Halifax-based carbon capture venture pHathom Technologies has struck a deal with Frontier to remove 510 tons of CO2 from the atmosphere using the startup’s technology.
Frontier works with some of the world’s largest companies to encourage the development of carbon-capture technology. By paying for carbon-capture agreements while the technology is still being developed, Frontier helps young companies grow through the difficult stages of getting to market.
Earlier this week, the group announced it had made US$1.75 million (C$2.4 million) worth of carbon removal commitments on behalf of Google, Shopify and Stripe. The three companies, including pHathom, have promised to remove a total of almost 3,000 tons of carbon dioxide under these contracts.
The announcement marks a significant milestone for pHathom, which was co-founded by CEO Kimberly Gilbert and COO Andrew Ray two years ago.
The company is developing technology that captures CO2 emissions from coastal bioenergy plants, which are plants that transform organic material from plants and animals into useful energy like heat, electricity, or biofuels. The startup uses a slurry of limestone, seawater, and biocatalysts inside a weathering reactor to form a stable bicarbonate solution that can be safely discharged into the ocean.
The company’s website says it plans to commercialize its technology fully by 2030, adding that it has the potential to capture one billion tons of CO2 each year.
“Frontier’s investment in pHathom sends a strong market signal, highlighting our approach’s ability to combine ambitious climate goals with strong commercial potential,” said pHathom in a LinkedIn post. “By transforming sustainable forestry into a valuable market product, we directly support local economies and ecosystems. We are dedicated to collaborating closely with local communities, fisheries, and Indigenous partners, ensuring inclusive and sustainable outcomes.”
One interesting note about Frontier is that its website says it now has 50 companies in its portfolio, and three of them are from the Halifax area.
As well as the recent deal with pHathom, the organization signed a deal in 2023 with CarbonRun to remove 57,000 tons of CO2, five tons of which have been delivered. CarbonRun adds crushed limestone to rivers to reduce their acidity, storing CO2 as dissolved bicarbonate in the river and ultimately in the ocean.
CarbonRun and pHathom earlier this year captured the top prizes for companies at the inaugural 2025 Atlantic Canada Cleantech Awards, organized by Foresight Canada.
Frontier also signed a contract in 2023 under which Planetary Technologies would capture 937 tons of CO2. Planetary, which earlier this year won a US$1 million XFACTOR prize, has already removed 556 tons under that contract.
Planetary’s process reduces ocean acidification by releasing alkaline rock or sand into the water, accelerating a chemical reaction that already occurs naturally and enhancing the ocean’s ability to act as a carbon sink.
