Qaptis receives 100K CHF for its CO2 capture solution
© Théodore Caby , CEO & Co-founder | Yves Loerincik, COO & Co-founder | Masoud Talebi Amiri, CTO & Co-founder
The EPFL startup Qaptis has developed a technology capable of capturing 90% of the CO2 emitted by internal combustion engines, mainly those of trucks and boats. The Tech Seed loan from the Foundation for Technological Innovation (FIT) will help Qaptis finalise its prototype with a view to launching the commercialisation of its product.
There are approximately 350 million trucks and 95,000 boats in the world. Together they emit 3,440 megatons of CO2 per year, accounting for 8% of global greenhouse gas emissions. Yet no solution has yet been found to decarbonise these sectors quickly and easily in order to meet the European Commission's target of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by at least 40% by 2030 and achieving carbon neutrality by 2050.
To drastically reduce emissions from trucks and ships, Qaptis has developed a system called " kit " which allows to capture up to 90% of CO2 emissions - as well as nitrogen oxides. The innovation lies in using the engine's heat to spin the kit and capture the CO2 as it leaves the exhaust pipe. Installation on existing vehicles is very simple and, thanks to its low weight, the kit has barely any impact on fuel consumption. As a result, Qaptis offers an attractive alternative to significantly reduce a fleet's greenhouse gas emissions without having to replace the vehicles and the whole infrastructure for the distribution of the fuel or electricity.
Once captured, the CO2 is compressed to liquid form and stored directly on board, before being collected (e.g. at gas stations). It can then be recycled in various ways or sold to CO2 end-users. The establishment of such a network for the collection and monetisation of CO2 will be the key to success in the long term. To this end, Qaptis plans on offering subscriptions to vehicle fleet owners to gain customer loyalty and guarantee an exclusive supply of CO2.
Born out of the Laboratory of Industrial Process and Energy Systems Engineering (IPESE) at the EPFL campus in Sion, Qaptis has filed a patent, validated in 2019, to protect its technology. The Valais-based startup founded in 2021 went on to win the RIE award from the Association for Energy Research and Innovation and took third place in the global finals of Climate LaunchPAD, one of the most competitive contests for sustainable startups. The company is also supported by the Swiss Federal Office for the Environment and The Ark Foundation, and has participated in the EIC Climate-Kic maritime accelerator. In April 2022, Qaptis also ran a successful crowdfunding campaign and raised around CHF 25,000
Looking ahead, Qaptis plans to validate its technology and production plan within three years. In particular, the FIT Tech Seed loan will help the startup finance the development of its first prototype. In 2023, the Valais-based company intends to raise Seed funds and realise its minimum viable product, with a view to launching the production of its kit in the following years.
Contact
Théodore Caby
CEO and co-founder
[email protected]