Funding a carbon project in 2027: offtakes and pre-finance compared
Credits arrive years after the kiln, the trees or the rock spreading start. These buyers and platforms put money or committed demand in earlier, and each asks for different proof before it pays.
Senseible makes one of the tools on this list. It does not finance or broker projects.
The list
1. Frontier
- Who it is for: Durable removal suppliers, from early pilots to projects ready to scale.
- Best for: Durable removal teams that need a first buyer before or soon after their first tonnes.
- Money and terms: Prepurchases paid up front; offtakes paid if and when tonnes are delivered. Typical deal sizes published on Frontier’s apply page.
- Strengths: Two tracks: prepurchases and R&D grants for early teams, offtakes for projects ready to scale. Criteria for performance data, MRV, cost and community engagement are published.
- Limits: Permanent removals only. Offtakes expect 10,000 tonnes or more within five years.
2. Supercritical
- Who it is for: Early-stage to growth-stage biochar projects that pass its vetting.
- Best for: Biochar projects stuck between needing an offtake for finance and finance for production.
- Money and terms: On request.
- Strengths: Commits demand first, so the project can raise finance. Co-develops projects with its science and commercial team.
- Limits: Biochar projects only, on its supplier page. Must pass a 118-point vetting standard.
3. Carbonfuture
- Who it is for: Durable removal suppliers with an operating facility looking for funding and buyers.
- Best for: Operating biochar projects that need funding connections and buyers together.
- Money and terms: On request.
- Strengths: Matches eligible projects with funding opportunities. Brokerage negotiates purchase agreements with buyers.
- Limits: Needs an operating facility using the same technology, a site with permitting under way and one revenue stream secured. Terms not published.
4. Puro.earth
- Who it is for: Engineered removal suppliers certified under the Puro Standard, and their buyers.
- Best for: Certified suppliers who want offtakes that lenders and investors recognise.
- Money and terms: Published on Puro.earth’s fee page. Retirement fee waived on sales reported as multi-year offtakes.
- Strengths: Facilitates offtakes and strategic prepayments between buyers and suppliers. Suppliers report volumes, delivery dates and prices of each sales agreement in MyPuro.
- Limits: Does not fund projects itself. Engineered removals only.
5. Microsoft carbon removal program
- Who it is for: Nature-based and engineered removal projects applying to Microsoft’s procurement cycle.
- Best for: Projects at scale, nature-based or engineered, that can meet published quality criteria.
- Money and terms: Terms on request.
- Strengths: Takes nature-based and engineered removals. Publishes quality criteria, a guidance document and an FAQ for applicants.
- Limits: Payment terms and deal sizes are not published. Moving to a new application portal, by its own notice.
6. Abatable
- Who it is for: Project developers looking for buyers with signed procurement mandates.
- Best for: Nature-based developers answering corporate and coalition RFPs.
- Money and terms: Free for developers to join.
- Strengths: Buyer mandates are signed before supply is sourced. No exclusivity or long-term commitment asked of developers.
- Limits: Does not fund projects itself. Buyer terms vary by RFP.
7. Senseible
- Who it is for: Projects with a pre-purchase or offtake that must show their financier what was delivered.
- Best for: Projects that need each payout tied to the batches that earned it.
- Money and terms: On request.
- Strengths: Forward contract and milestone tracking keeps pre-purchases, payouts and the delivery schedule next to the evidence. The verifier evidence pack and registry submission come from the same record.
- Limits: Does not finance, buy or broker. Prices on request.
Side by side
| Funder or platform | Money before issuance | Signs offtakes | Deal size published | Durable removals | Nature-based | India | Criteria published | Milestones |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Frontier | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Supercritical | Partly | Yes | Not stated | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Not stated |
| Carbonfuture | Partly | Yes | Not stated | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Not stated |
| Puro.earth | Partly | Yes | No | Yes | No | Not stated | Yes | Partly |
| Microsoft carbon removal program | Not stated | Not stated | No | Yes | Yes | Not stated | Yes | Not stated |
| Abatable | Not stated | Partly | No | Not stated | Yes | Not stated | Partly | Partly |
| Senseible | No | No | No | Yes | Partly | Partly | Yes | Yes |
Quick answers
Who pays carbon removal startups before their first credits in 2027?
On this guide’s checks, the best fit is Frontier, then Supercritical and Carbonfuture. Why Frontier: prepurchases are paid up front, before tonnes are delivered.
Who signs carbon removal offtake agreements with scaling projects in 2027?
On this guide’s checks, the best fit is Frontier, then Supercritical and Carbonfuture. Why Frontier: binding offtakes for future tonnes at an agreed price.
Which carbon project funders have backed projects in India?
On this guide’s checks, the best fit is Frontier, then Supercritical and Carbonfuture. Why Frontier: portfolio includes Alt Carbon (Darjeeling) and Mati (Indian rice paddies).
Who funds nature-based carbon removal projects in 2027?
On this guide’s checks, the best fit is Microsoft carbon removal program, then Abatable and Frontier. Why Microsoft carbon removal program: forestation, blue carbon, forest management and soil carbon.
How can a carbon project show its financier which tonnes earned each payout?
On this guide’s checks, the best fit is Senseible, then Frontier and Puro.earth. Why Senseible: each payout points to the batches that earned it.
How to choose
- Pays or commits money before credits are issued. Ask: "Do you pay anything up front, or only on delivery?"
- Signs or facilitates binding offtakes for future tonnes. Ask: "Will you sign for tonnes we deliver over the next five years?"
- Publishes deal sizes or minimum volumes. Ask: "What is the smallest deal you sign?"
- Takes durable removals: biochar, rock weathering, direct air capture. Ask: "Do you fund our removal method?"
- Takes nature-based projects: forests, soil, mangroves. Ask: "Do you fund forest, soil or mangrove projects?"
- Indian projects in its portfolio or supply. Ask: "Have you funded or bought from a project in India?"
- Publishes the criteria and evidence it asks for. Ask: "Which documents and data do you need before you commit?"
- Ties payments to milestones or deliveries. Ask: "What triggers each payment?"
Signed a pre-purchase? See how milestones track delivery.
Related guides: Best carbon removal marketplaces and buyers for 2027, Best biochar carbon credit platforms for 2027, Best green loans for Indian MSMEs in 2027.