Planboo

Planboo, founded in 2020 by Freddie Catlow, Priya Bhullar, and Marc Hernandez Folguera, operates in the carbon removal market, offering a nature-based solution to combat climate change. The founders, who met in Sri Lanka in 2016, initially explored using bamboo for carbon sequestration in construction before pivoting to biochar. CEO Freddie Catlow's background in sustainable construction and a master's from KTH Royal Institute of Technology informed the company's direction. Priya Bhullar holds a master's in environment and sustainable development, focusing on the climate crisis's impact on marginalized communities. The company's business model centers on equipping landowners in the Tropics with the technology and training to convert agricultural waste, like bamboo, into biochar through pyrolysis.

This process creates a stable form of carbon that sequesters CO2 for hundreds of years when added to soil, which also improves soil fertility and water retention. Planboo generates revenue by selling high-quality, verified carbon removal credits to businesses and individuals pursuing net-zero emissions. The company has developed a digital Measurement, Reporting, and Verification (dMRV) platform that uses IoT hardware and software to track the entire process, ensuring transparency and data integrity from biomass sourcing to biochar application. This technology provides over 300 data points across the value chain, which is crucial for the verification and sale of credits on the voluntary carbon market through partners like Puro.earth.

Planboo's clients are climate-conscious businesses seeking to offset their emissions with verifiable and high-impact carbon credits. A significant milestone was a March 2024 seed funding round that raised over $1.1 million from investors including Katapult, Silverstrand Capital, and Rockstart. This capital is being used to expand the team and further develop their digital tools. The company's projects, located in countries like Thailand and Malawi, not only remove carbon but also provide economic benefits to local communities, such as creating new income streams and jobs, particularly for women and the elderly.

Keywords: carbon removal, biochar, climate tech, sustainable agriculture, carbon credits, dMRV, digital verification, tropical agriculture, soil amendment, carbon sequestration, regenerative agriculture, voluntary carbon market, negative emissions, climate finance, circular economy, agricultural waste, pyrolysis, Puro.earth, corporate sustainability, impact investing