Decarbonising the Lime and Cement Industry: Litherm Closes €6.5 Million Seed Financing Round

Wernigerode, March 03, 2026 – Litherm Technologies GmbH, developer of a fully electric calcination technology enabling the CO₂-emission-free production of lime and cement, has successfully closed a Seed financing round of more than €6.5 million.
The strong consortium brings together internationally leading industrial partners from the lime industry with experienced international climate technology investors. Investors include bmp Ventures AG with the IBG Funds, Graymont, SkreenHouse Ventures, Kalkfabrik Netstal AG, Zeitinger Invest GmbH, the Breakthrough Energy Foundation, and UnternehmerTUM Funding for Innovators.

Combination of industrial know-how and climate technology expertise

The composition of the consortium underlines Litherm’s strong industrial focus: With Graymont, SigmaRoc (via SkreenHouse Ventures) and Kalkfabrik Netstal AG, internationally leading companies from the lime industry are involved, actively supporting the scaling and future market introduction of the technology. This is complemented by renowned investors with extensive experience in financing and industrialising innovative decarbonisation technologies.

Capital for industrialisation and first demonstration plant

The newly raised capital will be used specifically for the industrialisation of Litherm’s technology. Building on the insights gained from a pilot plant constructed at a Fels-Werke GmbH site in Saxony-Anhalt, Litherm plans to develop, build and commission its first commercial demonstration plants. The goal is to further increase the technical maturity and prepare for deployment on a large industrial scale.
“This financing round is a decisive step for Litherm. The combination of strong industrial partners and experienced climate technology investors validates our innovative approach and enables us to consistently execute the next scaling phase” says Felix Nelles, Co-Founder and CEO of Litherm Technologies GmbH.

Fully electric calcination with process-integrated CO₂ capture

Litherm developed a fully electric manufacturing process leveraging highly efficient fluidised bed technology. No combustion takes place. This means that no smoke or exhaust gases are produced, nor is any CO2 from fossil fuels. The CO2 that is inevitably released as a by-product during the calcination reaction is separated in highly
concentrated form, making it directly available for long-term CCU or CCS pathways. CO2 capture is an integral part of the heat recovery process and requires no additional energy input.
“Our technology addresses exactly the share of emissions in the lime and cement industry that cannot be solved by simple electrification alone. Integrating carbon capture into the process without additional CAPEX and energy demand is a key lever for economic viability” Felix Nelles adds.
Eike Böljes, Investment Manager at bmp Ventures, emphasises: “Litherm addresses one of the most powerful levers for an economically competitive transformation of the emission-intensive lime and cement industry. We are pleased to support this transformative company together with strong partners.”
David Chamberlain, Vice President at Graymont, adds: “As a global producer of calcium- based solutions, we see significant potential in Litherm’s technology to help us lead the way in innovative and sustainable products for our customers. The combination of fully electric production and directly usable CO₂ as a by-product is unique.”
Ludovic Emsens, Venture Manager at SkreenHouse Ventures, sees the collaboration as a major opportunity: “We support technologies that make the industry more sustainable. Litherm fits perfectly with our strategy by transforming the value chain.”

About Litherm Technologies GmbH
Litherm Technologies GmbH was founded in 2019 with the aim of creating an industrially scalable path for the climate-neutral production of lime and cement. Litherm was the first German company to be accepted into the renowned Breakthrough Energy Fellowship programme.

About bmp Ventures
bmp Ventures is one of the most experienced venture capital investors in Germany and has more than 250 investments in almost all technology segments, with the majority in the early stages. In addition to direct investments, bmp has also managed venture capital funds for the KfW banking group and DEG – Deutsche Investitions- und Entwicklungsgesellschaft. bmp currently manages the IBG fund in Saxony-Anhalt and employs around 20 members of staff at its offices in Berlin and Magdeburg.

About IBG-Fonds
The IBG funds, based in Magdeburg, are the venture capital funds of the state of Saxony-Anhalt. They provide equity capital to young, innovative technology companies with above-average growth potential headquartered in Saxony-Anhalt. At the end of 2023, the new venture capital fund RKF IV was launched with a volume of €63 million. The fund is fi nanced by the state of Saxony-Anhalt and the European Union and invests in startups in the seed, early-stage, and growth phases. The IBG funds are managed by bmp Ventures AG.

About Graymont
Graymont is the reliable global leader for essential calcium-based solutions, with more than 75 years in operation. The Company serves a wide range of markets, customers, and communities spanning North America and Asia Pacific. Graymont is also the strategic partner of Grupo Calidra, the largest lime producer in Latin America. Graymont‘s innovative product offerings are key to the vitality of the industrial, construction, and agricultural sectors. It also provides calcium-based solutions for applications including critical minerals, air and water purification, as well as the production of indispensable materials such as paper, glass and steel.

About SkreenHouse Ventures
SkreenHouse Ventures is the innovation and investment platform of SigmaRoc, dedicated to accelerating innovation, investment and collaboration within the construction and building materials industry. SigmaRoc has a strong industrial presence across Europe and operates an extensive network of production and industrial sites through its subsidiaries – including Fels-Werke GmbH and Nordkalk. Through SkreenHouse Ventures, portfolio companies gain access to more than 100 industrial test and reference sites along the mineral value chain.

About Kalkfabrik Netstal AG
Kalkfabrik Netstal AG (KFN) is a family-owned Swiss industrial company, founded in 1900, that specializes in producing high-quality lime products. With over a century of experience and a strong commitment to quality, KFN supplies demanding applications across a wide range of industries worldwide. As an innovation-driven lime producer, KFN is actively advancing modern, climate-friendly calcination technologies to ensure it can continue to provide premium lime products with the lowest possible environmental impact.

About Zeitinger Invest GmbH
Based in Frankfurt am Main, Zeitinger Invest GmbH is a long-term oriented, family-owned investment company providing entrepreneurially driven capital for sustainable and transformative value creation. Founded by Claus-Peter Zeitinger, the company is, among other investments, a major long-term shareholder in ProCredit Holding AG.

About Breakthrough Energy Foundation
The Breakthrough Energy Foundation is part of Breakthrough Energy, a group of organisations founded in 2015 by Bill Gates with the goal of accelerating innovation in sustainable energy and climate technologies. Breakthrough Energy supports the development, scaling and market introduction of technologies that can significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions, particularly in hard-to-abate industrial sectors.

About UnternehmerTUM Funding for Innovators
UnternehmerTUM Funding for Innovators is the pre-seed fund of UnternehmerTUM, Europe’s foremost center for innovation and business creation. It invests early – often as the first institutional investor – in deep tech founders building category-defining companies. The fund specializes in hard tech and the code that powers it, backing scalable B2B technologies with billion-euro potential and helping founders move breakthrough science from lab to market. They offer founder-friendly convertible loans and are committed to follow-on investments, ensuring our companies have the resources to scale their ambitions.

Press Contact

Litherm Technologies GmbH
Simon Reiter
Co-Founder and Commercial Lead
Tel.: +49 151 64 34 26 54
simon.reiter@litherm.de

bmp Ventures AG
Josephine Gantze
Marketing and Events
Tel.: +49 391 5328 140
jgantze@bmp.com