University of Strathclyde spinout Ureaka turns waste concrete into carbon-negative cement replacement

A University of Strathclyde spinout called Ureaka is developing a process that turns low-value mineral waste into carbon-negative construction materials. The technology uses captured CO2 to react with waste concrete, forming stable carbonate minerals that can replace part of the cement in standard concrete mixes. Cement production accounts for about 8% of global CO2 emissions, and this approach aims to cut that while permanently storing carbon in solid form. The company says its supplementary cementitious material is designed as a drop-in powder that works with existing concrete manufacturing processes. Ureaka has moved from lab experiments to factory-scale modeling with support from the Industrial Biotechnology Innovation Centre. It is now seeking grant funding and preparing for a seed investment round to move toward third-party testing in a live manufacturing environment.