Greentown Go Build 2026 with Amazon and the Global CO2 Initiative Announces Startup Cohort

Five startups will participate in the open-innovation program focused on CO₂-mineralization technologies for concrete-aggregate production

SOMERVILLE, Mass. and HOUSTON, March 19, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Greentown Labs, the world's largest climatetech and energy incubator, today announced the startup cohort for Greentown Go Build 2026 with Amazon and the Global CO₂ Initiative (GCI)—an open-innovation program focused on CO₂-mineralization technologies to decarbonize the built environment.

After a highly competitive selection and deliberation process that saw 62 applicants from 25 countries, a cohort of five cutting-edge startup participants was selected:

• Carbon Infuse (Brooklyn, New York, U.S.) develops a novel CO₂ mineralization technology that upcycles industrial waste and flue gas into cheaper and cleaner materials for construction and manufacturing.
• Carbon Negative Solutions (Portland, Oregon, U.S.) converts any region's industrial wastes and minerals into carbon-negative cement supplements (SCMs).
• Carbon To Stone (Tappan, New York, U.S.) converts industrial residues and CO₂ into lower-carbon construction materials for cement and concrete production.
• Low Carbon Materials (Durham, United Kingdom) develops a proprietary range of carbon-sequestering aggregate-like additives for concrete and asphalt.
• Neocrete (Auckland, New Zealand) develops an additive that makes low-carbon materials (SCMs) behave like cement, reducing the carbon and cost of concrete while making it more durable.

These startups will have the opportunity to collaborate directly with decarbonization and material-circularity experts from Amazon's global team, including via potential technology validations, supply-chain strategy development, venture-support workshops, and more. Top carbon utilization and sequestration researchers at GCI and Greentown's world-leading network of entrepreneur-focused resources such as a suite of its software and business resources, startup programming, extensive mentorship, and corporate partner network, will also support the cohort throughout the program.

Amazon is investing in decarbonizing its global network of buildings—from fulfillment centers and offices to data centers and grocery stores—as part of its goal to reach net-zero carbon across operations by 2040. Its standardized approach focuses on five key areas: prioritizing carbon-free energy, increasing energy efficiency, using lower-carbon refrigerants, utilizing lower-carbon construction materials, and reducing on-site water use and waste. It has also invested $2 billion in more than 20 sustainability-focused and climate technology startups, including more sustainable building and construction materials.

"We're encouraged by the incredible response to this program as it demonstrates the global innovation happening in this space," said Chris Atkins, Director of Worldwide Operations Sustainability at Amazon. "Decarbonizing our buildings is a significant part of reaching our Climate Pledge, and we're focused on the actions we can take immediately while investing in new technologies that will help us reach that goal. We know Amazon's scale gives us the opportunity and responsibility to help drive important industry shifts, and working with promising startups on lower-carbon construction materials is one of the ways we can accelerate progress across the entire built environment sector."

Based at the University of Michigan, GCI provides leadership to scale the new industry of CO₂ capture, utilization, and sequestration to climatological significance. This goal is supported by its work in five areas: evaluation, research, education, training, and outreach. GCI accelerates carbon-management innovation by supporting climatetech companies with technical analysis, strategic deployment advice, life-cycle and techno-economic assessments, and other practical tools to deploy lower-carbon products.

"Given that the construction industry accounts for upwards of 35% of global greenhouse gas emissions," remarked Dr. Dan Cooper, the Director of the Global CO₂ Initiative, "these startup companies have the potential to make a substantial impact on the world's future carbon footprint. With Amazon's deep commitment to sustainability and Greentown's proven track record of supporting climatetech entrepreneurs, we are excited about the long term carbon management potential outcomes of this effort."

In addition to its startup incubators, Greentown runs cohort-based Greentown Go programs across five tracks: Go Build (buildings), Go Energize (energy and electricity), Go Grow (food and agriculture), Go Make (manufacturing), and Go Move (transportation). These open-innovation programs address industries' most pressing climate challenges by facilitating partnerships between leading corporations and climatetech entrepreneurs.

"These startups are developing transformational carbon-valorization technologies, but innovations don't scale in isolation—they need a network of customers, industry experts, investors, and other partners," said Georgina Campbell Flatter, CEO of Greentown. "Greentown Go Build 2026 will spark collaborations among the cohort, Amazon, and GCI, giving the entrepreneurs invaluable access to leaders who can accelerate their paths to deployment."

The Go Build 2026 cohort will participate in a kickoff event on April 1 at Greentown Boston. Learn more and register here.

About Greentown Labs
Greentown Labs is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit accelerating climatetech innovation for the planet, people, and prosperity. As the world's largest climatetech and energy startup incubator, Greentown catalyzes ecosystems to provide entrepreneurs mission-critical access to labs, equipment, customers, capital, talent, community, and resources for business and leadership growth. Greentown is home to more than 250 startups and has supported more than 675 since its founding in 2011; these startups, with a survival rate of 88 percent, have collectively created more than 16,600 jobs and raised more than $12.5B in funding. For more information, visit www.greentownlabs.com or follow Greentown on LinkedIn.

Greentown Media Contact:
Mark Lancaster
Head of Marketing and Technology
[email protected]

About Amazon
Amazon is guided by four principles: customer obsession rather than competitor focus, passion for invention, commitment to operational excellence, and long-term thinking. Amazon strives to be Earth's Most Customer-Centric Company, Earth's Best Employer, and Earth's Safest Place to Work. Customer reviews, 1-Click shopping, personalized recommendations, Prime, Fulfillment by Amazon, AWS, Kindle Direct Publishing, Kindle, Career Choice, Fire tablets, Fire TV, Amazon Echo, Alexa, Just Walk Out technology, Amazon Studios, and The Climate Pledge are some of the things pioneered by Amazon. For more information, visit amazon.com/about and follow @AmazonNews.

Amazon Media Contact:
[email protected]

About the Global CO₂ Initiative at the University of Michigan
The Global CO₂ Initiative at the University of Michigan recognizes that addressing climate change requires using multiple strategies simultaneously. Nature based solutions like planting trees are a necessary part of the solution, but they are not enough by themselves. By recognizing that excess atmospheric carbon dioxide is a valuable resource for making products, we can drive billions of dollars in economic development, help meet our environmental and climate goals, and ensure reliable supply chains for the future.

Global CO₂ Initiative Media Contact:
Susan Fancy
Communications Manager
[email protected]

SOURCE Greentown Labs