Biochar Industrial Group (BIG) has secured $1.5 million in pre-seed funding to expand its Biochar-as-a-Service model across Sub-Saharan Africa. The company partners with food processors to convert agricultural waste like nut shells and husks into biochar via continuous pyrolysis, locking carbon in a stable form for centuries. The process also generates carbon removal credits that can be sold, creating a new revenue stream for African agribusinesses while reducing waste disposal costs. The funding, led by BREEGA with participation from The Catalyst Fund and Mulago Foundation, will help BIG deploy more pyrolysis units at factory sites. The company claims field trials show up to 50% yield increases on degraded soils when biochar is applied. With Africa generating an estimated one billion tonnes of agricultural biomass annually, BIG sees an opportunity to build a scalable, low-cost carbon removal industry that also addresses soil degradation and creates skilled rural jobs.
