Omani startup wins $1 million XFACTOR award
NEW YORK: Omani startup 44.01 was on Wednesday announced as the winner of the Air category of the XPRIZE's carbon removal competition and awarded a $1 million XFACTOR prize. 44.01's project, based in Fujairah, UAE, uses Direct Air Capture technology to capture CO₂ from the air, which 44.01 then mineralises, ensuring it can never escape back into the atmosphere. The four-year global XPRIZE competition challenged teams around the world to develop high-quality carbon dioxide removal solutions that are scalable to gigatonne level. More than 1,300 teams from nearly 80 countries competed. 20 finalists were selected in May 2024, with the winners announced in New York. 44.01's project is one of the world's first in the world to capture CO₂ from the atmosphere and store it durably underground. The XPRIZE Judges felt the project represents a compelling example of a safe, high-quality, scalable carbon removal solutions with potential to make a meaningful difference in the fight against climate change. Talal Hasan, Founder and CEO of 44.01, said 'The success of Project Hajar is testament to the leading role our region can play in decarbonising our atmosphere, providing new jobs and opportunities as we navigate the energy transition. Our climate needs decarbonisation solutions that can be deployed at scale and we are working hard to scale up our technology in the Middle East and export it around the world.' 44.01 has demonstrated its mineralisation technology in Oman and the UAE; and is now working to scale its technology and expand internationally. Mineralisation can be deployed on every continent and can play a significant role in helping remove CO₂ from the atmosphere, decarbonise heavy industries and help countries reach their Net-Zero ambitions.
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