Emerging from stealth mode, BlueShift has officially stepped into the spotlight, securing a $2.1 million pre-seed funding round. With support from energy giant ConocoPhillips, Ridgeline, and the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC), this promising climate tech startup is setting out to revolutionize how critical minerals are sourced — and help tackle ocean acidification in the process.
Now operating from Greentown Labs — North America’s largest climate tech incubator — and MIT’s renowned The Engine accelerator, BlueShift plans to channel most of this funding into building its first pilot facility in Boston Harbor. The pilot will demonstrate the company’s proprietary electrochemical system designed to recover valuable minerals while removing carbon dioxide from seawater.
At the heart of BlueShift’s innovation is a membrane-free electrochemical process developed with support from the University of Michigan, Harvard, and ARPA-E. Leveraging additive manufacturing and existing infrastructure like desalination and power plants, this technology processes industrial alkaline waste and seawater to extract rare earth elements (REEs) and critical minerals. An added environmental benefit? It simultaneously pulls CO2 from seawater, turning it into limestone — a step that directly helps reduce ocean acidification.
Founder and CEO Deep Patel shared the company’s driving mission, “BlueShift was created to unlock underutilized resources in a way that strengthens economic resilience. Today, there’s an urgent need for critical minerals and rare earth elements. Current extraction methods cause severe environmental damage and leave the U.S. reliant on foreign supply chains. We knew it was time to develop a more sustainable, cost-effective, and geopolitically stable solution — one that also helps restore our oceans.”
A Game-Changing Solution for Critical Mineral Recovery
The stakes in this industry are higher than ever. Critical minerals power everything from steel production to advanced batteries, making them essential to clean energy technologies. Demand is expected to nearly triple by 2030, driven by global efforts to transition away from fossil fuels. Yet, China still dominates the supply chain, controlling 70% of global REE extraction and 87% of processing.
BlueShift’s electrochemical technology aims to change that narrative. Unlike conventional mining, which devastates ecosystems and pollutes water sources, their system offers a cleaner, more scalable alternative. Traditional electrochemical extraction methods often fail to scale due to high energy demands and costly materials. BlueShift sidesteps these pitfalls with modular units that consume up to 10 times less energy — all without relying on expensive membranes.
The result is a system that slashes both capital and operating costs, while delivering a powerful environmental benefit. By pulling carbon dioxide from seawater and turning it into solid limestone, BlueShift offers a dual-purpose solution — supplying critical minerals while fighting ocean acidification. Once operational, the Boston Harbor pilot project is projected to remove 30 times more CO2 annually within just over a year of deployment.
MassCEC’s Investment Principal, David Wilson, highlighted the potential impact: “Achieving our climate goals means scaling affordable carbon removal solutions. BlueShift’s electrochemical technology is an exciting addition to this space. Plus, by sourcing critical minerals domestically, they’re strengthening supply chains for the clean energy sector. We’re proud to support their pilot right here in Massachusetts.”
Building a Resilient Future with Multiple Revenue Streams
BlueShift is positioning itself at the crossroads of environmental impact and economic opportunity. Their business model taps into several revenue streams — from selling critical minerals like nickel and rare earth elements such as neodymium and dysprosium, to offering carbon credits and licensing their technology to utilities and desalination plants.
The company has already secured key input material suppliers, including coal ash and olivine mining waste. Over the next three quarters, these materials will feed the first commercial runs of their system, marking an important step toward market readiness.
Additional funding will help BlueShift lock in production materials, hit critical technical milestones, and expand its team with top industry talent. Ridgeline’s Co-Founder, Ryan Clinton, summed it up best: “BlueShift is raising the bar for sustainable innovation. By producing essential minerals and capturing carbon from seawater, they’re proving it’s possible to build a more resilient future.”
As BlueShift scales its groundbreaking electrochemical technology, the company is positioning itself as a key player in reshaping both the U.S. energy landscape and the global supply chain for critical minerals.
