CarbonStrong Raises ₹12.5 Crore to Scale Low-Carbon Cement Alternatives

Bengaluru-based climate-tech startup CarbonStrong has raised ₹12.5 crore in seed funding as it prepares to move its low-carbon construction materials from customer trials and paid pilots towards commercial production.

The funding round was co-led by IAN Angel Fund and Rainmatter, with participation from Social Alpha, Full Circle Ventures, and existing investors Momentum Capital and Spectrum Impact. CarbonStrong plans to use the fresh capital to establish its first production facility, expand its team, develop new products and strengthen testing and commercial deployments.

Founded in 2022 by Harsh Jain and Vikramaditya Singh, CarbonStrong develops low-carbon binders by upcycling industrial waste generated by sectors such as coal and steel. The company says its materials can replace up to 50% of the cement used in concrete, while maintaining performance and potentially reducing both material costs and associated carbon emissions.

A key aspect of the technology is that it is designed to work with existing manufacturing plants and processes. This could allow concrete manufacturers to adopt the material without making major changes to their current infrastructure.

CarbonStrong has already completed customer trials and paid pilots, with its materials used in demonstration projects across Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Chennai. The startup is now focusing on precast concrete and paver block manufacturers as it works towards commercial-scale production.

Over the next two years, CarbonStrong aims to build annual production capacity of up to 100,000 tonnes. The new facility is expected to support commercial deployments and help the company respond to growing demand for lower-carbon construction materials.

The latest funding comes as the construction industry faces increasing pressure to reduce its environmental footprint. Cement production is responsible for more than 8% of global carbon dioxide emissions, making alternatives that can reduce conventional cement consumption an important area of climate-tech development.

CarbonStrong’s approach focuses on converting industrial waste into cementitious materials that can substitute a significant portion of conventional cement. The company believes this combination of waste utilisation, lower emissions and compatibility with existing processes can help accelerate adoption among concrete manufacturers.

The startup had previously raised ₹3.6 crore in a pre-seed round in 2023 from Momentum Capital, Spectrum Impact and other angel investors. Its latest fundraise marks a larger step towards establishing manufacturing capacity and taking the technology beyond the pilot stage.

With the new capital, CarbonStrong is now positioning itself for the next phase of growth: building production capacity, expanding commercial partnerships and bringing its low-carbon cement alternative to a wider base of construction and concrete manufacturers.