EcoLocked Pitch Deck: All 11 Slides + Teardown

See all 11 slides of the EcoLocked pitch deck — a 2023 Seed deck — with a slide-by-slide teardown of what the deck does well and where it falls short.

EcoLocked’s 11-slide Seed deck focuses on the urgent need for decarbonization in the built environment, which accounts for 39% of global emissions. The company positions itself not just as a material supplier, but as a 'concrete optimization platform' that uses algorithms to create custom mix designs integrating biocarbon into existing production processes. By emphasizing a low-Capex model and cost-competitiveness against other 'green' alternatives, EcoLocked addresses the primary barriers to adoption in the conservative construction sector. While the deck is visually polished and strong on p…

Key takeaways

EcoLocked: Decarbonizing the Foundation of the Modern World

Construction is one of the hardest-to-abate sectors in the global economy. With cement production alone accounting for a staggering percentage of global CO2 emissions, the race is on for a scalable, affordable alternative. EcoLocked entered the fray with a 2022 investor deck that eventually led to a $1.8M Seed round in 2023. The deck focuses heavily on the 'how'—specifically how a startup can integrate carbon-sequestering materials into a legacy industry without breaking the bank or the supply chain.

Slide 1: Title and Visual Hook

The deck opens with a high-resolution image of biochar—a dark, charcoal-like substance derived from organic waste. The tagline, "Making climate-positive concrete a reality," immediately establishes the company's mission. It is a clean, professional start that identifies the industry (construction) and the goal (sustainability) without unnecessary jargon.

Slide 3: The Macro Problem

EcoLocked uses Slide 3 to establish the urgency of their mission. They cite that "39% of emissions come from the built environment," a figure attributed to the International Energy Agency and the IPCC. The slide breaks this down further, noting that cement and concrete contribute 8% to global annual emissions , which is "4x the amount of the aviation sector and growing."

The most striking visual on this slide is the claim that the world is "using concrete in the amount of a new NYC every month." By framing the problem through both massive percentages and relatable physical scales, EcoLocked creates a compelling case for why the status quo is unsustainable. They also point out a market gap: while the sector is committed to Net Zero 2050, there are currently "no affordable solutions."

Slide 5: The Optimization Platform

Slide 5 shifts from the problem to the solution. EcoLocked describes itself as a "concrete optimization platform." This is a strategic phrasing; by calling it a platform rather than just a material supplier, they imply a software or algorithmic advantage that is more scalable than a simple commodity business.

The slide features a flow chart showing how their algorithm takes "Conventional inputs," "Biocarbon type," and "Additives" to return "custom mix designs." These materials are then integrated into the existing concrete plant process alongside Portland cement, water, and aggregates. The visual emphasizes that the "ecoLocked materials" are just one part of a familiar workflow, reducing the perceived risk for potential construction partners.

Slide 7: Strength, Sustainability, and Cost

One of the biggest hurdles for green tech in construction is the 'green premium'—the idea that sustainable materials are prohibitively expensive. Slide 7 addresses this head-on. It claims that EcoLocked concrete "can be cost-competitive with conventional concrete."

A bar chart compares the market price for standard concrete against the EcoLocked price. While the EcoLocked price appears slightly higher, the slide highlights "CO2 cost savings" and "Performance enhancement" (such as better insulation) that add an estimated 10-15% in value. Crucially, they show their price point sitting well below the "Market price for 'greener' concrete," positioning themselves as the pragmatic choice for developers who want to go green without doubling their material costs. The slide also notes that the product is suitable for "RMC, precast, 3D-printed & DIY concrete," suggesting a broad Total Addressable Market (TAM).

Slide 9: The Strategic Advantage

Slide 9, titled "Why ecoLocked?" , summarizes their competitive moat into three pillars: Focus on materials, A scalable model, and Collaborations.

Focus on materials: They emphasize an "R&D first" approach with dedicated scientists experienced in cementitious materials. · A scalable model: They reiterate the "minimal changes to concrete production process" and the use of "low-cost waste products." · Collaborations: They highlight partnerships with scientific institutions and the creation of an "attractive end market for biocarbon."

This slide is designed to reassure investors that the company has thought through the logistics of scale. By mentioning "VC support for quick GtM & scale-up," they signal that they are ready to use the capital to move fast.

Slide 11: The Team and Contact

The final slide serves as a combined Team and Contact slide. It lacks the traditional headshots and bios found in most decks, which is a notable omission. However, it provides direct contact information for three key figures: Mario Schmitt (Financing), Stefanie Gerhart (Partnerships), and Micheil Gordon (R&D). The background image of a forest path reinforces the "road to carbon-negative" theme.

What EcoLocked Does Well

The deck excels at contextualizing the problem. By comparing concrete emissions to the aviation industry and using the 'New York City every month' analogy, they make a dry industrial problem feel urgent and massive. This is essential for attracting climate-focused VCs.

Furthermore, the emphasis on low Capex is a masterclass in addressing industry-specific objections. Construction is a low-margin, conservative industry. By explicitly stating that their solution requires "no significant Capex" and integrates into "existing processes," they remove the biggest barrier to entry for their customers (the concrete plants).

The pricing strategy shown on Slide 7 is also highly effective. It doesn't just claim to be 'cheaper'; it uses a comparative bar chart to show exactly where they sit in the current market hierarchy—more expensive than the dirt-cheapest option, but significantly more affordable than the current 'green' competition.

What is Missing from the Deck

The most glaring omission is a dedicated Team slide. In a Seed round, investors are primarily betting on the founders. While contact names are listed on the final slide, there is no information about their previous exits, academic credentials, or specific industry experience. For a deep-tech/materials science play, the lack of visible 'expert' bios is a missed opportunity to build credibility.

There is also no Unit Economics or Financial Projections slide. While Slide 7 touches on price competitiveness, it doesn't show the company's margins or how they expect to reach profitability. Investors usually want to see a 3-5 year roadmap of revenue growth, even at the Seed stage.

Finally, the deck lacks a clear 'Ask' slide. While we know from publisher reports that they raised $1.8M, the deck itself does not state how much they are looking for or what specific milestones (e.g., building a pilot plant, hiring 10 engineers) that money will fund. This often suggests the deck was used as a supporting visual for a conversation rather than a standalone document.

Founder Takeaways: What to Copy

Use Relatable Analogies: If you are in a technical or industrial sector, follow EcoLocked's lead on Slide 3. Don't just say '8% of emissions'; say '4x the aviation sector.' It makes the scale of the opportunity undeniable.

Address the 'Green Premium' Early: If your product is sustainable, investors will immediately worry about cost. Use a slide like EcoLocked's Slide 7 to show exactly how you compare to both standard and 'green' competitors. Adding a 'Value Add' section (like their 10-15% performance enhancement) helps justify any remaining price gap.

Focus on Integration, Not Disruption: Many founders try to 'disrupt' an industry by demanding customers change everything they do. EcoLocked does the opposite. They emphasize that their product fits into existing workflows. If your solution is 'plug-and-play,' make that a central pillar of your pitch.

Visual Consistency: The deck uses a consistent color palette (dark greens and grays) and high-quality imagery that aligns with the brand. It feels like a cohesive story rather than a collection of disparate slides. This level of polish suggests a professional operation, which is vital when you are asking for millions of dollars.

Frequently asked questions

What is the core technology behind EcoLocked?
EcoLocked develops biochar-based admixes for concrete. Their core intellectual property appears to be an optimization platform—an algorithm that determines the ideal mix of biocarbon types and additives to integrate into standard concrete production without compromising structural integrity.
How does EcoLocked compare to other green concrete solutions on price?
According to Slide 7, EcoLocked aims to be cost-competitive with standard concrete. While it may carry a slight premium, the deck argues it is significantly cheaper than other 'green' alternatives and offers 10-15% additional value through CO2 cost savings and performance enhancements like better insulation.
What is the environmental impact of the concrete industry cited in the deck?
Slide 3 notes that the built environment accounts for 39% of global emissions. Specifically, cement and concrete contribute 8% of global annual emissions, which is four times the amount produced by the aviation sector.
Does the deck explain how the product is manufactured?
Slide 5 illustrates the process: EcoLocked materials are added alongside Portland cement, water, and aggregates at the concrete plant. The deck emphasizes that this requires 'minimal changes' to the existing production process and 'no significant Capex' for the manufacturer.
Who are the founders of EcoLocked?
While the deck lacks a dedicated team slide, Slide 11 lists three key contacts: Mario Schmitt (Financing & Jobs), Stefanie Gerhart (Pilot Projects & Partnerships), and Micheil Gordon (R&D Partnerships). These individuals represent the leadership team driving the $1.8M Seed round.
Cover slide of the EcoLocked pitch deck — Seed 2023
EcoLocked pitch deck, slide 1 (2023)

EcoLocked pitch deck: the facts

Company
EcoLocked
Year
2023
Stage
Seed
Slides
11
Sector
Construction
Outcome
$1.8M raised

EcoLocked pitch deck PDF

The full EcoLocked deck is embedded on this page and can be read slide by slide in the browser — no download or account required. Each slide is covered in the breakdown above.

What the EcoLocked pitch deck was used for

This is ecoLocked’s seed pitch deck used for its first funding round of €1.8M (around $1.8M) announced in September 2022 to finance biochar-based concrete admixtures that decarbonize the construction industry.[2][3][7] The deck positions ecoLocked’s “optimization platform” and materials R&D as a way to scale biochar carbon removal through concrete without significant Capex. It focuses on the climate problem (carbon removal and construction emissions), ecoLocked’s biocarbon-based concrete additives, and the team’s materials science expertise. The raise was intended to deliver first pilot projects, grow the team, and bring the first CO₂‑reduced concrete products to market in 2023.[2][3][7]

Business model: ecoLocked develops biochar-based, carbon-negative concrete admix materials that substitute cement or aggregates, permanently sequester CO₂ in buildings, and generate certified negative emissions and potential carbon credits.[6][4][10][13]

Round
Seed / initial funding round[2][3][7][14]
Lead investor
Counteract[2][3][7]
Investors
Counteract, Startup Family Office (SFO), Better Ventures (German impact angel club), Other climate-focused business angels and industry players
Founded
2021[12]
Founders
Dr. Mario Schmitt, Micheil Gordon
Headquarters
Berlin, Germany[12][9][10]
Industry
Climate tech / Construction materials / Carbon removal[2][6][10][15]

Year: 2022[2][3][7]

Raised: €1.8M (around $1.8M) initial funding round announced September 2022.[2][3][7]

Total funding: At least €5.8M across two seed rounds: €1.8M initial funding closed in 2022 and an additional €4M seed round announced in 2024.[2][1][12][13][14]

Use of funds as presented: Deliver first pilot concrete projects, grow the team from seven to ten employees, and accelerate the market launch in 2023 of CO₂-reduced biochar-based precast concrete formulations.[2][3][7]

What happened after the EcoLocked deck

EcoLocked used this deck to raise an initial €1.8M seed round in 2022, enabling team growth, pilot projects, and the launch of its first biochar-based concrete admixtures in 2023. Subsequent commercial validation and an expanded product roadmap led to a further €4M seed round in 2024 to scale manufacturing and broaden its portfolio of carbon-negative building material additives.[2][3][7][1][8][10]

What the EcoLocked deck got right

What could have been stronger

How an investor would read this deck

What draws attention

Risks that stand out

Questions this deck invites

What founders can take from the EcoLocked deck

EcoLocked pitch deck: common questions

What does ecoLocked do?

ecoLocked is a Berlin-based carbon tech startup that develops biochar-based, carbon-negative concrete admixtures which replace part of cement or aggregates, permanently store CO₂ in the built environment, and help the construction sector reduce embodied emissions.[2][4][6][10]

How much did ecoLocked raise in the seed round associated with this deck, and who invested?

ecoLocked’s first round of funding was an initial seed round of €1.8M, announced in September 2022.[2][3][7] The round was led by London-based carbon removal VC Counteract, with participation from SFO (Startup Family Office), Better Ventures (a German impact angel club), and other climate-oriented angels and industry players.[2][3][7]

What were the main uses of funds for ecoLocked’s initial seed round?

The company planned to use the €1.8M to deliver its first pilot concrete projects, grow the team from seven to ten people, and accelerate the 2023 market launch of its first CO₂-reduced biochar-based precast concrete formulations.[2][3][7]

Who founded ecoLocked and where is it based?

According to investor commentary, ecoLocked was founded in 2021 by CEO Dr. Mario Schmitt and CTO Micheil Gordon, with CCO Stefanie Gerhart joining in 2022.[12] The company is headquartered in Berlin, with laboratory and production facilities in Bernau near Berlin.[10][9][12]

What happened after this pitch deck’s seed round—did ecoLocked raise more funding?

After the initial €1.8M seed, ecoLocked secured a further €4M seed round in 2024 led by Matterwave Ventures and Climentum Capital, with participation from existing investors Counteract, Startup Family Office (SFO), Sabanci Building Solutions/Çimsa Building Solutions, and Voyagers.[1][12][13] This capital is being used to expand the product portfolio of biochar-based concrete and other building material admixtures, increase market adoption, and scale manufacturing capacity.[1][12]

Sources

Funding and outcome facts on this page were researched on 2026-08-30 from the pages below.

EcoLocked pitch deck slides

EcoLocked pitch deck slide 1 of 11
EcoLocked pitch deck — slide 1 of 11
EcoLocked pitch deck slide 2 of 11
EcoLocked pitch deck — slide 2 of 11
EcoLocked pitch deck slide 3 of 11
EcoLocked pitch deck — slide 3 of 11
EcoLocked pitch deck slide 4 of 11
EcoLocked pitch deck — slide 4 of 11
EcoLocked pitch deck slide 5 of 11
EcoLocked pitch deck — slide 5 of 11
EcoLocked pitch deck slide 6 of 11
EcoLocked pitch deck — slide 6 of 11

What each slide of the EcoLocked pitch deck says

Slide 2

Problem 1 The world needs carbon removal at scale - and biocarbon production is the most efficient solution The gap without carbon removal GHG emissions (Gt CO,/year) Business-as-usual Feasible emission reduction Remaining Emissions Required Carbon Removal Sources: ourworldindata.org, IPCC 2018 ecolecked Long-term CO ' ata prlce of € 150 300 per ton « Capex far below DAC systems The merits of biocarbon production 1l for 1.000 years » No external energy required Biocarbon itself as a valuable material - widespread uses with further CO, benefits e through green energy . from pyroly5 s byproducfs

Slide 3

Problem 2 39% of emissions come from the built environment Embodied and operational CO, Other industry Transportation Agriculture & forestry (LULUCF) Sources: Infernational Energy Agency. ourworldindata.org, IPCC 2018, OECD, Concrete Zero inifiative ecolecked Scalable & affordable solutions needed for CO,-free concrete Cement & concrete contribute 8% to global annual emissions \1\1 4x the amount of the aviation sector and growing Using concrete in the amount of @ new NYC every month Sector committed to Net Zero 2050 - but no affordable solutions &l

Slide 4

Our solution ecolocked is developing the ...a scalable, value-adding platform to give biocarbon... use in building materials! as ) # &1 | Waste biomass full of is tumed into stable From this carbon-negative reduce emissions from sequestered carbon. biocarbon, preventing the material, we develop concrete and tum it into a release of CO2. recipes that... carbon sink. ecolecked 33

Slide 5

Our solution Our algorithm returns ...based on biocarbon admixes that custom mix designs... get integrated into existing processes | Comet inputs | EN ecolocked Portland ~~ \§ n=, concrete cement I wd optimization [TIL platform NURS Concrete Construction [A — plant project ccolocked Re materials Biocarbon type Additives 83 Aggregates ecolecked Ss

Slide 6

Our solution ...can be customized to the needs of different concrete applications The benefits: & Direct CO, footprint reduction of 30-100% through cement substitution and carbon storage ecolocked enhanced 5 Lifetime CO, and cost savings through improved insulation and enhanced sequestration concrete... JI Enhanced compressive strength and durability - Tr n ic) Weight reduction for lightweight construction 11 | (1 1] a Further benefits: Increased waterproofing & fire oe resistance, absorption of pollutants... ecolacked #

Slide 9

Why ecolocked? Three reasons why we will succeed in Focus on materials R&D first: focus on developing mixes that meet regulatory requirements Dedicated material scientists with long experience in cementitious materials Making use of the functional properties of biocarbon ecolecked building a highly impactful biocarbon model a8 i A scalable model Minimal changes to concrete production process Integration of low-cost waste products Platform model fo leverage insights from each new mix VC support for quick GtM & scale-up & Collaborations Partnering with scientific institutions and construction industry Providing a simple, lowCapex way to tackle embodied emissions Long-term supplier partnership…

Slide 10

Meet the team: diversity of thought coupled with a clear vision and dedication to impact b-tu BOMBARDIER ., Q@ 3 BAM Dr. Mario Schmitt Steff Gerhart Micheil Gordon, CEng Dr.-Ing. Nsesheye Priebe CEO cco CTO Head of R&D strategy finance org GtM partnerships supply chain product tech operations research materials dev 7 Chinmay Save Dr. Gilberto Nery strategy finance org research materials dev ecolecked

Slide text above is read directly from the EcoLocked deck PDF embedded on this page.

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