Locking down carbon: A Manitoba startup’s climate mission

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In the race to combat climate change, a Manitoba-based startup is carving out a crucial role in carbon removal — one innovation at a time.

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Carbon Lock Tech, led by CEO and founder Kevin Danner, is developing cutting-edge technology to capture and sequester carbon, preventing it from re-entering the atmosphere. The company’s work isn’t just about science, it’s about ensuring its science-based technologies are protected by a strong intellectual property (IP) strategy.

That’s where North Forge, a Winnipeg-based incubator and accelerator for startups, came in. Through the organization’s ElevateIP programming, Carbon Lock Tech secured the legal expertise needed to safeguard its technology while advancing its mission.

A vision for carbon removal

Before launching Carbon Lock Tech, Danner built a career in government — working in finance, natural resources, and climate policy. He played a key role in developing Manitoba’s climate and green plan, focusing on carbon pricing and mitigation strategies.

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But he wanted to do more.

“About five years ago, I got a little tired of government. Things don’t move as fast as I think they need to,” Danner said. “I’ve been following the climate crisis since the late ’80s … and the idea that we could reverse climate change by removing carbon from the atmosphere, that … was really interesting to me.”

That interest led him to biochar — a stable form of carbon created by heating organic waste in a low-oxygen environment. Recognizing its potential as a scalable climate solution, he took the leap into entrepreneurship.

“I bought some biochar … I started studying it, and then thought, OK, time to start a company and actually build reactor systems to produce it,” Danner said. “We do that through pyrolytic reactor technology. Essentially, we’re building, designing, and deploying technologies for removing carbon from the atmosphere.”

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Carbon Lock Tech pelletizes its biochar, so it can be mixed into things like concrete, asphalt, agriculture and mining projects — locking it into the infrastructure and the environment. When this process is done, it generates a special kind of carbon credit — the Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR) Credit — one that only technologies like Danner’s and a handful of others receive. These credits are sought after by major corporations and governments working toward net-zero targets.

“Whatever you put up in emissions, there’s got to be that difference pulled down. They call it Net Zero —100 tons up, 100 tons down,” Danner said. “But to pull 100 tons out of the atmosphere, you need technology. You need some system. And if you want to claim that you’re net zero, then you’re going to have to pay a company like ours to do that for you.”

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Developing this kind of technology takes time, expertise and strategy. Before entering the ElevateIP program with North Forge, the company had already secured a Canadian patent on its reactor system and filed in both the United States and Europe.

When it came to expanding the company’s IP portfolio, Danner quickly realized how critical support programs like ElevateIP could be. The federally funded, nationwide initiative equips Canadian start-ups with the essential resources to understand, develop strategy, and create intellectual property assets.

“The ElevateIP program is great for us because we have three other patents we want to file, and patents are expensive and they take time,” Danner said. “This program is just perfect for the type of company we are … for what we’re trying to build, design, deploy and then protect through an IP strategy that ElevateIP helped us develop.”

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ElevateIP’s role in protecting innovation

Like many early-stage founders, Danner initially focused on solving problems rather than securing patents.

“It just wasn’t on my radar [to form a start-up] … I just wanted to build a solution for climate change,” he said.

But as Carbon Lock Tech grew, so did Danner’s understanding of IP’s value. “You want the freedom to operate as you wish. Also, if you want to take your company and scale it, to get investors and maybe someday be acquired, you need to have a bunch of IP.”

Through North Forge, he connected with top IP professionals, including lawyers from Winnipeg law firm Thompson Dorfman Sweatman LLP. The program helped Carbon Lock Tech refine its IP strategy, ensuring its innovations were not only protected but also positioned for long-term growth.

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“I think the ElevateIP program has helped us realize … you need to have a suite of IP, everything from trade secrets to trademarks to process patents to material patents. You have to pay attention to your entire IP. It’s not just about a patent on a machine.”

As Carbon Lock Tech continues its growth trajectory, Danner will share his insights at North Forge’s 2025 IP Summit on February 26 at RBC Convention Centre, where he’ll join a panel of experts discussing how startups can leverage IP for success. His journey — from government policy to launching a cleantech company with a robust IP portfolio — serves as a testament to the power of innovation, strategy, and the right support.

For Manitoba’s climate tech founders, Carbon Lock Tech’s story is more than just an example — it’s a roadmap to scaling impact while securing the intellectual property that makes it all possible.

The North Forge 2025 IP Summit, is a cost-free premier conference dedicated to empowering startups, innovators, and industry professionals in Manitoba and Saskatchewan with the knowledge and resources needed to protect their intellectual property. This event is designed to foster IP education, networking, and collaboration within the innovation ecosystem.

To learn more about Carbon Lock Tech, visit carbonlocktech.com. To register for North Forge’s cost-free IP Summit, visit northforge.ca/ipsummit.

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