TechCrunch Startup News H&M wants to make clothing from CO2 using this startup’s tech; plus, Niv-AI exits stealth to wring more power performance out of GPUs
Mar 18, 2026
A startup turns captured CO2 into cellulose that can be spun into lyocell and viscose. Big retailers are lining up pilot deals and funding to scale the tech. A separate company raised seed cash to monitor millisecond GPU power surges and squeeze more performance from data center hardware. Sensors and predictive models aim to tame AI workloads and ease grid strain.
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Enzymatic Cellulose From Captured CO2
- Ruby turns captured CO2 into textile-grade cellulose using an enzymatic cascade outside of cells.
- Enzymes in aqueous reactors produce white cellulose within minutes and can fit inside shipping-container modules for tens-of-tons demonstration scale.
Apparel Brands Back Pilot Deals For CO2 Cellulose
- Ruby has secured pilots and $60M in non-binding off-take agreements while testing with H&M, Patagonia, and Walmart.
- Investors include AP Ventures and H&M Group, signaling apparel industry interest in CO2-derived cellulose.
Why Enzymes Beat Fermenters For Cellulose
- Ruby's approach uses enzymes rather than engineered bacteria or chemical catalysts to make cellulose.
- The team used AI/ML to boost enzyme efficacy and plans to move from batch to continuous production inside containerized reactors.