AI-driven startup in Abu Dhabi helps businesses cut costs, carbon emissions

Al Etihad

08-07-2025

9 July 2025 01:05
MAYS IBRAHIM (ABU DHABI)CarbonSifr is proving that climate action doesn't have to come at the cost of profitability.The AI-powered climate-tech startup, backed by Abu Dhabi's Hub71, has been helping businesses measure, reduce, and remove their carbon emissions – while unlocking cost savings and new revenue streams.The company's CEO and Co-Founder, Onur Elgun, recognised a growing appetite for sustainability in the GCC region, not just among companies, but their customers, too.CarbonSifr was built to meet that demand, offering a simple solution to what is typically a data-heavy, time-consuming process.Data collection and emissions baselining – tasks that once required teams of consultants and months of work – can now be completed in hours, with a drag-and-drop tool.Companies only need to upload their data: procurement records, utility bills, and travel logs.The platform's AI engine analyses millions of data points, maps them to localised emissions factors, and identifies carbon hotspots, low-emission alternatives, and cost-saving opportunities.'We're talking about 40 million SKUs [stock keeping units] worth of procurement data for some clients,' Elgun said in an interview with Aletihad. 'No human team can clean, enrich and map that. This is where AI takes over.'
Beyond Emissions ReportsUnlike platforms that focus on emissions reporting, which Elgun likens to 'taking a photo of a house on fire', CarbonSifr is built to drive business outcomes. Clients aren't just told what their carbon footprint is. They're shown how to reduce it and turn it into competitive advantage.'Reporting alone doesn't reduce emissions or increase revenues,' Elgun said. 'We go a step further by converting emissions data into business intelligence, whether that's cost reductions or new customer engagement opportunities.'The platform helped the ride-hailing giant Careem introduce an 'eco-friendly ride' option, calculate the emissions per trip, and offset them through local mangrove plantations.In under a year, Careem completed half a million of these low-emission rides, engaging over 100,000 customers and unlocking a valuable new market segment.'These eco-products tap into a younger, climate-conscious demographic,' Elgun said. 'They boost customer acquisition, increase retention, and add a revenue stream.'
Region-Specific by DesignCarbonSifr places great emphasis on data sovereignty and security, according to Elgun. Built on Meta's open-source LLaMA models and trained in-house, its AI can be deployed on private clouds or even on a client's premises.'This means their data never leaves their ecosystem. Businesses have full visibility and full data sovereignty over what they share with us,' Elgun said.Another key strength of CarbonSifr is its deep regional insight. While global platforms often miss regional nuances, CarbonSifr has developed a localised emissions factor database tailored specifically to the GCC.From district cooling systems to variations in local utility fuel mixes, the platform incorporates real-world data from providers such as DEWA and ADDC to deliver highly contextualised analysis.
Hub71: The LaunchpadElgun credits CarbonSifr's rapid growth to Abu Dhabi's tech ecosystem and startup accelerator Hub71, which provided crucial early momentum through mentorship, training, funding, and client introductions. When CarbonSifr joined, it didn't have a finished product yet. What it did have was a clear vision – and Hub71 bet on it.'They gave us access to training, funding support, and most importantly, introductions,' Elgun said. 'Doors that would normally take months to open were opened immediately.'The platform also gave the team visibility at regional events, while connecting them to a community of founders who shared their challenges and helped them solve problems.Since its launch less than three years ago, CarbonSifr now supports more than 100 brands. To date, it has measured over Dh7 billion worth of purchases and removed over 1,500 tonnes of CO₂ through local nature-based solutions.'Right now, the smartest businesses are realising that climate action is good business,' Elgun said.He argues that treating climate action purely as a CSR initiative limits its impact. However, when it's integrated with core business goals, like driving revenue, reducing costs, or engaging customers, it becomes far more effective and scalable.That's the playbook CarbonSifr is betting on as it expands into the GCC region from the UAE capital.
Elgun added that the company plans on deepening its sectoral know-how across sectors that dominate the region's economy, including construction, oil and gas, mobility, tourism, and hospitality.
Source: Aletihad - Abu Dhabi