Three Pathways Transforming Heavy Industry

Industrial decarbonization is the next frontier. Heavy industry accounts for ~30–40% of global emissions, and transforming it requires entirely new approaches to producing steel, cement, and chemicals.

This June, Third Derivative (D3) is convening a three-part Industrial Decarbonization Showcase Series, featuring 12 startups building scalable, real-world solutions across the world’s most emissions-intensive sectors.

Rather than a single solution set, this series explores three core pathways reshaping industrial production:

• Circular models that reduce material demand and eliminate waste
• Alternative materials that deliver performance without emissions
• Waste-to-value technologies that convert industrial byproducts into high-value inputs

Each session combines rapid-fire startup pitches with insights from D3’s industrial decarbonization theses, developed in collaboration with RMI’s Climate-Aligned Industries program. Together, these sessions highlight some of the most commercially viable and scalable opportunities to decarbonize heavy industry this decade.

Designed for investors, corporates, and ecosystem leaders, the series aims to spark meaningful conversations, partnerships, and deployment opportunities across global supply chains.

Series Lineup

Showcase 1: Decarbonizing Steel — From Recycling to Coal-Free Production

Register for the first showcase now.

June 4 | 9:00 AM PT

Steel sits at the core of the global economy, and its decarbonization is critical to reaching net zero. This session explores multiple pathways to low- and zero-emissions steel production—from advanced recycling to coal-free processes.

Featuring:

• SUN METALON — Sustainable metal recycling without quality degradation
• Hertha Metals — Coal-free steel production at commercial scale
• DexMat — Carbon nanomaterials replacing high-emissions metals
• Binding Solutions — Low-temperature iron ore pellets for green steel

Showcase 2: Reimagining Cement — From Waste Valorization to Carbon-Negative Materials

Register for the second showcase now.

June 16 | 9:00 AM PT

Cement is responsible for ~7–8% of global emissions, making it one of the hardest sectors to decarbonize. This session highlights emerging approaches that rethink inputs, processes, and materials entirely.

Featuring:

• Cocoon Carbon — Steel waste into low-carbon cement materials
• Reclinker — Circular cement using existing infrastructure
• Carbon Negative Solutions — CO₂ mineralized into new materials
• Urban Mining — Waste glass into stronger, lower-carbon concrete

Showcase 3: Decarbonizing Chemicals — From CO₂ Waste to Valuable Products

Register for the third showcase now.

June 23 | 9:00 AM PT

Chemicals sit upstream of nearly every industry. Decarbonizing them unlocks impact across the entire economy. This session explores how CO₂ can be transformed from a liability into a valuable industrial input.

Featuring:

• Oxylus Energy — Converting CO₂ into fuels and chemical feedstocks
• PuriFire Energy — Transforming wastewater into bio-methanol and green hydrogen
• Aerleum — Capturing and converting CO2 into fuels and chemical feedstocks
• CERT Systems — Electrochemical CO₂-to-ethylene production

Why Attend

• Discover cutting-edge startups driving industrial transformation
• Gain insights from D3’s latest industrial decarbonization theses
• Identify near-term deployment and partnership opportunities

If you’re investing in, building, or enabling the future of industrial systems, we invite you to join us for one—or all—of these sessions.