Most climate tech startups chase flashy solutions. Amsterdam’s Hydryx just closed €2.5 million for what might be the unsexy climate win we’ve been missing—capturing the methane lurking beneath Europe’s landfills before it wrecks the atmosphere.
The seed round, led by impact investor Marcel Smits alongside venture capital fund Graduate Entrepreneur and entrepreneurial angel investors, targets a greenhouse gas 86 times more potent than CO₂. Landfills account for roughly 6% of global climate change—more than aviation and shipping combined.
The €2.5M climate tech funding round tackles Europe’s landfill methane problem
Founded in 2023 by CEO Anthonie Jacobson and COO Joren Tangelder, Hydryx developed an automated system that installs on existing landfill infrastructure. The technology captures methane before it escapes, converting it into green electricity. Moreover, the system generates 40% more energy than traditional manual extraction methods, proven through partnership with Dutch waste management company Renewi.
“Hydryx has the biggest ‘bang for your buck’ climate solution that I have seen,” said lead investor Marcel Smits. The company’s plug-and-play approach uses sensors, cloud-connected algorithms, and automated valves to optimize gas extraction in real-time. Currently, about 60% of landfill gas escapes into the atmosphere—Hydryx aims to flip that ratio.
The funding arrives as European climate tech funding for methane reduction gains momentum. Furthermore, Sweden’s Agteria Biotech raised €6 million for livestock methane reduction in February, while Italy’s Resilco secured €5 million for industrial waste conversion. However, Hydryx’s focus on landfill methane positions it within a less crowded niche of the WasteTech ecosystem.
From €350K to €2.5M: Scaling landfill automation across Europe
This seed round follows Hydryx’s €350,000 convertible loan from Innovatiefonds Noord-Holland in 2024. The fresh capital will accelerate expansion across Europe, where modern sanitary landfills still leak between 100,000 and 250,000 tonnes of methane annually. Open dumps in developing regions release up to 4 million tonnes per site each year.
Hydryx’s subscription-based model eliminates upfront investment for landfill operators. Additionally, the system delivers both emission reductions and revenue generation through increased green energy production. The company targets 10 million tons of CO₂ equivalent removal by 2030, scaling across Europe before expanding into high-emission regions in Asia.
“This investment enables us to drastically reduce methane emissions across Europe; right now, when it matters most,” Jacobson added. With approximately 70% of global waste still dumped or landfilled—and total waste generation projected to reach 3.4 billion tonnes by 2050—the opportunity window remains massive.
Hydryx proves the most sustainable climate solution can also be the smartest investment. While the world debates carbon credits and net-zero pledges, this Amsterdam startup is turning literal garbage into renewable power—one automated valve at a time.