Blockchain Press Releases
Supercritical raises $13m Series A led by Lightspeed Venture Partners to supercharge scaling of carbon removal in face of massive capacity shortfall
- Supercritical, today responsible for 35% of corporate carbon removal purchases and counts two of the world’s top 20 CDR buyers among its customers
- Carbon removal market today at 0.01% of capacity IPCC says will be needed by 2050; Supercritical is supporting urgent accelerated scaling of CDR technologies
- The funding, the second Supercritical raise to feature a gender-balanced cap table, will be used to fuel new chapter of growth
LONDON, June 22, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — Supercritical, the vetted carbon removal marketplace helping businesses reach net zero, today announces it has raised $13m in Series A funding, led by Lightspeed Venture Partners. The round includes funding from RTP Global, Greencode Ventures, MMC Ventures and others. Supercritical aims to accelerate the urgent scaling of carbon removal technologies by aggregating business demand and innovating with new purchase models. It will use the funding to grow its team, expand its product offering, and acquire additional customers.
Corporates want to reduce their carbon emissions, but most businesses will never be able to achieve full net zero purely through decarbonisation efforts and require carbon removal to do so. Unlike traditional emissions avoidance offsets that, until today, were the focus of sustainability programs, Supercritical’s marketplace allows corporations to purchase fully qualified carbon removal credits, as set out in the industry standard Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi), that allow them to reach net zero.
However, CDR capacity is nowhere near the level it needs to be. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) found that to keep global average temperature rises below 1.5C, CDR at scale will be essential. Across the whole of 2022, around 600,000 tonnes of CDR were purchased – less than 0.01% of the 10 gigatonnes the IPCC says will need to be available annually by 2050.
The CDR market is rapidly evolving: at the beginning of 2020, just 237 tonnes of CDR offsets had been sold in total, while earlier this year individual companies made million tonne CDR purchases for the first time. However, growth needs to accelerate even more rapidly in the years ahead to avoid climate calamity.
Supercritical is at the vanguard of efforts to urgently scale the CDR market. It is the only marketplace focusing on high-quality, vetted, durable CDR projects. These include engineered solutions such as biochar, direct air capture (DAC) and enhanced weathering in addition to nature-based solutions such as afforestation. All CDR projects on the marketplace must pass through Supercritical’s vetting process, with only 6% making the cut.
By aggregating demand from corporate buyers, Supercritical is acting as a market maker, helping CDR projects scale. It is also spearheading innovative new purchase agreements to jump-start accelerated CDR capacity growth. In May, Supercritical brokered a long-term offtake agreement for biochar provider Carbo Culture, enabling the pre-purchase of thousands of tonnes of biochar and allowing Carbo Culture to develop C1, a new facility that converts carbon-containing biomass into biochar at a commercial scale for the first time.
For businesses, Supercritical measures, reduces and, using these CDR methods, removes carbon emissions, helping businesses to reach net zero. Supercritical is already one of the world’s largest carbon removal marketplaces, with 35% of corporate purchases taking place through the platform and two of the world’s top 20 CDR buyers buying through the platform. Supercritical works with some of the most ambitious businesses when it comes to carbon commitments, including leading business banking platform Tide, who working with Supercritical, this year became the first fintech to remove 100% of their emissions; and leading algorithmic trading firm XTX Markets who, in partnership with Supercritical, have become one of the top 10 purchasers of CDR globally. Other notable customers include Veriff, Multiverse and IMC.
Looking forward, Supercritical plans to accelerate hiring, evolve its product offering to continue supporting the CDR market’s scaling, and acquire additional customers. The round will be the second raise conducted by Supercritical with a gender-balanced cap table.
Commenting, Co-founder and CEO Michelle You, said:
“Carbon removal – in parallel with aggressive decarbonization – is required to stay below 1.5C of warming and avoid the worst effects of climate change. We’re proud to work with businesses that are taking a leading role in building sustainability programs that center around both reducing emissions and removing with durable carbon removal, the only type of offset that counts towards net zero. As the only marketplace exclusively focusing on high quality carbon removal, it’s our mission to act as a trusted partner to businesses serious about net zero.
Since our launch two years ago, we’ve been astonished by the rapid growth in demand for our portfolio of durable carbon removal offsets. With this funding, we are excited to enter a new chapter and play a meaningful role as a market maker for promising carbon removal projects, aggregating demand to support them as they scale.
We have a vanishingly tiny window to start the acceleration curve towards the 10 billion tonne annual CDR capacity required by 2050, and we are proud to play an early market leading role in helping this industry scale.”
Commenting, Paul Murphy, Partner at Lightspeed Venture Partners said:
“Supercritical is doing something unique. By focusing exclusively on carbon removal offsets, they are helping businesses invest in the places that will actually deliver climate impact while they work in parallel to decarbonise. By aggregating demand, including through innovative future-proofing models, they are providing the resources that CDR projects need to scale in time.
Net zero is simply unattainable for the vast majority of corporations without a robust, quality carbon removal platform like Supercritical. We are so pleased to be part of their journey.”
About Supercritical
Supercritical is a vetted carbon removal marketplace that helps businesses achieve net zero. Founded in London, its technology makes it easy for companies to understand their climate impact and purchase high-quality carbon removal offsets to reduce it.
Already, 35% of the world’s carbon removal customers use Supercritical to purchase carbon removal offsets. The company has two customers in the top 20 buyers of carbon removal worldwide, and recently helped Tide become the first fintech in the world to remove 100% of its emissions.
Supercritical is backed by Lightspeed Venture Partners, GreenCode Ventures, MMC Ventures. It has been previously backed by LocalGlobe and angel investors including Peter Reinhardt (Twilio Segment and Charm Industrial), Yancey Strickler (Kickstarter), Alice Bentinck (Entrepreneur First), Gustaf Alströmer (Y Combinator) and Evelyn Bourke (Bupa).
Its founders are repeat technology entrepreneurs who started the company as a way to build a better future for their children. www.gosupercritical.com
Images of the Supercritical co-founders are available to download here.
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Blockchain Press Releases
WSPN Partners with Viction and Ninety Eight Ecosystem to Boost WUSD Adoption and Expand Market Reach
SINGAPORE, Nov. 5, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Worldwide Stablecoin Payment Network (WSPN) is excited to announce a strategic partnership with Viction, a global Layer-1 blockchain that empowers builders at every level through accessible and scalable infrastructure, along with holistic guidance. In collaboration with the Ninety Eight (formerly known as Coin98) ecosystem, this partnership aims to expand WUSD’s reach, strengthening its role as a stable and accessible digital asset across the evolving Web3 landscape. Together, WSPN, Viction, and Ninety Eight will enhance interoperability, boost liquidity, and drive local market adoption, with a strong focus on growth in emerging markets.
Expanding WUSD as a Native Stablecoin on Viction
WSPN will deploy WUSD natively on Viction, supporting integration across Web3 applications and enhancing liquidity for users and developers. With WUSD as a core asset, Viction’s ecosystem will foster secure, stable transactions, empowering dApps, protocols, and platforms with increased interoperability and cross-chain functionality.
Market Expansion, CEX Listings, and Joint Community Outreach
To expand WUSD’s presence in Vietnam, Viction will tap into its resources alongside the Ninety Eight ecosystem to drive local adoption through strategic partnerships and collaborative community outreach. Listing WUSD on major centralized exchanges will increase accessibility, reaching a broader audience. This joint effort benefits both WSPN and Viction, with WUSD enhancing visibility for Viction’s technology and ecosystem, while Viction’s strong local network and Ninety Eight’s established connections boost WUSD’s growth. Through initiatives like webinars, ambassador programs, and developer workshops, the partnership will engage the community and build a lasting foundation, fostering an understanding of both WUSD’s value and Viction’s strengths.
Collaborative Responsibilities and Support
WSPN will oversee WUSD’s deployment on Viction and foster collaborations within its ecosystem, while Ninety Eight and Viction will support liquidity management, integrating WUSD into the Coin98 Super Wallet and strengthening infrastructure to ensure effective interoperability. Marketing initiatives led by WSPN and Viction will drive awareness and engagement for both ecosystems, reaching institutional audiences and building lasting adoption across the region.
Together, WSPN, Viction, and Ninety Eight are setting a new standard for collaboration in the Web3 space: Uniting technology, community, and accessibility to create a robust ecosystem. By empowering local markets and driving sustainable growth, this partnership is paving the way for a more inclusive, innovative blockchain future. The journey is only beginning, and the potential is limitless.
About WSPN
WSPN is a leading provider of next-generation stablecoin infrastructure, committed to building a more secure, efficient, and transparent payment solution for the global economy. Their flagship product, WUSD stablecoin, is pegged 1:1 to the U.S. Dollar and aims to optimize secure digital payments for Web3 users. WSPN ‘s Stablecoin 2.0 approach prioritizes user-centricity, community governance, and accessibility, paving the way for widespread stablecoin adoption.
Learn more: www.wspn.io | X | LinkedIn
About Viction
Viction is a global layer-1 blockchain that empowers builders at every level, provides both the foundation and enhancements necessary for projects to achieve stability and soar to their higher selves.
Viction provides seamless interoperability, scalability, flexible development, zero gas fees, enhanced security, and speed to enable builders with tech capabilities.
Beyond technical advantages, Viction offers holistic guidance through consultation, resources, funding, and strong network connections to foster project growth.
About Ninety Eight
Ninety Eight is an ecosystem of innovation companies with a shared mission to enable and empower human potential. They found and fund blockchain companies that make Web3 accessible for everyone.
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SINGAPORE, Nov. 5, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — HTX Ventures, the global investment division of HTX, today unveils its latest research on crypto and its impact on the much anticipated U.S. presidential election. This marks the first time that crypto has become a key issue in a U.S. election, and the report, titled 2024 U.S. Election For Crypto: A Potential Turning Point from Tight Regulation and Ban to Support and Innovation, aims to discuss the reasons behind it and analyze what crypto will potentially look like after the election.
Both presidential candidates, Donald Trump and Kamala Harris, have leveraged crypto in their campaigns to garner support from the crypto community. As the report suggests, there are four reasons that crypto has come to the center of the stage.
First of all, crypto is becoming more important to the U.S. On the one hand, no matter which candidate wins, the U.S. deficit and debt burdens are likely to go worse, and “as a decentralized and scarce asset, Bitcoin can serve as an effective tool for governments and investors to hedge against inflation and risk. In particular, it holds potential strategic significance in the face of debt and inflation pressures,” the report points out. On the other hand, stablecoins can help expand the international influence of the U.S. dollar. The growing significance leads to the second reason that the voters are more and more interested in crypto.
Thirdly, as the Biden administration implemented tight regulation on crypto, the industry now calls for a new regulatory framework which is more relaxed.
Lastly, crypto companies have become the main contributors to political donations in 2024. The report indicates that, “these funds not only influence presidential candidates’ policies but also push for congressional election strategies in favor of cryptocurrency. As a result, the crypto industry has moved from behind the scenes into the public eye, becoming a vital force in U.S. politics.”
The report then compared the two candidates’ crypto policies. Harris is expected to be more crypto-friendly than Biden. However, she has made limited statements on crypto policies, and is cautious on key issues like taxation, Bitcoin mining, and self-custody.
Trump, on the other hand, has shown strong interest in the digital asset industry, claiming that he aims to make the U.S. the “crypto capital of the planet and the Bitcoin superpower of the world”. He has proposed a series of crypto policy proposals, including creating a strategic Bitcoin stockpile, establishing a crypto Presidential Advisory Council, and barring the Federal Reserve from issuing a digital currency. The report anticipates that, should Trump win, there will be a clearer and more relaxed regulatory environment that benefits crypto startups and DeFi. Meanwhile, as Trump has promised to substantially lower U.S. interest rates if he is re-elected, the prices of crypto assets may be driven up thanks to increased liquidity.
The report also discusses the emergence of on-chain prediction markets. Compared to the centralized betting providers, they utilize smart contracts and decentralized ledgers to create transparent global markets, ensuring that these platforms are fair and tamper-proof.
Polymarket is the most successful platform in the sector, which secured 80% of the volume brought on by wagers on the U.S. presidential election. It has been adopted by multiple mainstream media outlets as an alternative news source. As a Web3 prediction market, Polymarket has surpassed its Web2 competitors and holds the largest market share, which is extremely rare. “Prediction markets’ impact has extended into various fields such as public opinion, financial hedging, and business decision-making,” the report states.
To read the full report, please visit: 2024 U.S. Election For Crypto: A Potential Turning Point from Tight Regulation and Ban to Support and Innovation
About HTX Ventures
HTX Ventures, the global investment division of HTX, integrates investment, incubation, and research to identify the best and brightest teams worldwide. With more than a decade-long history as an industry pioneer, HTX Ventures excels at identifying cutting-edge technologies and emerging business models within the sector. To foster growth within the blockchain ecosystem, we provide comprehensive support to projects, including financing, resources, and strategic advice.
HTX Ventures currently backs over 300 projects spanning multiple blockchain sectors, with select high-quality initiatives already trading on the HTX exchange. Furthermore, as one of the most active FOF (Fund of Funds) funds, HTX Ventures invests in 30 top global funds and collaborates with leading blockchain funds such as Polychain, Dragonfly, Bankless, Gitcoin, Figment, Nomad, Animoca, and Hack VC to jointly build a blockchain ecosystem. Visit us here.
Feel free to contact us for investment and collaboration at [email protected]
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Blockchain Press Releases
KuCoin Shines at The Gateway Event, Advocating for Blockchain Innovation Through TON
DUBAI, UAE, Nov. 2, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — KuCoin, a global leader in the cryptocurrency exchange arena, is thrilled to announce its active participation at this year’s premier TON community event, The Gateway. The annual conference, renowned for uniting key players in the TON ecosystem, aligns perfectly with KuCoin’s mission to democratize cryptocurrency and expand its reach across the globe.
Representing KuCoin at the event was Alicia, who took part in the insightful panel discussion on “Perspective Sectors on TON for VCs and Exchanges.” Her presence underscored the vibrant potential of the venture capital market within emerging blockchain technologies, particularly the TON ecosystem. Alicia’s discussion highlighted how TON’s seamless integration with Telegram presents unique opportunities for innovation and user engagement, resonating with KuCoin’s strategic initiatives to bridge social connectivity with financial transactions.
“TON’s integration with Telegram not only simplifies the user experience but also amplifies it, making it a gateway for millions to engage with Web3 technologies,” Alicia stated. She emphasized KuCoin’s commitment to leveraging this synergy to enhance secure, user-friendly trading experiences, thus furthering its mission of putting crypto in every pocket.
KuCoin’s participation in The Gateway event reinforces its dedication to fostering a secure, robust, and accessible trading environment, paving the way for a new era of crypto and blockchain integration.
About KuCoin
Launched in September 2017, KuCoin is a leading cryptocurrency exchange with its operational headquarters in Seychelles. As a user-oriented platform with a focus on inclusiveness and community engagement. It offers over 800 digital assets across Spot trading, Margin trading, P2P Fiat trading, Futures trading, and Staking to its 36 million users in more than 200 countries and regions. KuCoin ranks as one of the top 6 crypto exchanges. KuCoin was acclaimed as “One of the Best Crypto Apps & Exchanges of June 2024” by Forbes Advisor and has been included as one of the top 50 companies in the “2024 Hurun Global Unicorn List”. Learn more at https://www.kucoin.com/.
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