Cutting-edge science to combat Scope 3

This platform offers a new way to target supply chain emissions at scale

Spotted: Up to 70 per cent of a company’s emissions are hidden in its supply chain, known as Scope 3 emissions, and this portion can be even larger for businesses with global operations. Complex supply chains and a lack of primary data makes this the hardest area for corporations to decarbonise, but businesses need to address these hard-to-reach parts if they’re going to meet net-zero goals. A Cambridge-based deep tech startup has taken up this challenge and developed a pioneering platform to help simplify the laborious reporting process. 

Neutreeno looks at the problem from an entirely different angle, building on over two decades of research into mass and energy flow. Instead of relying on traditional carbon accounting, Neutreeno’s platform leverages engineering models that map out emissions across supply chains with unprecedented precision, while minimising the data burden on suppliers.

Using as little as four primary data points for any given supplier, the system allows companies to quickly identify key levers for emissions reductions across thousands of suppliers, making it easier and faster to pinpoint decarbonisation strategies. This data-driven approach reduces both emissions and costs, taking only weeks to deliver actionable insights.

What sets Neutreeno apart is its departure from the tedious, form-filling carbon software that dominates the market today. A significant part of the magic is also in the company’s neurodivergent team, according to CEO and Founder Dr Spencer Brennan, who told Springwise that “it is this unique cognitive diversity that helps us see patterns others miss.” He goes on to explain that “We’re running out of time (…) Neutreeno’s mission is to democratise decarbonisation for millions of suppliers worldwide. Our vision is to become the definitive technical platform that enables enterprises and governments to tackle their most complex value chain emissions.”

The startup has already demonstrated its impact, helping a multi-billion-dollar enterprise achieve a 35 per cent reduction in emissions across its supply chain in under a month. Riding that success, Neutreeno has just secured $5 million in seed funding from investors such as Regeneration.VC and Scania Invest, and boast an impressive leadership team including Head of Climate Science Professor Cullen, who Dr Brennan says “literally wrote the book on material efficiency and embodied emissions, earning recognition as one of Bill Gates’ top six books of 2015.”

Neutreeno is scaling rapidly to meet growing demand, and as the first platform to systematically decarbonise Scope 3 emissions, according to Dr. Brennan, Neutreeno is unlocking a vast pool of capital for the clean transition, putting global companies on a greener path faster.

Written By: Oscar Williams