Calgary-based cleantech company CURA Climate Inc. has closed a $10 million USD financing round, equivalent to about $14 million CAD, to advance technology that electrifies and decarbonizes cement production. The round was led by Zacua Ventures with participation from Sandpiper Ventures, Amplify Capital, and Vantage Futures. The new capital will support a pilot plant, commercial demonstration engineering, and team expansion as CURA moves toward broader deployment.
Funding Allocation and Team Expansion
CURA will use the bulk of the funding to build and commission a 100-tonne-per-year pilot plant in Taber, Alberta, in partnership with Grand Forks Concrete. A portion will also advance engineering design for a planned 30,000-tonne-per-year commercial demonstration facility while the company grows from about 15 to 20 employees by year-end. The financing follows earlier funding efforts and includes additional participation from the University of Calgary's UCEED fund, Mount Rundle Club, and Sebastian Becker.
How the Technology Works
Cement production is responsible for about eight percent of global carbon dioxide emissions because limestone is traditionally heated in fossil-fuel-powered kilns. CURA replaces the most carbon-intensive step with an electrochemical process that uses renewable power instead of high-temperature combustion. This approach can reduce cement emissions by up to 85 percent while producing a concentrated carbon dioxide stream and a low-carbon calcium product.
From Pilot to Commercial Demonstration
CURA's pilot plant is expected to begin commissioning in the first quarter of 2027 and will produce about 100 tonnes of cement per year. The facility will run on solar energy from a nearby Grand Forks-owned solar farm, supporting the higher end of the company's emissions reduction estimates. After successful pilot operations, CURA plans to build its commercial demonstration facility in roughly the same location and with the same partner.
Engineering Data and Equipment Strategy
The pilot and commercial demonstration facilities are intended to generate early revenue and supply engineering data for full-scale retrofit plants. CURA eventually plans to sell equipment to cement producers so they can decarbonize existing operations. Chief executive officer Erin Bobicki said these projects will demonstrate performance, scale, and economics to the broader industry.
Investor and Industry Support
Zacua Ventures founding partner Juan Nieto said cement has been made the same way for most of modern history, which makes change at this scale especially complex. He noted that his team has spent years embedded with CURA's future clients to understand how they evaluate risk and make procurement decisions. Nieto will join CURA's board of directors, and Zacua views the company as deeply aware of industry realities.
Industry Partnerships and Market Demand
CURA has secured memorandums of understanding with multinational organizations including ACCIONA, Aecon, Titan Cement, and others across the built environment supply chain. These partnerships are intended to demonstrate how electrifying cement's core chemical process can reduce emissions, lower energy use, and improve operational performance. The company is engaging directly with cement producers, construction companies, and industrial partners to validate its scalable approach.
Cost Competitiveness and Market Positioning
CURA aims to produce cement at or below the traditional production cost of roughly $75 per tonne without relying on carbon pricing. Its proprietary Curalyte platform lowers energy requirements during electrolysis, which reduces energy costs and improves productivity. The company is positioning its system as a retrofit solution that can work with existing feedstocks and assets, helping producers modernize rather than replace their operations.
CURA's $10 million USD financing represents a significant step toward commercializing an electrochemical process that could reshape cement production. The company is focused on proving that its technology can deliver lower emissions, reduced energy use, and cost competitiveness at industrial scale. With pilot commissioning expected in early 2027 and commercial demonstration engineering underway, CURA is building a practical path for one of the world's most carbon-intensive industries to modernize.