OpenAir Carbon Removal Challenge 2026

Scaling carbon removal is one of the defining challenges of our time, and university students are rising to meet it. On April 14, the OpenAir Collective announced the winners of our fourth annual Carbon Removal Challenge, celebrating the student-led breakthroughs that will help shape our climate future.

The winners’ announcement video will be available soon on the OpenAir website.

Carbon Unbound East Coast: Celebrating Three Years of Partnership

Now in our third year of partnership, Carbon Unbound East Coast remains dedicated to bridging the gap between student innovation and the carbon removal ecosystem. By providing finalists with an exclusive platform to pitch to industry leaders, we’re helping turn academic breakthroughs into career-defining connections.

“With Carbon Unbound as the venue sponsor for the past two years, I've watched the students engage with carbon removal experts, informing and inspiring each other. By sponsoring the Carbon Removal Challenge, we are investing in the next generation, and giving our attendees a way to do the same.” — Oliver Katz, Founder & CEO Unbound Summits

2026 Winners

Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST)

Solution: Solvent-free manufacturing of electrified structured sorbents for direct air capture enables high-density architectures with roll-to-roll scalability for efficient system integration.  

“OpenAir CRC and similar initiatives serve as a direct bridge, enabling research at the laboratory scale to transition into industrial deployment.” — Injun Park, Korea Advanced Institute for Science and Technology (KAIST)

Cornell/Princeton/Columbia

Solution: “Gigatonne Bio” - Converts mine waste into permanent CO2 removal and critical metals with engineered bio-mining bacteria

“Too many high-potential carbon removal solutions stall in the lab. Programs like the OpenAir Carbon Removal Challenge are a critical launchpad for helping us move out of the research phase and into the startup ecosystem.” — Joseph Lee, Cornell University

University of Michigan

Solution: “Project SAPPHIRE” - Diffusion-based microbial electrolytic cell runs in urban wastewater systems to mineralize carbon and produce hydrogen.

“With the climate crisis continuing to threaten our future, it is more important now than ever to pursue carbon removal in all its forms. A multi-pronged effort across our community is crucial for meaningful carbon reduction at scale.” — Daniel Johnson, University of Michigan

Rutgers University

Solution: “C3W” (Carbon Capture with Concrete Waste) - A novel _mineral separation technology combined with well-established waste management and carbon mineralization methods to enable utilization of concrete waste as a CO2 sorbent.

“Through the CRC mentorship program, we had access to an incredibly diverse team of mentors and were able to connect with multiple who deeply engaged with both our concept and its execution. Their business-oriented insight was especially valuable, helping us expand beyond an academic mindset and ground our work in practical, real-world considerations.” — Jack Kaszas, Rutgers University

The Challenge in Numbers

Over the past three years, the Carbon Removal Challenge has continued to grow in scale and impact:

• 429 students have applied to the challenge
• 69 students have been selected for the final showcase
• Participants have come from 31 countries
• 5 finalist teams have already gone on to launch startups

These numbers reflect not only the global reach of the initiative but also its tangible role in advancing real-world climate innovation.

The Organizers

The OpenAir Collective is a distributed, volunteer-led network aiming to capitalize on opportunities to advance, accelerate, and co-invent carbon removal through advocacy, education, research & development missions.

• 1,457 of active members around the world.
• 12 of ongoing and past missions in Carbon Removal, including the Carbon Removal Challenge and multiple active open hardware R&D projects.
• 100+ “This is CDR” podcast/videocast episodes.

Research into successful climate technologies led us to see how influential solar car competitions, beginning in the early 1990s, created an influx of young talent into the solar industry that helped lead to the exponential rise of solar energy to a foremost climate technology — this approach inspired the challenge.

“Now in our fourth year of running the Challenge, we continue to be inspired by the teams and the quality of their project submissions as well as the generosity of our volunteer judges and mentors in contributing their time and expertise.” — Sue Dorward, Lead, Carbon Removal Challenge

Partner Reflections

The success of the Carbon Removal Challenge is made possible through a growing network of committed partners who continue to support and elevate emerging climate innovators.

Carbon Business Council ‍

“Scaling carbon removal requires innovation. The Carbon Removal Challenge helps encourage students to develop bold ideas that can unlock new carbon removal strategies and approaches. The Carbon Business Council is proud to help support and encourage entrepreneurship by sponsoring this competition.” — Ben Rubin, Executive Director, Carbon Business Council

Terraset

"The companies that will define carbon removal a decade from now are being built today, often without the early backing they need to get off the ground. Supporting them before the market does is exactly where we have the most leverage right now." — Taylor Insley, Director of Strategic Growth, Terraset

1PointFive

"With the carbon removal market still taking shape, innovation matters more than ever. By working collaboratively, and supporting innovation across the value chain, we can turn ideas into momentum, and momentum into lasting, scalable impact."  — Paul Kennedy, VP Carbon Solutions, 1PointFive

Ecosystem partners and community leaders

"For carbon removal to truly scale to a meaningful level, we will need a large workforce of motivated and forward-thinking individuals. By getting students all around the world to design and implement unique carbon removal projects, the OpenAir Carbon Removal Challenge is designed to excite, educate, and empower the next generation of leaders in the space." — Grant Faber, Head of Standards, Absolute Climate (Grant helped develop the Challenge and volunteers as a Challenge judge and mentor)

Looking Ahead

As the carbon removal sector continues to evolve, initiatives like the OpenAir Carbon Removal Challenge play a vital role in identifying and nurturing the ideas that could define the future of climate action. With each new cohort, the challenge not only surfaces promising solutions but also builds a global community committed to accelerating meaningful change.

Carbon Unbound East Coast remains proud to support this mission and to champion the next generation of climate innovators. Join us on 19 & 20 May to hear this year’s winners present their solutions live and be part of the conversation shaping the future of carbon removal. Click here to book your ticket.

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