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, including demolished concrete, into carbon-negative supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs). The technology reacts captured CO2 with waste minerals to form stable carbonates, locking carbon into a solid form that can replace part of the cement in standard concrete mixes. This drop-in powder is designed to work with existing manufacturing processes, so concrete producers can reduce their carbon footprint without changing their operations. Cement production accounts for about 8% of global CO2 emissions, largely from chemical reactions that are hard to eliminate even with electrification. Ureaka's approach targets both problems at once: it avoids mining virgin materials and permanently stores captured CO2. The project has moved from lab experiments to factory-scale modeling with support from the Industrial Biotechnology Innovation Centre. The company is now seeking grant funding and preparing for a seed investment round to fund third-party testing in a live manufacturing environment.