Overview

C STAR Holdings (Pty) Ltd is a South African climate-tech startup, spun out of over two decades of catalysis research at the University of Cape Town’s Catalysis Institute. The company is commercializing a breakthrough CO₂-to-Fuel technology that converts captured carbon dioxide and sustainably produced hydrogen into drop-in sustainable diesel (E-Diesel), along with a valuable paraffin wax byproduct.

C STAR’s core innovation lies in two proprietary catalytic processes: a reverse water-gas shift (RWGS) reaction that converts CO₂ into synthesis gas at unusually high single-pass conversion and milder conditions than conventional systems, followed by a high-performance Fischer-Tropsch synthesis (FTS) step that converts that syngas into hydrocarbon fuel with exceptional stability and selectivity (above 90% single-pass conversion). This process simplification enables C STAR to build modular, containerized production units rather than large centralized plants, cutting capital costs by roughly 50% compared to state-of-the-art alternatives.

The company’s strategy centers on decentralized, on-site fuel production for hard-to-electrify sectors such as agriculture, mining, remote industry, and long-haul transport, markets that remain diesel-dependent but face mounting decarbonization pressure. C STAR is currently building a containerized pilot plant (3 L/day), targeting TRL 7 through on-site industrial deployment in 2027, en route to a 1 barrel/day commercial demonstrator by 2028/2029.

C STAR is a Breakthrough Energy Fellow, the first company from Africa selected for this program, providing funding, mentorship, and international validation. Founded by Professors Michael Claeys and Nico Fischer (internationally recognized catalysis experts) and led operationally by COO Dr. Wijnand Marquart, the company holds patent applications on its catalyst and process design. C STAR is currently pre-revenue, raising USD ~600,000 in pre-seed funding to complete pilot validation and advance toward commercial-scale, capital-light business models including fuel sales, plant sales, and technology licensing.

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