Brooklyn Startup Raises $25M for Wastewater Climate Tech

Wastewater treatment plants across America are about to get a major upgrade that helps the planet breathe easier.

CREW Carbon, a Brooklyn-based startup, just closed a $25 million funding round to expand its groundbreaking technology that makes wastewater treatment more efficient while permanently removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. The company raised $19 million in equity financing and $6 million in grants.

The technology sounds simple but works brilliantly. CREW uses alkaline minerals like calcium carbonate to balance pH levels in wastewater treatment systems. This helps plants remove more pollutants, use fewer chemicals, and handle more capacity without expensive upgrades.

Cities and utilities are paying attention because the need is real. Treatment costs have doubled over the past 20 years as plants face tighter regulations, more wastewater, and crumbling infrastructure. Major renovations can cost hundreds of millions of dollars that many cities simply don't have.

One utility customer is now considering postponing $350 million in planned upgrades because CREW's system is working so well. The improvements show up within weeks of installation, not years.

But here's where it gets even better. While helping plants run smoother, the technology permanently locks away carbon dioxide using the same minerals. CREW has already captured more than 2,000 tons of CO2 and secured over $33 million in carbon removal agreements with major companies like JPMorgan Chase, Google, Autodesk, and Stripe.

Since launching commercial operations in 2024, CREW has deployed at nearly 10 facilities across the United States and Europe. The company also won a $2.3 million award from Colorado's Clean Air Program.

The Ripple Effect

This dual benefit creates a win for everyone involved. Cities get better water treatment without breaking their budgets. Communities get cleaner water and healthier environments. The planet gets meaningful carbon removal using infrastructure that already exists.

The funding round attracted major investors including Burnt Island Ventures, AP Ventures, and Sony Innovation Fund. These backers see potential for massive scale because every city needs wastewater treatment, and most plants need help meeting modern standards.

CREW plans to hire new team members in 2026 focused on expanding deployments and developing an analytics platform that will help even more facilities optimize their operations. The company is also building out supply chain and business development teams.

Clean water and clean air from the same solution? That's the kind of climate innovation worth celebrating.