Happy Birthday, Recoal!

On a clear September day two years ago, we incorporated Recoal in Zurich. At that point, the idea was simple to state and hard to execute: build a scalable way to remove CO₂ permanently, with durability measured in thousands of years rather than decades.

Two years later, we are still early. At the same time, a lot has happened.

Our second year was defined by turning hypotheses into evidence. We ran more production tests and deepened our understanding of how our process performs under real-world conditions. In parallel, we worked through feasibility studies and discussions with experts from ETH Zurich, TU Delft, ZHAW, FHNW, IMD, and DMT. Those collaborations helped us pressure-test technical choices, storage assumptions, and pathways to scale.

We also continued to build the institutional backbone around Recoal. Support from organizations such as the Migros Pioneer Fund, Innosuisse, the Swiss Climate Foundation, and the City of Zurich’s KlimUp program allowed us to move faster while staying rigorous. Each of these partnerships came with expectations, milestones, and constructive scrutiny, which is exactly what early carbon removal projects need.

Over the past year, we participated in accelerators and competitions organized by remove, CEEZER, IMD, and EBP Ventures. These experiences sharpened our thinking on markets, buyers, and what high-quality carbon removal needs to look like in practice.

We also reached milestones that mark a shift from exploration to execution. We filed our core patent, formalizing years of technical work. We achieved certification under the Rainbow Standard, grounding our approach in independent validation. These steps matter because credibility in carbon removal is earned through structure and transparency, not claims.

We marked our second birthday with a small tradition. Part of the team came together in Zurich, others joined remotely, and we kept things simple. Building a company like Recoal is intense work, and moments like this help us pause and recognize how far we have come as a team.

Looking ahead, the next chapter is already taking shape. We are preparing for the commissioning of our pilot plant, with first operations planned from early 2026. That milestone will move us from development into delivery, and it will bring a new level of responsibility and learning.

Recoal turning two does not feel like a finish line. It feels like the end of the beginning. We are grateful to our partners, supporters, and collaborators who have trusted us with their time, expertise, and capital. Your belief makes it possible for us to keep pushing toward carbon removal that is permanent, verifiable, and scalable.

We will keep sharing the journey here as we move from planning into operations. Thank you for being part of it.