C STAR, a spin out company out of the Catalysis Institute with a mission to produce sustainable hydrocarbon fuels from carbon dioxide, announced that it has been chosen to participate in Breakthrough Energy’s prestigious Fellows Program to advance the production of synthetic fuels from carbon dioxide to solve the global need for sustainable transportation fuels. BE Fellows supports early-stage innovators who are developing technologies with the potential to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions at scale.

“We’re honored to have the opportunity to work with talented founders who are tackling the most difficult climate and energy challenges around the world,” said Ashley Gross, vice president of Breakthrough Energy. “We share their long-term vision and early-stage commitment, and our mission is to help these innovators build strong business and technical foundations for the best opportunity for success.”

BE Fellows receive funding, tailored technical guidance, and access to Breakthrough Energy’s global network of mentors, experts, and partners. The program helps founders bridge the gap from lab to market and advance their solutions toward commercial readiness.

C STAR was chosen as part of the 2025 class of Fellows, which includes 45 Fellows from 20 pioneering companies. This group includes innovators working across electricity, transportation, buildings, manufacturing, and agriculture. Half of the teams selected are based outside the United States, reflecting the program’s global reach and commitment to building an international community of climate entrepreneurs.  C STAR is the first Fellows team based in Africa. “The opportunity to join the 2025 class of Breakthrough Energy Fellows is invaluable in our quest to commercialize our technology for decentralized production of sustainable liquid fuels from carbon dioxide,” said Wijnand Marquart, Chief Operating Officer of C STAR. “With this support and associated global network, we can focus on de-risking our technology and preparing it for real-world deployment.”

“Supported by BE Discovery, C STAR’s vision of transforming CO₂ into a valuable resource is closer than ever”, said Nico Fischer, co-founder and director of C STAR.

Co-founder and director Michael Claeys added: “C STAR was founded in 2022 to bring three decades of university research to market. Being part of The Breakthrough Energy Fellows program will be the catalyst that helps us turn this science into real-world impact.”

Since its launch in 2020, BE Fellows has supported more than 160 innovators across nearly 20 countries. Alumni have secured over $475 million in follow-on funding, filed 175 patents, and completed more than 80 pilots and demonstrations.

Learn more about BE Fellows and the 2025 class here: www.breakthroughenergy.org/fellows-2025-cohort.

About C STAR
C STAR, a University of Cape Town spin off company out of the Catalysis Institute at the Department of Chemical Engineering, enables the decentralized production process of sustainable hydrocarbon fuels. Through an innovative process-catalyst system, the conversion of CO₂-to-Fuels is simplified, facilitating a highly efficient single-pass process.