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Berlin’s CleanTech innovator, C1 Green Chemicals AG, has closed a €20 million financing round to advance its green methanol technology to market—marking a significant milestone in the race to defossilise one of the world’s most carbon-intensive sectors: The chemical industry.
Backed by a €15 million capital increase led by denkapparat—the family office of think-cell founders Markus Hannebauer and Arno Schödl—the round also drew strong support from Planet A Ventures, Maersk Growth, SquareOne, and industry giants like Prof. Wolfgang Reitzle (former CEO of Linde) and Jim Hagemann Snabe (Chairman of Siemens). The remaining €5 million was awarded through competitive research grants, reinforcing confidence in C1’s scientific and commercial potential.
“Talent and capital are the two essential ingredients for scaling scientific breakthroughs. At C1, we are fortunate to have access to both,” said Christian Vollmann, CEO of C1 Green Chemicals AG.
A Century-Old Industry, Reimagined
Founded in 2022, C1 is pioneering a new era in chemical manufacturing by harnessing advanced quantum chemistry to reengineer production processes at the atomic level. Its flagship breakthrough—a proprietary homogeneous methanol catalysis—upends a 100-year-old industrial standard by enabling the efficient conversion of non-fossil feedstocks into green methanol.
Unlike traditional methods that rely heavily on fossil fuels, C1’s process dramatically reduces carbon emissions and opens the door to scalable, sustainable production of methanol—a key building block for chemicals and fuels.
“C1 ticks all the boxes,” said lead investor Markus Hannebauer. “A world-changing innovation, a bold and pragmatic founding team, and the technological prowess to execute. We knew right away we had to lead this round.”
The Future Fuel of Net-Zero Shipping—and Beyond
Green methanol is emerging as a cornerstone of the global decarbonization strategy. Not only is it a promising alternative fuel for hard-to-abate sectors like shipping and aviation, but it can also replace fossil-based inputs across the chemical industry.
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According to C1, the market for green methanol could soar to €183 billion annually by 2050, with the potential to eliminate several gigatons of CO₂ emissions per year—equivalent to multiple percentage points of total global emissions.
Beyond emissions, the adoption of green methanol bolsters industrial resilience by reducing dependence on volatile foreign energy sources and creating circular domestic supply chains.
Next Step: The World’s First Homogeneous Methanol Demo Plant
With the new funding, C1 is set to build the world’s first demonstration plant for homogeneous methanol catalysis. Construction is slated to begin later this year, marking a major leap from lab-scale innovation to commercial deployment. C1 has strengthened its team with seasoned professionals from Linde, BASF, Clariant, Shell, and Tesla.