by Tabitha Caswell
Based just outside Winnipeg in Headingley, Manitoba, Carbon Lock Tech has officially moved into its brand-new innovation centre, marking a major milestone in its journey to scale. With this facility now housing its head office, prototype reactor system, research lab, and materials testing capabilities, the company is ready to take its carbon removal technology and ideas to the next level.
“This is our launchpad,” says CEO Kevin Danner. “We’d outgrown our rented labs and offices. Now, in our new location, we’ve centralized operations, and we have the room to grow.”
The 6,000 sq. ft. space – on a 1.25-acre industrial property is a significant upgrade from their previous leased spaces, offering enough flexibility to one day add a full processing plant on-site.
Building technology that locks carbon in
Carbon Lock Tech is tackling climate change with an elegant approach: take organic waste, like food scraps, wood chips, or even harvested cattails, and use their reactor system to convert it into a stable form of carbon – biochar. This biochar can then be used in applications like filtration, concrete, or even soil enhancement, keeping the carbon locked away instead of releasing it into the atmosphere.
“We’ve run trials on everything from lawn clippings to hemp to corn stover,” explains Danner. “Our goal is to develop practical, localized systems that let communities turn waste into value, while earning carbon removal credits in the process.”
In their new facility, the team continues to test and iterate their technology, optimizing both performance and the potential use of biochar across sectors. Recent trials include blending biochar into concrete to reduce carbon intensity, and using it to filter wastewater from mine tailings—removing heavy metals with impressive efficiency.
Innovation with impact
With a team of six and plans to grow, Carbon Lock Tech is not just scaling its physical space. It’s preparing for its first commercial pilot, set to launch in a southern Manitoba community. The plan: install a community-based biochar facility that processes local organic waste into carbon-sequestering products – creating jobs, reducing emissions, and generating new municipal revenue streams through carbon credits.
“We’re building a model that municipalities can adopt, just like water treatment or waste management,” says Danner. “Only now, they can turn waste into something valuable, and climate-positive.”
With over $2M in raised capital plus additional grant funding, the company is well-positioned to expand. The team is also planning future deployments in Ontario and beyond.
From Engine member to ecosystem builder
A member of Canada’s Food & Agri-Tech Engine, Carbon Lock Tech exemplifies the kind of impact-driven innovation the Engine is designed to support. Through funding programs, strategic connections, and commercialization coaching, Bioenterprise Canada has been proud to support their growth.
Learn more about Carbon Lock Tech and how they’re helping communities become carbon-smart! https://carbonlocktech.com