Stardust Solutions, a geoengineering startup based in Israel, aims to address climate change through proposed solar geoengineering techniques, contingent upon sufficient funding from nations. The company anticipates governments might invest over a billion dollars annually to operate aircraft that would disperse specific particles designed to reflect sunlight and cool the Earth, with claims that these substances could mitigate longstanding greenhouse gas emissions.
In a recent pitch to investors, Stardust asserted that its proprietary particles could offset emissions from the past century and a half. The startup, founded in 2023 by a team of notable researchers, recently secured $60 million in investment—the most significant funding round in solar geoengineering to date. The company plans to advance research and development of its proposed particle dispersion systems, monitoring technologies, and safety protocols.
Despite these ambitious plans, skepticism exists among scientists regarding the feasibility of government collaboration by 2035, as projected in Stardust’s materials. Critics express concerns about the ethical implications of allowing a profit-driven entity to influence global temperature regulation, advocating instead for university-led, publicly funded research.
Stardust’s CEO, Yanai Yedvab, clarified that deployment will depend on governmental approval and that the urgency of climate change will guide decision-making. The company intends to ensure transparency to build public trust, publicly sharing research results and operational findings.
Stardust’s approach contrasts with other, less-accessible geoengineering efforts, asserting the need for robust regulatory frameworks. However, concerns persist regarding potential social and political ramifications, particularly the fear that private interests could dominate decision-making in a field fraught with public apprehension.
The company’s future remains uncertain, hinging not only on governmental policies but also on societal acceptance of solar geoengineering as a viable mechanism for climate intervention.
Source: https://www.technologyreview.com/2025/12/10/1129079/how-one-controversial-startup-hopes-to-cool-the-planet/