Bio-Logical, a leading Kenyan biochar carbon removal company, has secured $1.3 million in new funding to expand its operations. The investment will bolster the company’s efforts to scale up its Mt. Kenya biochar facility, allowing it to meet the growing demand for carbon removal and enhance climate resilience for smallholder farmers across Kenya.
Biochar, a form of charcoal produced from organic waste, is used by Bio-Logical to sequester carbon while also creating soil-regenerating fertilisers. These fertilisers boost crop yields and improve the climate resilience of smallholder farmers who are among the most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. With this new funding, Bio-Logical aims to increase its production capacity, potentially making it one of the world’s largest biochar producers.
Philip Hunter, Co-CEO of Bio-Logical, emphasised the importance of this work: “Smallholder farmers, who are some of the worst affected by climate change, are currently suffering at the hands of a crisis they played no part in creating. At Bio-Logical, we use carbon removals to not only sequester carbon but also develop affordable, soil-regenerating fertilisers that boost yields and improve the climate resilience of farmers throughout Kenya.”
The funding round was led by a group of high-net-worth individuals and other investors, including CrossBoundary, Redshaw Advisors, and the Steyn Group, which had previously invested in Bio-Logical. This financial backing will support the company’s ambitious goal of increasing its carbon removal capacity to 100,000 tonnes of CO2 annually within the next 18 months. In addition to scaling up the Mt. Kenya facility, Bio-Logical plans to establish three new sites across Kenya as part of this expansion.
Louis Redshaw, CEO of Redshaw Advisors, expressed his support for the initiative: “Redshaw Advisors is delighted to participate in Bio-Logical’s latest fundraising, which will help create high-integrity carbon removal credits while simultaneously having a positive impact on farmers in need of climate resilience support. This naturally complements our work with corporates committed to addressing climate change through high-quality projects in countries most in need of decarbonisation support.”
Bio-Logical’s efforts have already gained significant traction, most notably with a landmark deal with Microsoft in 2023. This partnership marked the largest single purchase of biochar carbon removal from an African biochar project. The new funding will further enable the company to reach its target of 100,000 tonnes of CO2 removal annually, solidifying its role as a leader in the biochar industry.
Co-CEO Rory Buckworth highlighted the strategic importance of the funding: “This funding round will play a pivotal role in scaling up our Mt. Kenya facility and creating a blueprint for further expansion as we roll out three new sites throughout Kenya over the next 18 months.”
Bio-Logical’s expansion represents a significant step forward in the global effort to combat climate change while supporting those most affected by its impacts.