Carbon One receives million sum from Maersk

The fuel start-up of serial founder Christian Vollmann wants to offer a diesel alternative for shipping with green methanol.

The Danish shipping group Maersk is investing an undisclosed amount in the millions in the Berlin-based start-up Carbon One. However, entries for around five million euros in the form of a commodity loan can be found in the commercial register, reports Gründerszene. Another three million euros come from existing investors. Thus, a total of 13 million euros have flowed into the start-up of serial founder Christian Vollmann since its founding in 2022. Last year, among others, Planet A Ventures from Hamburg, Wandelbots investor Paua Ventures and ex-BASF CEO Jürgen Hambrecht invested a total of five million euros.

Vollmann already founded Nebenan.de and Edarling. With his latest start-up, which he launched in 2022 with chemists Marek Checinski, Ralph Krähnert and Christoph Zehe, he wants to decarbonize shipping. To do this, Vollmann and the scientists want to bring a new chemical production process to market, which will make green methanol cheaper to produce than before. The first reactor is currently in the pilot phase.

Green methanol is considered a promising fuel alternative to diesel for container ships. Shipping accounts for about three percent of global CO2 emissions. The Danish shipping company Maersk has therefore already ordered 19 methanol-capable container ships, which will then also run on Carbon One's fuel.