Reducing the carbon intensity of the chemical manufacturing industry is a complex challenge. The sector accounts for a significant share of global emissions and industrial energy use – but one Houston-based startup is developing a new approach that could help transform how key chemicals are produced.
Solidec, a Greentown Labs member, secured more than $2 million in pre-seed funding to advance a modular chemical production system designed to help companies produce chemicals like hydrogen peroxide on-site using only air, water, and electricity. The company’s approach aims to reduce emissions tied to traditional chemical manufacturing, which often relies on centralized, energy-intensive facilities and long-distance transportation.
Led by Houston-based venture firm New Climate Ventures (NCV), the funding will help Solidec scale its modular reactor system, build a minimum viable product and deploy initial pilot projects. The company’s first focus is hydrogen peroxide, a chemical widely used in industries ranging from semiconductor fabrication and wastewater treatment to critical metal mining.
See how Houston is emerging as a key hub for scaling climate innovation.
Rethinking Chemical Production for a Low-Carbon Future
According to the U.S. Department of Energy, the chemical and petrochemical sectors account for approximately 40 percent of industrial carbon emissions in the United States. Solidec’s platform is designed to address this challenge by decentralizing production and minimizing emissions associated with transport and energy use.
“Looking ahead, Solidec’s technology is uniquely positioned to transform how we produce chemicals and fuels—both on Earth and in space,” said Co-Founder and Chief Scientist Haotian Wang.
The company’s electrochemical platform may eventually support the on-site production of additional industrial chemicals such as formic acid, acetic acid and ethylene. Its technology has been featured in peer-reviewed journals including Science and Nature, with some systems achieving energy savings of more than 50 percent, according to its investors.
From Lab to Launchpad
Founded in 2023 out of research at Rice University, Solidec has participated in several regional innovation programs and pitch competitions, including the NSF-funded Activate Fellowship and the Greater Houston Partnership’s Houston Energy Transition Initiative (HETI) pitch competition at CERAWeek, where it won the TEX-E top prize in 2024. These programs have helped the company gain technical validation, industry visibility, and access to investor networks.
Why Houston is Where Climatech Scales
Solidec is part of a growing innovation ecosystem in Houston, which has rapidly expanded since 2020, especially for early-stage companies in climate and energy technology. The opening of Greentown Labs in 2021 – following efforts led by the Partnership – along with the region’s university research centers and coordinated regional initiatives, has positioned Houston as a testbed for emission-reduction technologies.
Solidec’s location also strategically aligns with its mission. A recent HETI report notes that Houston and the broader Gulf Coast produce more than 50 percent of U.S. base chemicals and over 90 percent of primary petrochemicals. The region’s concentration of industrial infrastructure, technical manufacturing expertise, and corporate decision-makers creates an environment well suited for scaling lower-carbon chemical technologies.
“Houston is the perfect launchpad for Solidec—not only is it the energy capital of the world, but it’s also rapidly becoming the hub for scaling cleantech,” Taylor Chapman, Investment Principal at NCV said. “Houston already has world-class engineering talent, strong university partnerships, and there’s a fast-growing ecosystem of climate-focused investors and customers. There’s a reason Bill Gates called it the “Silicon Valley of Energy” in 2024; as we like to say, ‘Houston is where cleantech comes to scale.’ For a company reimagining how chemicals are made and delivered, there’s no better place to build.”
While early-stage funding is only one step in a company’s growth, Solidec’s progress reflects broader momentum in Houston – where energy expertise, engineering talent and a growing innovation network are driving the next generation of solutions.