Startup Series: Brimstone Energy

Today's guest is Cody Finke, Co-Founder and CEO of Brimstone Energy. Brimstone Energy's vision is to make ordinary portland cement without carbon dioxide emissions for a lower cost than conventionally produced cement. Brimstone Energy is a venture-backed R&D company with the ambition to reduce global CO2 emissions by a couple of percentage points. The cement/concrete industry is a $1T market opportunity responsible for 5.5% of GHG or approximately 8% of global CO2 emissions, the same emissions as cars. They have developed a process capable of producing carbon-neutral Portland cement and supplementary cementitious materials, regardless of the energy source. Brimstone Energy was founded in 2019 at Caltech and since then moved to the Bay Area thanks to Cyclotron Road and other federal and private grants. Cody holds his Ph.D. in environmental science and engineering under Prof. Michael Hoffmann at Caltech. During Cody's Ph.D., he specialized in electrochemistry and techno-economic modeling, where he attempted to find economically efficient ways to reduce carbon dioxide process emissions. In this episode, Cody explains how Brimstone was founded, why Portland cement is carbon-emitting, and why it's hard to decarbonize cement. We also dive into the pilot plant the company is working on, what sets it apart, and how to scale its technology. Cody is a great guest, and we have a fascinating discussion. Enjoy the show! You can find me on twitter @jjacobs22 or @mcjpod and email at [email protected], where I encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests. Episode recorded October 28th, 2021