Companies making a difference

Cotierra helps food and beverage companies accelerate the transition to regenerative agriculture through scalable, data-driven biochar infrastructure. Their proprietary reactor converts agricultural residues – initially coffee waste – into premium biochar directly on farms in the Global South. This permanently sequesters carbon in soils while improving soil health, reducing fertilizer use, and increasing crop yields for smallholder farmers. An IoT-enabled MRV system tracks all biochar production and application in real time.

Why we invested in Cotierra

Biochar is one of the most durable and scientifically validated forms of carbon removal available today, and Cotierra's decentralized farm-level approach unlocks this solution in tropical agriculture – where both climate vulnerability and impact potential are highest. The business model creates a genuine win-win: food brands gain a decarbonized, more resilient supply chain, while smallholder farmers benefit from improved yields and additional income. Recognition from Nespresso's Swiss Starcup, partnership with established carbon ecosystem players like Airminers and remove.global, and the backing of specialist carbon investors all underscore the team's credibility and the market's validation.

Founder Spotlight

Give us the 1 sentence pitch for your startup

Thomas: Cotierra helps food and beverage companies build more resilient, more productive and more sustainable agricultural supply chains by providing clean and cost-effective biochar technology to turn on-farm biomass into a potent soil improver.

What impact are you aiming for?

Thomas: Healthy soil is the backbone of our food system. By permanently restoring it with biochar, we make agricultural value chains more resilient to climate change, increase farmer productivity, and reduce supply chain emissions.

How did you start your company?

Thomas: We saw the potential of biochar to solve productivity decline and emissions in agriculture, especially in the Global South where biomass is abundant and farm productivity benefits are highest.

We spoke with large food and beverage companies operating there to understand why it was not used everywhere yet.

Based on that, we started building a solution together with them and launched paid pilots early to test, learn, and build something that integrates seamlessly into their operations and future-proofs their supply chains.

What have been your biggest challenges as a startup so far?

Thomas: Our biggest challenge has been technological. We had to prove that decentralized biochar production can work reliably in the field and scale economically. We tackled this by deploying reactors early on real farms, working closely with value chain partners, and improving the technology using real field data.

What have been your biggest personal challenges as founder so far?

Thomas: The biggest challenge has been navigating changing circumstances and setbacks as a team. People react differently, but as a team you must realign quickly and keep moving forward.

We focus heavily on transparent immediate communication, creating shared understanding of priorities, and finding common ground so we can regain momentum together.

How does PiC help you achieving your vision?

Thomas: Yannick from PiC helps us build a world-class founder team through coaching, reflection, and his valuable external perspective.

What do you like most about working with PiC?

Thomas: The network of angel investors with real entrepreneurial backgrounds. Getting advice from people who have built and scaled companies themselves is extremely valuable and highly practical for us.

Go to Cotierra's Website