VerdeTerra

VerdeTerra

Type	Private
ISIN	🆔
Industry	Indoor air purification; Environmental technology
Founded 📆	2023
Founder 👔
Headquarters 🏙️	Atlanta, Georgia, United States
Area served 🗺️
Products 📟	Albero Modern; Albero Traditional; Prototype7 photobioreactor
Members
Number of employees
🌐 Website	vtalgae.com
📇 Address
📞 telephone

VerdeTerra is a private American company based in Atlanta, Georgia that develops indoor air purification systems using photobioreactors filled with live microalgae. Its systems use *Spirulina* cyanobacteria to photosynthetically reduce carbon dioxide (CO₂) levels in enclosed environments.

Background / Reason for Technology

Indoor air quality (IAQ) in enclosed spaces is recognized as a significant health concern. Elevated levels of CO₂, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and particulate matter in poorly ventilated interiors are associated with impaired cognitive performance, headaches, fatigue, and other adverse health outcomes. For example, a study of microalgae‐based photobioreactors (PBRs) found that *Spirulina maxima* in small lab chambers could remove ≈ 55% of CO₂ under natural indoor CO₂ concentrations (~1100 ppm) and up to ~90% under higher CO₂ loads.

Academic assessments also show microalgae often outperform terrestrial plants in CO₂ uptake per unit area under controlled conditions, though practical challenges remain (light, maintenance, scale).

History

VerdeTerra was founded in 2023 to commercialize the use of microalgae for indoor carbon capture and air purification. The company began with laboratory‐scale systems and subsequently built larger prototypes designed to integrate with building HVAC systems.

In 2024, VerdeTerra was selected as a Solver by MIT Solve's Global Climate Challenge for its algae-based carbon-capture approach. That same year, it was awarded funding under the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program.

Technology

VerdeTerra’s devices function as transparent, tubular photobioreactors. Inside these reactors, *Spirulina* cultures absorb CO₂ from passing air and convert it into oxygen and biomass via photosynthesis. The system is automated, with control over temperature, pH, LED lighting, and nutrient delivery. The collected biomass is claimed to have possible uses for bio‐based materials and carbon sequestration.

Research and Evaluation

In May 2024, VerdeTerra conducted a comparative study evaluating the performance of its Prototype7 device against a standard HEPA/charcoal air purifier and two *Spathiphyllum* (“Peace Lily”) plants.

Tests were performed in a sealed 0.12 m³ chamber initially injected with ≈ 5,000 ppm CO₂. Prototype7 is claimed to reduce CO₂ at an average exponential rate of ~900 ppm/h, while the HEPA purifier and plants showed linear reductions of ~217 ppm/h and ~424 ppm/h, respectively. A 13-hour leak validation test confirmed an enclosure leakage rate of 28 ppm/h, supporting the reliability of the data.

Limitations

- The evaluation was conducted in a lab setting by VerdeTerra personnel. - As of mid-2025, results have not been replicated in large or real-world indoor environments in peer reviewed or independent settings. - Practical challenges of energy consumption (especially lighting), system maintenance (biofilm, algae health), costs of deployment, and long-term stability remain to be fully demonstrated.

Academic and Industry Context

Several peer-reviewed works provide evidence that microalgae photobioreactor systems have significant potential for indoor air purification:

• *A Microalgae Photobioreactor System for Indoor Air Remediation* (2023) – demonstrated that Spirulina maxima can reduce CO₂ by ~55% in a small indoor chamber (~0.064 m³) under ~1100 ppm CO₂, and up to ~90% under higher CO₂ loads.
• *Novel insights into indoor air purification capability of microalgae* (2023) – shows that species like *Chlorella vulgaris* have good removal rates for VOCs, particulate matter (PM₂.₅, PM₁₀), etc., in comparison with physical filters and houseplants.
• *Microalgae cultivation using ammonia and carbon dioxide concentrations typical of pig barns* (2024) – demonstrates effective pollutant removal under mixed gas conditions, indicating microalgae systems can function in realistic indoor-air pollutant environments.

These studies help situate the VerdeTerra approach within a broader research trajectory.

Partnerships and Recognition

• In 2024, VerdeTerra was selected as a Solver in the MIT Solve Global Climate Challenge.
• It received an EPA SBIR Phase I award in 2024.
• Its Solve recognition was also covered by PR Newswire and distributed via Yahoo Finance, providing some independent confirmation in business press.

Deployment

VerdeTerra launched pilot installations of its Albero product line in late 2024. According to company sources, devices are custom-assembled in Atlanta and installed primarily in homes and small offices. As of mid-2025, over 50 units were in operation across test sites, with expansion into commercial spaces planned. (All deployment numbers are per company claims and not yet independently confirmed.)

Public Reception and Media Coverage

As of 2025, VerdeTerra has received recognition from MIT Solve, the EPA SBIR program, and limited mention in PR Newswire distribution. Environmental experts and researchers generally view algae-based air purification as promising but emphasize that more third-party data (on cost, real-world effectiveness, lifecycle assessments) are needed.

See also

• Photobioreactor
• Indoor air quality
• Carbon capture and storage

References

This article "VerdeTerra" is from Wikipedia. The list of its authors can be seen in its historical and/or the page Edithistory:VerdeTerra. Articles copied from Draft Namespace on Wikipedia could be seen on the Draft Namespace of Wikipedia and not main one.

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