About
Approaching a Zero-Carbon Future
Inspired by the composition of coral and seashells, we grow an organic biocomposite that has the qualities of concrete but without the carbon. Our revolutionary process is protected by Intellectual Property that is licensed from the University of Colorado Boulder.
In April 2016, a team of biotechnology and engineering professors at the University of Colorado Boulder responded to a Department of Defense call for proposals related to engineered living materials – and the seed of what would become Prometheus Materials was sown. While the team developed a product that satisfied the DOD requirements, they imagined a world in which their technology could not only make an impact in the civilian world but also potentially shift the course of climate change. By harnessing microalgae to be used as a living building material, they constructed a replacement for traditional portland cement. In 2021, Prometheus Materials was founded. Our concrete alternative is currently in commercial production.
Prometheus Materials delivers sustainable building materials that accelerate the world’s transition to a carbon-negative future. Inspired by biological processes found in nature, the company has developed a technology that uses naturally occurring microalgae to produce a bio-cement that offers an affordable , strong, and durable alternative to carbon-intensive portland cement. When mixed with aggregate, this bio-cement creates a zero-carbon building material with the mechanical, physical, and thermal properties comparable or, in some cases, superior to portland cement-based concrete.