overall energy use and greenhouse gas emissions in buildings while maintaining comfort, and can be integrated into dedicated outdoor air systems and other HVAC architectures.