Meet the Startup Cura | CDL-Paris Climate

Why It Matters

Cura’s retrofit‑ready, low‑cost cement could slash a major source of global emissions, making decarbonisation financially viable for the world’s largest cement producers.

Key Takeaways

• Cura uses electrochemical tech to make low‑cost Portland cement.
• Process plugs into existing plants, cutting emissions up to 85%.
• Goal is to undercut current cement prices, not just lower carbon.
• Capital intensity and certification are major early‑stage bottlenecks.
• CDL Paris program provides investors, customers, and lab partners.

Summary

Cura is a Canadian‑founded startup that leverages an electrochemical process developed at the University of British Columbia to produce ordinary Portland cement with dramatically lower energy input. By fitting the technology onto existing cement plants, the company promises up to an 85% reduction in CO₂ emissions while keeping the product cheaper than today’s market price.

The team emphasizes that decarbonisation must be cost‑competitive; their low‑energy method not only cuts emissions but also undercuts current cement costs. However, they face classic early‑stage hurdles: heavy capital requirements, scaling production capacity, and obtaining ASTM certification for the new material. Investor fatigue in the cement sector adds pressure to demonstrate rapid progress.

Founder [Name] notes his long‑standing ties to Creative Destruction Lab, first in the Rockies and now in Paris, to tap European cement producers and secure mentorship. Their three‑fold objectives at CDL‑Paris are securing lead investors and term sheets, conducting customer and off‑take interviews, and establishing a lab partnership to validate high‑temperature kilns and ASTM compliance.

If successful, Cura could reshape the cement value chain, addressing the industry’s 8% share of global CO₂ emissions while delivering a cheaper, greener product. The model offers a pragmatic, retrofit‑first pathway that could accelerate capital inflows and policy support for low‑carbon construction materials.

Original Description

By leveraging an electrochemical technology developed at the University of British Columbia, Cura offers a "bolt-on" solution for cement manufacturers that can reduce CO2 emissions by up to 85%. With cement currently responsible for 8% of global CO2 emissions, Cura’s mission is to enable producers to decarbonize while undercutting the existing cost of cement.

Cura is a climate-tech startup featured in the Creative Destruction Lab - Paris Climate stream, and tackling one of the hardest-to-abate sectors by producing low-cost ordinary Portland cement using existing infrastructure and supply chains.

Speakers:

- Erin Bobicki, Co-founder and CEO, Cura

- Sabrina Scott, Co-founder and COO, Cura

- Phil De Luna, Co-founder and CTO, Cura

Learn more about CDL-Paris: https://www.hec.edu/en/institutes-and-centers-expertise/innovation-entrepreneurship/our-centers/deep-tech-center/creative-destruction-lab-paris

#ClimateTech #Decarbonization #GreenCement #CDLParis #Sustainability #CleanTech #SustainableConstruction #PortlandCement