Global Cooling Startup Stardust Raises $60 Million to Test Sun-Reflecting Technology
In a significant development for climate intervention, Israeli-U.S. startup Stardust Solutions has secured $60 million in funding to advance its innovative solar geoengineering technology aimed at cooling the Earth by reflecting sunlight away from the planet.
A Growing Bet on Geoengineering
Announced on October 24, 2025, this fundraising round marks the largest investment ever raised by a company pursuing atmospheric solar reflection technology to combat global warming. Stardust’s breakthroughs in sun-reflecting particles attracted a broad and influential group of investors, including Silicon Valley figures and the Italian industrial Agnelli family, known for their stakes in major companies like Ferrari and Fiat-Chrysler.
The capital injection quadruples Stardust’s initial funding and brings its total raised to $75 million since the company was founded two years ago. Headquartered near Tel Aviv, but registered in Delaware, Stardust plans to deploy these resources toward pioneering controlled outdoor experiments slated to begin as soon as April 2026. Innovative Testing Approach
Instead of a traditional dispersal approach, Stardust intends to conduct the first test flights using specially modified planes to release their proprietary reflective particles approximately 11 miles (18 kilometers) above the Earth’s surface in the stratosphere. This experimental phase aims to study the particles in a controlled environment by drawing air from the stratosphere into the aircraft for in situ measurements—an approach designed to minimize environmental exposure during initial trials.
Stardust’s particles are engineered to mimic the cooling effect of volcanic ash clouds, which can temporarily reduce global temperatures by reflecting sunlight. Unlike volcanic emissions that contain sulfur and can damage the ozone layer or cause acid rain, Stardust asserts its powder is inert, environmentally safe, and unlikely to accumulate in ecosystems or human bodies.
Leadership and Vision
Co-founded by nuclear physicists Yanai Yedvab and Amyad Spector, both former Israeli government scientists, Stardust envisions scaling its technology globally through government contracts, aiming for responsible and monitored deployment of its solar geoengineering system.
"Investors are putting their trust in the concept of developing a safe, responsible, and controlled option for sunlight reflection," Yedvab said in a POLITICO interview. He noted that the company carefully targeted its fundraising to match the precise financial requirements for their stratospheric testing, avoiding excessive capital accumulation.
Investor and Public Concerns
The fundraising round was led by Lowercarbon Capital, a climate-focused investment firm co-founded by billionaire Chris Sacca, alongside participation from numerous other U.S. and European investors, including Future Ventures, Never Lift Ventures, Attestor, and Earth.now.
Despite the excitement among investors, Stardust’s progress has reignited debate over the governance and risks of solar geoengineering. Critics worry that hastening commercial development of such largely unproven and potentially disruptive technologies could lead to unintended consequences, including harm to global weather systems and geopolitical vulnerabilities.
Climate economist Gernot Wagner expressed caution, stating that expecting large government buyouts of such technology for commercial gain was unrealistic. "I don’t think it is a reasonable path to suggest there’s going to be somebody who buys Stardust and the intellectual property for billions," Wagner said, emphasizing the complex ethical dilemmas surrounding solar geoengineering companies seeking venture capital.
The Context of Climate Inaction
The surge of private funding for Stardust comes amid political deadlock in many countries over curbing fossil fuel use, with global temperatures continuing to rise and natural disasters increasing in severity. This dynamic fuels interest in alternative climate intervention methods like solar geoengineering, despite the ongoing scientific uncertainties and regulatory gaps.
As Stardust prepares for its upcoming stratospheric particle tests, the world watches closely, weighing the promise of cutting-edge climate technology against the profound risks of altering Earth’s atmosphere.
Reported by Corbin Hiar from Washington and Karl Mathiesen from London for POLITICO.
