Large-Scale Carbon-Capture Startup Valiidun Hires Former Department of Defense Project Developer as Chief Strategy Officer

Matt Gosnell brings decades of experience in site location and development for large-scale projects

LEXINGTON, Ky., Aug. 3, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Large-scale carbon-capture startup Valiidun today announced the hiring of longtime site development executive Matt Gosnell as Chief Strategy Officer. Gosnell joins Valiidun after serving as Vice President of Development, and later as Director of Government Relations, at indoor farming company AppHarvest, where he led site location efforts for four large-scale farms including a 2.76-million-square-foot facility that's among the world's 20 largest buildings.

Valiidun is rapidly building large-scale decarbonization facilities to help industry begin to combat its ongoing contributions to climate change. Utilizing advanced carbon-capture technology already in use around the world, Valiidun seeks to lower the per-ton cost of decarbonization by nearly half. By building direct air capture facilities at scale, Valiidun minimizes ongoing operating expenditures by spreading those costs over a higher output.

"Valiidun's mission is of such importance and complements my previous work developing large-scale sustainable infrastructure for the DoD and at AppHarvest," Gosnell said. "With one climate disaster after another, we're seeing the need to do more and faster. The time to act is now."

Valiidun is deploying proven technology to permanently remove CO2 from the atmosphere, aid the global community in reaching their net zero goals, and help prevent further damage to our planet.

Prior to joining AppHarvest, Gosnell served as project developer for a U.S. Department of Defense office responsible for reducing costs through renewable energy programs. He oversaw a series of large-scale projects with investments exceeding $250 million and covering more than 1,000 acres.

"Matt's experience will be invaluable as we move from our recently completed angel funding to rapidly building our team and selecting sites for our first facility," Valiidun Founder Seth Norat said. "As recognized by the likes of Morgan Stanley, McKinsey & Co., and the federal government, direct air carbon capture is an immediate solution to our dire climate-change problems."

Valiidun's mission is to scale America's decarbonization efforts by developing and operating large-scale facilities with cutting-edge technology. Valiidun is partnering with companies that use proven CO2 capture and storage technologies and improving the economics of carbon capture through scale and speed. The company will also partner with mission-driven multinational companies and funds who made net-zero climate pledges to help mitigate emissions. Learn more at Valiidun.com.

Contact: Seth Norat, 606-548-8078, [email protected] 

SOURCE Valiidun