Teen Entrepreneur Raises $3.5M For Carbon Removal Startup

In a remarkable feat of innovation and climate action, 16-year-old Harper Moss has secured $3.5 million in seed funding for her startup, CarbonZero.Eco. The Silicon Valley-based company is focused on using biochar to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere while simultaneously improving soil quality and increasing crop yields for farmers.

Moss, who founded the company out of a passion for environmental impact, has been working closely with experts in carbon capture and regenerative agriculture. Her goal is to tackle the growing biochar shortage and engage farmers in sustainable solutions that not only benefit the planet but also enhance their livelihoods. Partnering with tech entrepreneur Gregory Ray, who serves as CarbonZero.Eco’s CTO, Moss has positioned the company at the intersection of agricultural sustainability and carbon removal.

Biochar, the core of CarbonZero.Eco’s approach, is a form of biological charcoal created by heating organic materials like forest residue, wood, and crop waste in the absence of oxygen. This process locks carbon into a stable form that, when buried in soil, prevents it from re-entering the atmosphere for centuries. Beyond its climate benefits, biochar enhances soil fertility, helping farmers achieve higher crop yields.

Its inaugural large-scale project is currently in progress in Colusa County, California, where it is building a biochar plant scheduled to open in April 2025. In an unprecedented step, CarbonZero.Eco has entered into $7 million worth of contracts with over 300 almond farms in the area. The deal will involve the transformation of 1.5 million tons of almond shells—otherwise-decomposing organic material that would release carbon into the atmosphere—into biochar. The company estimates that this initiative alone will prevent 1.5 million tons of CO2 emissions from entering the atmosphere.

As the facility gears up for its launch, CarbonZero.Eco has also made strides in the carbon credit market. It has received preliminary approval from Puro.Earth, a leading carbon crediting platform, to become a certified supplier of Biochar CO2 Removal Certificates. By the summer of 2025, the company expects to begin generating these certificates, which could provide a new revenue stream for farmers participating in regenerative agriculture.

Moss emphasized the critical role of farmers in the fight against climate change, stating, “Farmers are the beating heart of our country, yet haven’t been a big enough part of the carbon conversation before. Regenerative farming and carbon sequestration go hand in hand thanks to biochar, and I am humbled that hundreds of farms trust us enough to partner with us on this journey.”

The seed funding round brought in investments from top executives, such as leaders at Google, Meta, and Amazon, as well as a handful of CEOs of late-stage startups. Rich Miner, Android co-founder and ex-founding partner of Google Ventures, is among the investors who spoke highly of Moss's commitment and vision. "Harper's passion, persistence, and drive led her to start an amazing company addressing regenerative farming and carbon emissions at a critical moment for both.". I am so excited to see how far she takes it along with Greg and the impressive team they have put together.”

Moss’s journey with CarbonZero.Eco reflects the growing intersection of youth entrepreneurship, climate innovation, and agricultural transformation. As concerns over carbon emissions and soil degradation continue to rise, biochar-based solutions like those championed by CarbonZero.Eco offer a promising path forward. By aligning farmers’ economic incentives with environmental sustainability, the company is not only helping to restore soil health but also positioning itself as a key player in the carbon removal industry.

The initial success of the startup points to a larger trend in the sustainability space. As nature-based solutions and carbon sequestration technologies gain more focus, companies and investors are increasingly seeing the need to scale such efforts. As CarbonZero.Eco continues to advance with its first production plant, it could be an example of how agriculture and climate action can collaborate to produce long-term, scalable impact.

For Moss, however, the adventure is only starting. With huge support and a well-defined goal, CarbonZero.Eco stands to be an important player in the future of carbon removal and regenerative farming.