Hertha Metals has developed a single-step, tunable pyrometallurgical process that converts low-grade iron ore, fines, and millscale directly into molten steel or 99.97%+ high-purity iron. The company has operated a continuous 1 tonne-per-day pilot plant since late 2024 and says the process is about 30% more energy efficient than conventional coal-based methods. Hertha’s furnace can run on natural gas or hydrogen (without hardware changes), cutting emissions by at least 50% on natural gas and enabling up to 98% reductions on hydrogen. The system is modular and designed to integrate into existing steel mills, allowing profitable operation at scales as small as 500,000 tonnes per year. Hertha says the technology unlocks low-purity domestic ore reserves and waste streams, reducing input costs and improving onshoring of steel and high-purity iron supply. The company has announced plans to break ground on a production facility in January 2026 to reach more than 9,000 tonnes per year initially and ultimately scale toward 500,000 tonnes per year of steel capacity. Hertha Metals develops a steelmaking process that the company says reduces emissions by 95% while remaining financially accessible. The company focuses on producing lower‑emission steel for the market. Hertha was founded in 2022 by Laureen Meroueh, a mechanical engineer and materials scientist. It is based in Conroe and is a member of Greentown Houston. Hertha was nominated by Greentown Labs and is participating in the inaugural cohort of the Breakthrough Energy Innovator Fellows. Recently the company received recognition and direct funding through Department of Energy programs.

Total raised

$17M

Funding rounds

2

Latest round

Equity

Latest activity

Jul 2025