From Environmental Regulation to Market Creation: How This Founder is Building the "Net" in Net Zero

Few cleantech founders can say their journey began with a binder full of emission technologies handed to them in their first week on the job. But for Omar Abou-Sayed, Co-Founder & Executive Chairman of Vaulted Deep, that early exposure to environmental challenges would later shape his approach to building a carbon removal company.

In a recent episode of Category Visionaries, Omar shared how his company is tackling the urgent challenge of carbon removal by leveraging proven technology in unconventional ways. But what makes his story particularly interesting isn't just the technology—it's how he's creating and capturing value in a market that barely existed a decade ago.

The Art of Timing a Market

When Omar first conceived the idea for Vaulted Deep twelve years ago, the market wasn't ready. "Unfortunately, when I had the idea originally there was no market for those carbon credits, and it took about a decade for that market to be able to emerge, for us to really pursue that business model in earnest," he explains.

What changed? According to Omar, it wasn't just market dynamics—it was a generational shift in leadership. "It took the baby boomers relinquishing the reins of power to generation X and to millennials, who in general grew up where climate change was not controversial," he notes. This shift, combined with increasingly visible climate impacts, created the conditions for companies like Vaulted Deep to scale.

Building in an Emerging Market

Omar describes today's carbon removal market as "a club" where "all the companies know each other, the carbon credit buyers all know each other." But this nascent market is projected to grow exponentially—"10,000 fold or something like that," as Omar puts it.

His go-to-market strategy focuses on companies that have made explicit net zero commitments and identified carbon removal as part of their strategy. These early adopters are "four thinking companies that are trying to catalyze and establish this necessary market and create a space for these companies to thrive early on," he explains.

The Science-First Approach to Growth

Instead of downplaying the technical complexities of carbon removal, Omar has made scientific credibility central to his go-to-market strategy. "I really take a science first approach," he explains. "One of my core held values is that knowledge and science, that's a core part of our messaging."

This approach extends to how he handles potential concerns about his technology. Rather than avoiding difficult conversations, Omar addresses them head-on: "Being honest about the risks and what you're doing to mitigate it gives you a lot of credibility. It's a lot better than trying to arm wave or ignore it."

Community Engagement as Growth Strategy

Perhaps most notably, Omar made regulatory affairs one of his first key hires after spinning out the company. This early investment in community engagement has paid dividends, particularly in new markets like Kansas where the company recently expanded operations.

The results speak for themselves. At a recent town hall meeting, instead of facing resistance, the first question was about job opportunities. As Omar recalls, "The first question was, when do you all think you're going to be open, and when will you start accepting applications for jobs?"

The Path to Scale

Looking ahead, Omar's vision extends beyond just building a successful company. "We will be the largest carbon removal company," he predicts, qualifying this with "durable, permanent, high quality carbon removal company." But his ambitions don't stop there—he aims to inspire "lookalikes" who will help scale the impact of this technology.

For founders building in emerging markets, Omar's journey offers valuable lessons about timing, market creation, and the importance of building trust through transparency. As he puts it, "You only want money from smart investors, they're going to do their homework." The same could be said for customers, regulators, and community stakeholders—in an emerging market, trust and credibility are everything.

In the end, Omar's approach shows that sometimes the best go-to-market strategy isn't about moving fast and breaking things—it's about moving deliberately and building trust. For a company literally putting carbon underground, that's probably not a bad approach.