Planet Savers lands $667K Mitsui grant for direct air capture tech

What's the deal? Planet Savers, a University of Tokyo spinout developing direct air capture (DAC) technology, has secured a ¥100M (~$667,000) grant from the Mitsui & Co. Co-Creation Fund. The startup will use the funding to advance its zeolite-based CO₂ capture system and run pilot projects — including agricultural use of captured CO₂ in Hokkaido and underground carbon storage overseas.

Founded in 2023, Planet Savers says it is Japan's first DAC startup. It develops zeolite-based CO₂ absorbents and capture devices designed to remove carbon dioxide directly from the atmosphere at commercially viable costs.

Why now? DAC is gaining global momentum as governments and corporations scramble to meet net-zero targets by 2050. Emission reductions alone won't suffice — pulling existing CO₂ out of the atmosphere is increasingly seen as essential.

Mitsui & Co.'s Co-Creation Fund backs social startups, nonprofits, and researchers tackling systemic challenges. The trading house has deep experience in energy and sustainability, making it a strategic partner beyond the cheque.

"DAC deployment is an urgent challenge," said Planet Savers chief executive officer Kyo Ikegami. "The support of Mitsui, with its extensive energy expertise and commitment to sustainability, is extremely encouraging."

What could go wrong? DAC remains one of the most expensive decarbonisation methods. Even with novel materials like zeolites, scaling capture systems to meaningful volumes while keeping costs competitive is a formidable engineering and economic challenge. A $667,000 grant helps, but commercialisation will require orders of magnitude more capital.

The technology also faces scepticism from critics who argue that DAC diverts attention and funding from emission-reduction efforts that deliver more impact per dollar today.

The signal: Japan's DAC ecosystem is small but growing, and corporate-backed grants like this one signal that the country's industrial heavyweights are beginning to place bets on atmospheric carbon removal. Mitsui's involvement hints at a broader trend: major trading houses positioning themselves in the carbon-management value chain — from capture to utilisation to storage.

For deep-tech climate startups in Japan, university spinouts backed by strategic corporate partners may become a defining funding model as the race to net zero intensifies.

Read more: prtimes.jp