Muscat – Omani startup 44.01 has won the Air category of the XPRIZE’s carbon removal competition and awarded a US$1mn XFACTOR prize.

44.01’s project based in Fujairah, UAE uses Direct Air Capture technology to capture carbon dioxide from the air, which the startup then mineralises, ensuring it can never escape back into the atmosphere.

The four-year global XPRIZE competition challenged teams around the world to develop high-quality CO2 removal solutions that are scalable to gigatonne level. More than 1,300 teams from nearly 80 countries competed. Twenty finalists were selected in May 2024 and the winners announced in New York on Wednesday.

44.01’s project is one of the world’s first to capture CO2 from the atmosphere and store it durably underground. The XPRIZE judges said the project represents a compelling example of a safe, high-quality, scalable carbon removal solution with potential to make a meaningful difference in the fight against climate change.

Talal Hasan, Founder and CEO of 44.01, said, “The success of Project Hajar is testament to the leading role our region can play in decarbonising our atmosphere, providing new jobs and opportunities as we navigate the energy transition. Our climate needs decarbonisation solutions that can be deployed at scale, and we are working hard to scale up our technology in the Middle East and export it around the world.”

Having demonstrated its mineralisation technology in Oman and the UAE, 44.01 is now working to scale its technology and expand internationally. Mineralisation can be deployed on every continent and can play a significant role in helping remove CO2 from the atmosphere, decarbonise heavy industries and help countries reach their net zero ambitions.

44.01 eliminates CO2 by turning it into rock. The company’s pioneering technology accelerates the natural process of CO2 mineralisation, removing it permanently in less than 12  months.

XPRIZE Foundation is a non-profit US-based organisation that designs and hosts public competitions intended to encourage technological development.