Materrup and the EIC Accelerator: Clay Cement Waits for Plants

Materrup, founded in 2018 in Saint-Geours-de-Maremne in the Landes, makes cement from raw clay that is ground and chemically activated instead of being fired at about 1,450 °C like conventional cement. It says its MCC1 cement has the same strength and uses as ordinary cement with 50% to 80% lower CO2 emissions, and that it can be made in small, electric plants near clay sources. With EIC money, it planned "the deployment of 10+ SMCPs", small modular cement plants, "in the EU by 2030", according to CORDIS.

The European Innovation Council granted €2,403,093 towards a €3.65 million project from June 2022 to June 2024. The final report says the main goal, demonstrating the cement at scale, "has been fully achieved": more than 100 construction projects, revenue above €1 million during the project, CE marking for hollow blocks and a joint venture with the cement maker Vicat. In June 2024 Materrup raised from Eurazeo, the EIC Fund and existing investors a €26 million round to deploy its next ten plants. Materrup's own plant page still names only its 2022 pilot site as operational.

Where Materrup Stands Now

In July 2023 Vicat and Materrup announced that their joint venture, Borda Occitanie, would build its first plant in Carbonne, near Toulouse, with a capacity of 60,000 tonnes of cement a year on a Vicat quarry, and four more in France, according to Vicat. Materrup's plant page does not list Carbonne as an operational site. Materrup's site now says the company has more than 1,000 construction projects and more than 100 patents, and it offers its technology to other producers under licence.

The Technology: Cement Without a Kiln

The report gives a footprint of 353 kg of CO2 equivalent per tonne of MCC1. The version for the Vicat plant was put at under 330 kg, more than 45% below a standard CEM II/A 42.5 cement, Béton[s] le Magazine reported. The clay is made reactive by grinding it with an organic agent, with no heating step, and each mix is set by an algorithm based on the local clay.

What the EIC Project Promised, and What CORDIS Shows

The two-year project met its stated goal of demonstrating the cement at scale, gaining certifications and building partnerships. The report counts "more than 60 patents granted", though the project summary at the start counted six. The bigger ambition, ten or more plants in the EU by 2030, was framed as what the EIC money would accelerate. CORDIS lists the project as closed.

1. Cement proven at scaleDelivered100+ projects.
2. CertificationsDeliveredCE marking for blocks, FDES.
3. Industrial partnerDeliveredVicat joint venture.
4. 10+ plants by 2030EarlyOne operational site named.

The Money

Materrup files its accounts with a confidentiality declaration, so its revenue is not public. According to Pappers, it lost €538,000 in 2022, €396,000 in 2023, €135,000 in 2024 and €741,000 in 2025. The 2024 round lifted its cash from €1.49 million to €13 million, and it still held €9.45 million at the end of 2025, with equity of €14 million.

What Cannot Be Checked

Why Europe Should Care

The report says cement and concrete account for more than 8% of global CO2 emissions, and EU carbon border rules will weigh on the industry from 2027. Materrup offers a way to cut those emissions with local clay and electricity, and the EIC backed it with a grant and equity. What it has not yet shown is the plant network that would make the savings large.

The Verdict

Materrup and the EIC have not been asked for comment for this article. It is based entirely on public records and published statements, linked throughout.