In business, we rarely get the chance to go off script. But Carbyon is no ordinary business. Our ideas aren’t limited by what’s possible today, but charged by the prospect of tomorrow. In a series that explores the heart and soul of our new-age company, get to know the people behind our trailblazing tech as they tell us what life with a startup is really like.
“I believe we have a true disruptor technology. We’re not improving what exists, but bringing something different. That carries risk, but I like being on the edge of what is possible.”
Bogdan Costescu, Manager Manufacturing Engineering
At Carbyon we don’t work with the restraints of the tried and tested, but within a world of potential where time moves a little differently. What once took months could become days. What once seemed unfeasible, becomes plausible. Hours are filled with discovery as answers are unpicked from questions never asked before.
“Our technology can accelerate the potential of direct air capture,” says Manager Manufacturing Engineering, Bogdan. “These technologies could bring big changes the world needs.”
Bogdan oversees the setup of Carbyon’s manufacturing processes, establishing capacity to produce now and scale in the near future.
“I’m responsible for scaling up the manufacturability of our core technologies. We split the development of our product into two main projects: the CO₂ capturing sorbent and the machine around it. Currently, I’m facilitating the project manager in developing the sorbent — the heart of our machine.
“In our work, we constantly consider technical details against the time we have and market requirements. Having the right team dynamic is so important, we have to be really flexible. We have a product to develop and a mission to pursue.”
Forging new ways of life “The mission inspires me, it offers solutions that won't limit us"
Bogdan has always been a visionary thinker, interested in the here and now and far beyond. It’s why he chose to study electrical and power engineering. “When I was 17 or 18, I wanted to learn about energetics, power and energy consumption, because that’s something the world will always need. “I believed electrical energy would remain important. I still do, but now there’s more urgency, we need to find ways to become cleaner with our energy use.
“When you have children I think you automatically see the future differently. You ask yourself, how will it look for generations to come? Climate change is advancing, I mean, you only have to look at the weather outside. Surely then the last doubt should disappear.”
But discovery and human enrichment shouldn’t disappear with it, says Bogdan. “We need to change our ways, but I don’t think placing limits on ourselves is the entire solution.
“I try to be conscious, I’ve installed solar panels and switched to an electric car for instance, but I believe there are ways to preserve our future and freedom.
“Travel, for example, is an important way to develop ourselves and our minds. Right now, the way we do it isn't clean and we should be mindful of that, but the answer lies in finding ways to do it sustainably, not to stop altogether.
“Carbyon’s mission offers a solution that doesn’t cap our desire to move and see the world, that really appeals to me.”
Enlightenment is everywhere “No matter the problem, there are answers to be found”
Building from the ground up means asking questions never answered before, but that's half the fun for Bogdan. “If you have the right team around you, answers will come. The search for them is what gives me energy. “Much of my background is in organizing teams and delegating roles in the factory. In this line of work we must be innovative, but I'm confident the group holds the answer.”
Bogdan is no stranger to starting and scaling manufacturing lines, working in solar and semiconductor technologies before finding Carbyon. “Every market, segment and factory is different, you learn endlessly, but I’ve picked up principles that help me adapt quickly.
“I like joining in early phases because I believe it’s essential to take every detail into account when designing a product. That’s how we make it efficient and manufacturable in later stages.
“Surrounding ourselves with the right support is important, too. We have to look for flexible partners and land on the right ways to communicate, inside and outside the company. We start from scratch, creating the manufacturing network and relationships with our suppliers, finding locations and setting up the first production lines.
‘It’s like looking at a world of potential. I’ve always chased that feeling, I think.”
Revolutionizing thought “When we develop quickly, we unlock ways to do it efficiently”
Carbyon is a unique startup. We don’t measure success by profit margins, and we probably never will. Our success rests on our mission to capture CO₂, clean the atmosphere and tackle climate change. Getting that far takes belief, from our people, partners, and investors. “At this phase we’re not producing anything, we’re developing. Effectively, we’re selling trust,” says Bogden “That can sometimes feel scary, but the world is becoming more invested in what we’re doing. CO₂ is a problem gaining visibility and so is direct air capture. Perceptions are changing and because we’re at the cutting edge, we’re reinventing the way things are done.
“This kind of ‘disrupter approach’ isn’t brand new. We’ve seen it in huge companies like Tesla, and when it succeeds it not only brings a needed product to market but often refreshes the thinking behind it. “As we develop new technologies we look at ways to transform aspects of the manufacturing process itself. We focus on being efficient and minimizing resources. We enter a contract of continuous improvement and learning, not only from each other but from our partners and peers.”
Although work at Carbyon reinvents thinking, it doesn’t reinvent the wheel. “We outsource what is not our core business”, confirms Bogden. “We let others do what they do best. That’s something the Netherlands is known for, resulting in powerful and accessible networks of learning, efficiency and expertise.”
Core elements of Bogdan “Seeing old cars is like entering a time capsule”
“I grew up wanting to be an astronaut so I could see things never seen before. I think I still live my life this way, looking for discovery in my work and even in my personal life. My family and I never go to the same place twice, the world is too big!”
“I have a long list of places my family and I would love to see. I see travel as a form of enrichment. I tell my kids: see as much of the world as you can, discover new cultures, meet people. All of that really opens the mind. This is why Carbyon’s mission is close to me, it enables us to keep discovering beyond borders.”
“I’ve always been fascinated by cars, especially old ones. They weren’t built with the same societal needs, they were made in another era for a different purpose. There’s so much to learn from them, their design tells us where we came from. Problems were different, the vision was different. That helps us understand where we are now, and where we’re going. I’m always looking ahead in that way.”
Life at Carbyon Born with a new-age mindset?
The people of Carbyon share a progressive ambition. We don’t push boundaries, we bend them into arenas where creative minds bring the present and future within touching distance. We rarely look back to what's been done before, but always ahead, to what will be.
“When you work somewhere like Carbyon, it helps to have a passion for positive progress,” reflects Bogdan. “If you’re not convinced by today’s problems, you’ll miss out on the motivation and energy you’ll find in your work here.
“That context helps us to be resilient and motivated, to shake off old ways of thinking to get to where we need to be.”
