New Zealand/South East Asia: Concrete additives producer Neocrete has raised US$3.5m in a funding round led by returning investor Wavemaker Ventures, with participation from Icehouse Ventures and Temasek Trust vehicle Catalytic Capital for Climate and Health (C3H). Neocrete’s fly ash and volcanic ash-based additive substitutes for up to 50% of cement, while maintaining the strength, durability and workability of the resulting concrete. The company will invest the new finances in continued deployment across South East Asia and a planned European and US expansion.

Neocrete is supplying 65,000m³ of its additives for use in concrete mixes in Readymix Brunei’s redevelopment of Muara Port, Brunei. Readymix Brunei participated in the original pilot of production of Neocrete’s additive using locally-available refuse ash. It has poured 3700m³ of ash-blended concrete to date, eliminating 215t (25%) of CO₂ emissions. The Muara Port redevelopment will avoid a further 5200t of CO₂ emissions through the use of the additive.

India: Alternative binders developer CarbonStrong has raised US$1.31m in a seed funding round co-led by IAN Angel Fund and financial technology fund RainMatter. The proceeds will go towards construction and hiring for CarbonStrong’s first plant. The company is targeting a production capacity of 100,000t/yr by 2029.

CarbonStrong says that its alternative binders are capable of replacing up to 50% of cement in concrete.

UK/US: AI-based emissions registry Isometric has published a draft Low Carbon Cement Protocol for environmental attribute certificates (EACs) for cement and concrete. The protocol is designed to meet the integrity criteria of the Science Based Targets Initiative’s Corporate Net-Zero 2.0 standard. Isometric will hold a consultation on the draft until 21 September 2026.

US: The National Ready Mixed Concrete Association (NRMCA) has appointed Melissa Verwest as its senior director of sustainability programmes. Verwest will be responsible for initiatives including Environmental Product Declarations and Concrete Sustainability Council certifications, reporting to NRMCA senior vice-president of codes and standards Shamim Rashid-Sumar.

Verwest joins the NRMCA from concrete, aggregates and asphalt producer Knife River Corporation, where she served in roles including sustainable materials programme lead. She previously worked for Oldcastle Infrastructure and Coffman Engineers. Verwest holds a master’s degree from Washington State University in Pullman, US, and a bachelor’s degree from Michigan Technological University in Houghton, US, both in Civil Engineering. She has chaired the NRMCA Promotion Committee's sustainability subcommittee and has been an adjunct professor at Gonzaga University in Spokane for the past 15 years.