Calgary, Canada-based CURA Climate Inc. has secured a $10 million commitment from four investors to build a 100 metric tpy pilot plant in Taber, Alberta, Canada, advancing commercialization of a clinker production process where electricity replaces high-temperature combustion. When renewable energy sources are factored into the electrification, the process holds the potential to reduce carbon emissions up to 85 percent when measured against traditional portland cement production, CURA officials contend.
The pilot is proceeding in partnership with Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada, precast producer Grand Forks Concrete, and will inform engineering design for CURA’s first 30,000 mtpy commercial demonstration plant. Engineers are tailoring the CURA process to work with a wide range of calcium-rich feedstocks, including lower-purity limestone and industrial waste streams, to enable deployment across diverse regions and production environments.
“We’ve made significant progress proving and scaling our electrochemical technology, and this financing allows us to move into the next phase,” said CURA Co-Founder and CEO Erin Bobicki. “Our focus now is on demonstrating that electrifying the core chemical step in cement production can deliver the performance, scale, and economics the industry needs. We’re building technology that integrates with existing operations while reducing energy consumption, increasing productivity, and strengthening both industrial and supply-chain resilience.”
“Cement has been made the same way for most of modern history, and for good reason,” added Juan Nieto, whose San Francisco firm, Zacua Ventures, leads the CURA capital infusion. “Changing how you produce something this fundamental, at this scale, carries consequences that most industries never have to think about. There is no sandbox, no beta test, no easy rollback. Our team has spent years embedded within CURA’s future clients. We know how they evaluate risk, how they make procurement decisions, and what it takes to earn their trust. CURA understands that reality deeply, and it shows in how they have approached building this technology.”
Joining Zacua Ventures in the CURA funding are Sandpiper Ventures, Amplify Capital and Vantage Futures.
