Key Takeaways:
- Direct Carbon AB was named winner of the AVF Start-Up Challenge 2025 in Munich.
- The company presented its Wunderpumpe-2, a modular carbon capture system for indoor agriculture.
- Judges and attendees praised the solution for enabling “green CO₂” adoption.
- The competition featured 10 finalists with innovations in aquaponics, fogponics, LED lighting, and more.
- Direct Carbon has also joined the Association for Vertical Farming (AVF).
Direct Carbon Wins AVF Start-Up Challenge
Direct Carbon AB, based in Sweden, secured first place at the AVF Start-Up Challenge 2025, held during the AVF Summit in Munich on September 3–4. CEO Mattias Karls presented the company’s latest technology, the Wunderpumpe-2 (WP-2), a compact and cost-efficient carbon capture system designed for indoor growers.
Industry Recognition for Innovation
The WP-2 system, which enables growers to move away from fossil-based CO₂ toward renewable “green CO₂,” received strong praise from judges and participants. Ankur Garg, Commercial Head at Direct Carbon, said:
“This recognition is more than just a trophy; it’s a testament to the years of hard work our team has invested in building a cost-efficient, modular, and scalable solution for the future of farming.”
About the AVF Start-Up Challenge
The competition, organized by the Association for Vertical Farming (AVF) in partnership with VertiFarm, spotlighted 10 innovative finalists. Solutions ranged from aquaponics and fogponics to LED lighting, nutrient recycling, CO₂ valorization, and urban farming. The event aimed to highlight “practical, real-world solutions for food and farming.”
Direct Carbon Joins AVF
In addition to winning the challenge, Direct Carbon announced it has joined the Association for Vertical Farming. The company’s membership marks the beginning of deeper collaborations with global growers, innovators, and stakeholders advancing sustainable indoor agriculture.
