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Case Study

Climeworks (B): Business modeling – creating new market opportunities

By Peter Vogel and Natalia Olynec

3 pages

December 2019

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Reference: IMD-7-2084

Climeworks took a multipronged approach when seeking markets for its end product: emissions reversal, beverages and fuel. Climeworks emissions reversal solution involved the direct physical removal of the same amount of emissions from the atmosphere as had been created. Once captured, the CO2 could then be permanently and safely stored underground. Also, the global beverage industry had become one of the biggest consumers of CO2 in the world. Valser, recently certified as Switzerland’s first climate-neutral mineral water, was the first brand to leverage Climeworks’ technologies for its drinks. Finally, air-captured carbon dioxide could be combined with hydrogen and turned into a fossil fuel substitute. It was still unclear which of these markets would prove successful for Climeworks or whether government regulations would be adapted to support carbon removal. But it was clear that industry disruption was needed to reduce emissions drastically and avoid the most destructive effects of climate change. What was also sure was that entrepreneurs Gebald and Wurzbacher had no plans to slow down until they had fulfilled their bold vision of solving one of the greatest challenges through innovation.

Learning Objective

To employ the business model canvas tool to evaluate opportunities for value creation and market development.
To analyze and recommend the best market entry strategy based on design thinking concepts of feasibility, desirability, and viability.v

Keywords

Sustainability, Responsible Leadership, Corporate Responsibility, Leading Change, Vision, Business Model, Business Model Change, Design Thinking, Strategy, Start-up, Entrepreneurship, Purpose

Settings

Europe, Switzerland
Climeworks
2009-present

Type

Field Research

Available Languages

English

Related material

Teaching note

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This case study is part of a series

Climeworks (A): A visionary business to help stop climate change
Climeworks (B): Business modeling – creating new market opportunities

This case study is part of a series

Climeworks (A): A visionary business to help stop climate change
Climeworks (B): Business modeling – creating new market opportunities

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