Carbominer
Carbominer is a Ukrainian climate tech startup that developed an efficient and sustainable technology to capture CO₂ from the atmosphere. The innovation helps greenhouse owners obtain eco-friendly carbon dioxide to stimulate plant growth.
Unique technology for converting CO₂ into a valuable and useful feedstock
The Carbominer's goal is to create an efficient, cost-effective, and eco-friendly technology that will help humanity replace CO₂ from fossil sources with CO₂ from the atmosphere.
The company's main product is high-quality CO₂ without harmful impurities but with a food-grade purity of 99.8%. It guarantees the safety of its use in agricultural enterprises and the food industry.
Carbominer's offer is unique because customers can pay only for the actual CO₂ consumed. This approach minimizes the entry threshold for vertical farming and small greenhouses and allows them to start earning from the first growing cycle.
In addition, the company offers greenhouse owners the Carbominer MMS IoT greenhouse microclimate monitoring system. It is a sensor that measures greenhouse microclimate indicators (CO₂ level, air humidity and temperature, light, soil moisture) and helps farmers make reasonable decisions about creating the optimal microclimate for crops.
Startup history
The Carbominer project was founded by an experienced Kyiv-based entrepreneur Mykola Oseyko in the spring of 2019. The startup's concept was born during a discussion with a family doctor about the impact of climate change and the increase in CO₂ levels on public health. Scientists had already raised the alarm at that time about the negative consequences of climate change and the danger of rising concentrations of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. That's when Mykola came up with the idea of reducing the harmful impact of carbon dioxide and transforming it into a valuable resource.
To confirm the viability of his idea, the entrepreneur conducted a series of experiments and created the prototype. In January 2020, the startup received funding for the opening of its first small R&D laboratory and team formation. In February, the company Carbominer Ukraine was officially registered.
Since then, the team has been growing and working on improving the technology and finding the optimal way to extract CO2 from the air. Throughout this journey, Carbominer has been supported by venture capital and angel investors, non-profit organizations, partners, accelerators, and cleantech and agritech experts from around the world. In 2023, the company was accepted into the Google for Startups CEE program.
The team works in several locations in Kyiv and Warsaw
The head office in Kyiv is the heart and brain of the startup. This is where all ideas for experiments and engineering innovations are born.
The production plant in Kyiv is where experiments are conducted and applied solutions for optimizing CO₂ Direct Air Capture technology are implemented. This is where the Carbominer working installation was built and tested, which has already passed official pilot tests and proven its ability to capture CO₂ from open air.
The Warsaw office is located in the Google For Startups coworking space. It is an open space that brings together startups from various industries from Ukraine and Poland. Carbominer employees at this location develop solutions for brand and product promotion, record and edit videos for stakeholders, and prepare proposals for partners.
Carbominer Ukraine is a resident of the Diia.City startup program and has been recognized as critical for the functioning of the economy. As a result, company employees have the opportunity to travel on business trips abroad.
The working conditions are flexible and comfortable
The company offers official full-time or part-time employment. There is a possibility of a gig contract employment under the Diia.City program in accordance with Ukrainian legislation.
The work schedule is flexible. You can start working between 8 and 10 a.m. and finish earlier or later accordingly. It is possible to work from home if needed or for security reasons (due to blackouts or missile attacks). The company has a Remote Work Policy that ensures equal conditions for all employees, regardless of their location.
Most of the team members work from the office, as face-to-face communication simplifies discussions and decision-making. In addition, the offices have a peaceful and positive atmosphere that helps to focus.
Carbominer provides all employees with guaranteed contractual paid vacation days and sick leaves in accordance with the law. Both permanent employees and gig contractors can additionally take up to 30 calendar days of unpaid leave. The company strictly adheres to all labor laws and regulations regarding work safety and security.
The company also has a special Bonus & Benefits Policy that regulates the provision of incentives, benefits (various compensations), and bonuses (periodic and for outstanding achievements). The company plans to introduce voluntary health insurance in 2024.
Minimum bureaucracy — maximum transparency
At Carbominer, there is no bureaucracy, and initiative is encouraged, so a verbal agreement with the manager is usually enough to resolve most issues. Tasks are assigned within the framework of current communication with the manager or during a meeting of the project team with 3-4 people.
Additionally, there are no mandatory meetings for all team members or "mandatory-voluntary" team-building activities on weekends.
The company adheres to the principles of non-discrimination in hiring and ensures equal pay for the same work, regardless of gender, race, or age. Carbominer's core values are honesty, innovation, commitment to quick implementation of solutions, and teamwork.
Family values and colleagues’ personal time are respected here
Mutual aid and respect are the fundamental principles of Carbominer’s team interaction. Here, friendly relationships and supporting each other in difficult times are valued. Carbominer is a company that respects family values. That's why employees can leave the office early for family reasons, work from home, bring their child to the office for a few hours, or take sick leave or a day off to care for a child.
The company believes that one can be productive only by maintaining a balance between work and personal life, so colleagues try not to disturb each other during non-work hours or vacations. However, if there is a critical need to work on weekends, it is accordingly compensated.
Learning and development opportunities
Carbominer is a fast-growing startup, offering good opportunities for career and professional growth. In a few years, the best employees will have the opportunity to head new structural units.
At the beginning of the year, the company's founder holds a personal meeting with each employee to discuss their achievements and development prospects for the next period.
The company partially or fully covers the cost of training for acquiring the necessary knowledge and improving skills, on the condition that it takes up 50/50 of work and personal time of the specialist.
How to get a job at Carbominer?
Carbominer's technology stands out for its unique engineering innovations that set it apart from other startups. As such, the company values potential and quick thinking over experience and rule-following.
Therefore, Carbominer looks for people who are not afraid of making mistakes and are interested in creating and improving innovations. Those who can demonstrate initiative and work effectively both independently and in a team.
The lack of relevant experience will not be a barrier. The most important thing is the desire to learn and the willingness to take responsibility for your decisions and results. Additionally, candidates will need a high level of proficiency in English.
The selection process for the company consists of the following stages:
- CV screening;
- first interview (usually online);
- second interview (usually in person at the office in Kyiv or Warsaw);
- offer;
- probationary period (freelance or gig contract);
- signing a long-term gig or employment contract (subject to successful completion of the probationary period).
To facilitate the adaptation of newcomers, the company created an onboarding kit. It contains a presentation about all the employees, as well as the rules and policies of the company in Ukrainian and English.
