Science
Experimental results and scientific context.
Read the Science reportCarry the Work Forward
$50,000 for six months of living research, new biological work, and institutional continuity.
The work, greenhouse, living material, knowledge, and new designs already exist. Six months of support will maintain continuity and advance ePRB, bamboo, durable-material, biochar, and related scientific work where current resources permit.
The bridge moves living research, practical knowledge, and experimental capacity into a durable nonprofit operating base designed to support collaborators and outlast any one person.
This campaign is not the complete cost of a plant-transformation program, major field work, biological mineralization research, or the full bamboo initiative. Those require separate dedicated funding and appropriate scientific agreements.
Read the Six-Month Funding Brief (PDF)
A concise overview of Carbocene’s scientific purpose, connected research directions, six-month funding need, and proposed use of funds.
Other ways to give: Donor-advised fund Check Larger gift
Carbocene Industries is an independent 501(c)(3) public charity. Contributions are tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law. EIN 33-1631522.
Not included: repayment of founder loans, a full transformation program, major field deployment, or the full cost of the proposed bamboo research program.
Established work. A new institution.
The work is established. The institution is new.
Carbocene is a young nonprofit, but the research history it carries forward is not new. Before founding Carbocene, Patrick Mellor co-founded Living Carbon and served as its chief technology officer, helping conceptualize and develop work across photosynthesis enhancement, biological durability, propagation, greenhouse systems, and field preparation.
That earlier program produced living trees, a peer-reviewed photosynthesis-enhanced poplar study, and independent reporting from major scientific and general-interest publications. The present bridge is not an attempt to invent a scientific history from nothing. It supports living material, practical knowledge, experimental capacity, and new biological work that already require continuous care.
MIT Technology Review
Long-form research history.
Read the MIT Technology Review accountThe New York Times
Field milestone.
Read The New York Times reportContinuity
A note from Patrick
I have worked directly with these plants and the research systems around them for years. When the original commercial program changed direction, the scientific value of the material did not disappear. Neither did the plants.
I established Carbocene because living research cannot simply be paused and expected to reappear later. The founding bridge helps move that continuity from personal maintenance into a durable nonprofit institution.
Read Patrick’s background and selected workProposed use of funds
The shared conditions that living research requires.
Greenhouse operation, scientific labor, plant care, administration, and relationship development are interdependent.
Greenhouse and facility continuity
$12,000Lease, utilities, lighting, water, maintenance, and basic operating costs.
Scientific work and day-to-day operation
$18,750Partial six-month compensation for scientific, organizational, fundraising, and relationship-building work—not full compensation for the labor required.
Research materials and propagation
$7,500Pots, media, fertilizer, plant-care and propagation materials, greenhouse consumables, and basic construct-development expenses.
Scientific and technical support
$3,000Specialized assistance, short-term technical work, consultation, and limited laboratory or analytical services.
IP, administration, insurance, and governance
$4,500Intellectual-property preparation, nonprofit administration, insurance, accounting, compliance, and stronger organizational systems.
Scientific relationships and proposal development
$2,500Travel, proposal preparation, scientific coordination, meetings, and development of larger research awards.
Operating contingency
$1,750Unexpected plant-care, facility, administrative, or equipment needs.
What the next six months can advance
Continuity and creation belong together.
Without stable support, living material becomes harder to maintain, records and practical knowledge can disperse, scientific time is consumed by basic survival, seasonal work is missed, and new projects remain in preparation rather than moving into experiment.
- Maintain and propagate the licensed photosynthesis-enhanced poplar bypass research platform
- Reduce dependence on personally carried greenhouse expenses and unpaid labor
- Advance ePRB design, documentation, and intellectual-property preparation
- Define and begin tractable bamboo and durable-material work where resources permit
- Improve plant, construct, experimental, and operational records
- Strengthen governance, accounting, insurance, and donor reporting
- Build scientific relationships and proposals for larger dedicated research awards
- Expand the base of people able to support and participate in future work
Ways to support
Three practical ways to help.
Make a direct contribution
Unrestricted early support is most useful because greenhouse operations, plant care, scientific labor, administration, and partnership work depend on one another.
Provide one serious introduction
Introduce Carbocene to a philanthropist, family foundation, donor-advised fund, grant program, laboratory, researcher, or mission-aligned institutional partner.
Sponsor a defined research, field, or materials component
Contact Carbocene to discuss separately scoped work with appropriate scientific, legal, funding, and reporting terms. Sponsorship does not confer ownership, exclusivity, commercial rights, governance authority, or control over research.
Donor-advised funds and checks
Give through a donor-advised fund or by check.
Recommend a grant to Carbocene Industries through your donor-advised fund using EIN 33-1631522. For the current campaign, the suggested grant purpose is “Carry the Work Forward — general operating support.” Checks may also be mailed directly to the organization.
Donor-advised fund
Legal name: Carbocene Industries
EIN: 33-1631522
Federal tax status: Tax-exempt under IRC Section 501(c)(3)
Public charity classification: IRC Section 509(a)(2)
Suggested grant purpose: “Carry the Work Forward — general operating support.”
After recommending a grant, please email [email protected] with the sponsoring organization, grant amount, and expected timing so Carbocene can identify and acknowledge it.
Check
Make checks payable to Carbocene Industries and mail them to:
Carbocene Industries
7046 Outlook Avenue
Oakland, CA 94605
Please include an email or mailing address if you would like a written acknowledgment.
Please email [email protected] when a donor-advised-fund grant or check has been initiated so Carbocene can identify and acknowledge it.
Gift terms: No goods or services are provided in exchange for a donor-advised-fund grant or charitable check contribution. A contribution does not provide equity, governance authority, intellectual-property ownership, research control, exclusivity, commercial rights, access to biological material, a plant, or another substantial benefit.
Nonprofit verification: Carbocene Industries is recognized by the Internal Revenue Service as tax-exempt under Section 501(c)(3) and is classified as a public charity under Section 509(a)(2). Its IRS determination letter is dated April 29, 2026, with exemption effective October 20, 2025. EIN: 33-1631522.
Contributions are tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law.
Verify Carbocene through the official IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search using EIN 33-1631522.
For a W-9, a copy of the IRS determination letter, documents required by a donor-advised-fund sponsoring organization, or a discussion of an appropriate gift restriction, contact Carbocene. Any restriction must be agreed before the gift is accepted.
$50,000 / six months
Carry living research and new biological work forward.
Contributions support Carbocene’s charitable work and do not confer ownership, research control, exclusivity, or commercial rights.
Charitable status: Carbocene Industries is an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and a public charity under Section 509(a)(2). Donations are tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law. Plant stewardship placements are separately arranged and are not conditioned on making a donation.