Scottish university spin-out Ureaka develops carbon-negative cement replacement from waste concrete

A University of Strathclyde venture called Ureaka has developed a process that turns low-value mineral waste into carbon-negative materials that can replace part of the cement used in concrete. The approach reacts captured CO2 with waste concrete to produce supplementary cementitious materials designed as a drop-in powder for existing manufacturing systems. Cement production accounts for about 8% of global CO2 emissions, and this method targets both the chemical emissions and the energy-related emissions from the sector. Ureaka is moving from lab-scale experiments to factory-scale modelling and plans third-party testing in a live manufacturing environment. The company is backed by the Industrial Biotechnology Innovation Centre spin-out fund and is preparing for a seed investment round. The technology could help decarbonize one of the hardest industries to clean up without requiring changes to current concrete production methods.