Proof of Usefulness Report

Direct Carbon

Analysis completed on 2/6/2026

+78
Proof of Usefulness Score
You're In Business

Direct Carbon is a verified Swedish spin-off from Sally R, offering 'Wunderpumpe' Direct Air Capture (DAC) units for greenhouses. They successfully won the AVF Start-Up Challenge 2025 and have pilot products in the market. However, the project submission itself was of extremely low quality, containing false claims (e.g., 'most people have used my product', name 'ShadowHeart') and lacking serious detail. The score reflects the high potential and verified reality of the technology, heavily penalized by the poor submission quality and early-stage commercial traction (B2B pilots vs. mass adoption).

Ready to Compete for $150k+ in Prizes?

Move this data into a HackerNoon blog draft to become eligible for your share of $150k+ in cash and software prizes

View All Reports

Score Breakdown

Real World Utility+33.75
Audience Reach Impact+6.0
Technical Innovation+16.88
Evidence Of Traction+11.25
Market Timing Relevance+9.0
Functional Completeness+0.25
Subtotal+77.13
Usefulness Multiplierx1.01
Final Score+78

Project Details

Description
At Direct Carbon, we aim to improve indoor climates while using minimal energy. With a team of experienced professionals who are passionate about the environment and sustainability, we are committed to developing innovative solutions that can help address the challenges of indoor air quality and carbon capture. By leveraging cutting-edge technology and expertise, we are well-positioned to make a significant contribution to the fight against climate change. Founded in 2021, Direct Carbon is a spin-off of Sally-R created to achieve a net zero planet, using carbon capture technology. Our compact, modular, and cost-efficient direct air capture technology (DAC) captures CO2 from the air using our efficient adsorbent while taking in air from the greenhouse, enriched with CO2, and pumping it back to the greenhouse for plant fertilization.

Algorithm Insights

Market Position
Growing utility with room for optimization
User Engagement
Documented reach suggests active user community
Technical Stack
Modern tech stack aligned with sponsor technologies

Recommendations to Increase Usefulness Score

Document User Growth

Provide specific metrics on user acquisition and retention rates

Showcase Revenue Model

Detail sustainable monetization strategy and current revenue streams

Expand Evidence Base

Include testimonials, case studies, and third-party validation

Technical Roadmap

Share development milestones and feature completion timeline