In a race against time: How Inplanet removes CO2 from the air

When Felix Harteneck, later co-founder of Inplanet, wanted to offset CO2 emissions for his former company, he realized that there was no scalable, safe, and permanently effective way to remove unavoidable emissions from the atmosphere. At the same time, it was clear: avoidance alone wouldn't suffice. In our Videocast Pitch & People explained Harteneck:

Pitch & People Episodes

PITCH & PEOPLE Episode 18: InPlanet – Exclusively available as a podcast episode

Cleantech Climatetech

What if climate protection doesn't mean sacrifice, but growth? What if CO₂ removal doesn't happen in a laboratory, but on vast fields – right in the heart of Brazil? Felix Harteneck, founder and…

“We will have millions of companies that still emit CO2, even with the greatest effort. One solution to this is…” Enhanced Rock Weathering, the accelerated weathering of rocks.”

A natural process – radically accelerated

Rock weathering is the largest natural CO2 storage process on Earth. Rainwater absorbs CO2, reacts with minerals in the rock, the CO2 is chemically bound, and ultimately stored permanently via soils, rivers, and oceans – for hundreds of thousands of years. The problem: In nature, this process takes millennia.

Inplanet has shortened this period to under two years. This is achieved by spreading finely ground rock on agricultural land. The result: CO2 is removed from the air quickly and measurably, and a fertilizer substitute is created at the same time.

Why Brazil is the key

There are clear reasons why Inplanet is so active in Brazil today. The soils there are very low in minerals – ideal for accelerated weathering. Added to this are the climate and agricultural conditions: abundant rainfall, vast areas, and a high degree of openness to new methods. Harteneck adds:

"The process is running about 20 times faster in Brazil than in Europe. We are now cultivating over 15,000 hectares of agricultural land – with measurable effects."

Infobox

Felix Harteneck is co-founder and CEO of InPlanet. This serial entrepreneur has been working on business solutions for climate protection and CO2 reduction for many years. The idea for InPlanet arose from his own experience that, until now, there was no truly scalable and safe solution for CO2 removal for unavoidable emissions.
Niklas KlugerKluger, co-founder and COO of Inplanet, brings a strong practical background. He studied environmental and resource management, has experience in tropical agriculture, and has worked with NGOs in Brazil, among other things. At Inplanet, he is primarily responsible for on-site operations, collaboration with farmers, and monitoring and verification processes. Kluger speaks fluent Portuguese and is considered a key link between technology, agriculture, and regional implementation.

Higher yield, less chemicals

The approach is convincing not only from a climate perspective. In studies on large sugarcane fields, Inplanet has demonstrated yield increases of over 20 percent. At the same time, the use of chemical fertilizers can be significantly reduced – in some cases by up to 50 percent.

For farmers, this is a tangible advantage: more stable costs, less dependence on imports, and better yields. The fact that Brazil imports around 70 percent of its fertilizers further amplifies this effect.

CO2 certificates as a breakthrough

A key obstacle to enhanced rock weathering has long been the lack of measurability. Without reliable data, there are no certificates and no market.
Inplanet solved this problem: By combining scientific expertise with entrepreneurial speed, the team launched the world's first certificates for this technology at the end of 2024.

Today, the climatetech startup is one of the leading companies in the industry. Founded in 2022 by Felix Harteneck and Niklas Kluger, with around 65 employees, is internationally positioned and has approximately ten million euros venture capital collected.

Between megatons and reality

The goal is clear: Inplanet is working towards removing the first megaton of CO2. At the same time, Harteneck knows the true scale of the problem. Even optimistic scenarios assume that in the future, ten to fifteen billion tons of CO2 per year will be unavoidable. Enhanced rock weathering could cover a significant portion of this, but only as part of a global technology mix.

Agriculture as part of the solution

Harteneck's perspective on climate protection has changed. Agriculture is not only affected by climate change, but also a key lever for reducing emissions, sequestering CO2, and simultaneously strengthening food security.