French climate tech startup Spark Cleantech closes €30m series A for industrial hydrogen
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Spark Cleantech, a French climate tech startup, has raised €30 million in Series A funding to accelerate its scale-up and begin commercial deployment of a breakthrough decarbonisation process for heavy industry. The round includes €17 million in equity and was led by 360 Capital and Taranis, joined by the Île-de-France Reindustrialisation Fund, Asterion Ventures and other early backers.
Founded in 2022, Spark Cleantech has developed a modular technology based on pulsed plasmolysis, which decarbonises industrial processes by separating hydrogen and solid carbon from natural gas without combustion. The hydrogen replaces fossil fuels in high-temperature furnaces. The carbon is collected as a solid nanomaterial used in polymers and batteries.
The new funding will support the finalisation of Spark’s first commercial production module. It will also fund hiring across engineering, R&D and commercial operations, with 20 new roles planned. The first client deployments are scheduled for 2027. Modules will be installed directly at industrial sites, enabling hydrogen to be produced where it is consumed, without transport or storage infrastructure.
A plug-in approach to decarbonisation
Spark Cleantech’s technology is designed for minimal disruption to existing systems. Its modules connect between an industrial facility’s gas network and burner equipment. Inside the system, pulsed plasma separates natural gas into hydrogen and carbon. The process eliminates the need for combustion, cutting emissions by up to 85 percent.
Both outputs are commercially valuable. The hydrogen powers furnaces or reactors. The solid carbon replaces petroleum-derived materials used in advanced manufacturing. The company says the combined economic value of these decarbonised outputs is four times greater than the cost of the gas input.
Originally invented at Stanford University and further developed at CentraleSupélec, the technology has been industrialised by Spark Cleantech’s team in France. An initial pilot was delivered within a year of its seed round in 2023. The company says demand from industries like metallurgy, glass, polymer production and battery manufacturing confirms strong market traction.
“Following our seed round, we succeeded in deploying a first industrial pilot in under a year,” said co-founder Patrick Peters. “We have validated clear market traction and assembled a world-class international team. This funding enables the scale-up that industrial players are seeking to reduce their carbon footprint cost-effectively and to accelerate commercial deployment.”
Backed by deeptech and climate investors
Spark Cleantech was co-founded by Patrick Peters, former CEO of Suez BioEnergies, and Erwan Pannier, a CentraleSupélec PhD. Their team includes specialists in industrial chemistry, process engineering and system design. The company is also supported by senior advisors, including a Nobel physics laureate and former R&D leaders from Aramco and Hutchinson.
The Series A round reflects growing interest from climate-focused and industrial innovation investors. Lead investor 360 Capital focuses on deeptech and climate tech startups. Its partner Thomas Nivard said Spark offers both a viable path to decarbonisation and a clear economic case.
“The decarbonisation of heavy industry is one of the defining challenges of the decades ahead,” said Nivard. “But without economic viability, it simply will not happen. In Spark Cleantech, we found a team delivering a technology that responds directly to this need.”
Other participants in the round include Taranis, through its carbon ventures arm, and the Île-de-France Reindustrialisation Fund, which is backed by the regional government and the European Regional Development Fund. Asterion Ventures, Spark’s first investor, also joined the round.
Ready for industrial deployment by 2027
The company’s immediate focus is completing its standard module and preparing for deployment at client sites. Several industrial groups are in advanced discussions, with initial contracts signed. The modules will be delivered starting in 2027.
Unlike centralised hydrogen production, Spark Cleantech’s model enables on-site hydrogen generation, removing the need for costly transport or large-scale storage. At the same time, the carbon is collected and delivered to supply chains where nanomaterials are in high demand.
The startup’s commercial model is based on high-value outputs and relatively low capital intensity. Clients benefit from reduced emissions, lower carbon costs and the ability to continue operating with existing infrastructure.
Spark Cleantech’s position within the Paris-Saclay innovation ecosystem has also contributed to its development. The company has raised €34 million in total since its founding and is a graduate of CentraleSupélec’s 21st accelerator program.
Decarbonising the hardest sectors
Heavy industry remains one of the most difficult sectors to decarbonise. High-temperature processes like steelmaking, glass production and ceramics have few viable alternatives to fossil fuels. Many of the proposed solutions require major infrastructure or carry high cost barriers.
Spark Cleantech’s approach offers a modular, capital-efficient path to emissions reduction. It targets a pressing need for practical transition tools that work with existing systems. With strong technical foundations and growing market interest, the company is now entering its commercial phase with momentum and visibility.