Zevero is Demystifying Carbon Accounting to Accelerate Climate Action

George Wade

In a world increasingly concerned with the tangible impacts of climate change, one startup has carved out a distinct and essential niche, transforming how companies understand, manage, and act on their carbon emissions. Zevero is a carbon accounting platform on a mission to empower businesses with the tools needed to reduce their environmental impact in a data-driven and actionable way.

“Everyone needs to understand what their data is from a carbon and greenhouse gas emission perspective. We try to make that faster, easier, cheaper so that people can actually have actionable sustainability plans” George Wade

I met George  Wade, CCO and co-founder of Zevero, at a sustainability event earlier this year. While the event itself followed the usual format, George and his team stood out as a refreshingly young, energetic presence. Their booth was constantly busy, with a steady queue of curious attendees eager to learn more about what they were building. 

I later sat down with George to record a podcast episode to understand how a geography degree and a job in waste management had him founding a company before 25. 

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From Waste to Carbon

George co-founded Zevero after a pivotal 'ah'a moment during his former employment in the waste management sector. He noticed that companies were unclear on where their real carbon impact was being generated.

He told me of a company who was well intentioned, though obsessed, with removing their visible waste for example pallet wrap, when the real environmental damage was hidden deeper in their supply chains. This realisation prompted George to focus on how carbon impact was being understood by companies.

At the time, businesses were faced with two choices in the carbon accounting space. Either they could engage with affordable but highly inaccurate online carbon calculators, or hire prohibitively expensive consultancy services, neither of which offered a viable solution for the majority of organisations.

Alongside his co-founder Ben, a former carbon consultant, George embarked on the ambitious task of building a scalable, tech-first carbon measurement solution.

I was intrigued to know what gave him the confidence to go from noticing a supposedly obvious problem to starting a company. 

He explained that, 

“Naivety is the secret ingredient, that's number one.”

George had always know that traditional job pathways were not for him and he felt inspired to do something a little different.

“I don't care about the conventional path”

From a young age, he was privy to entrepreneurship, and capitalised on the opportunities that presented themselves.

"I suppose I’ve been doing entrepreneurial things from a young age. My granddad used to own an antiques warehouse, and I’d work there, sifting through vinyl records to find ones he’d underpriced so I could resell them on eBay."

A few years later and the success of Zevero so far suggests that he was right to have trusted himself.

What Does Zevero Do?

At its core, Zevero is a carbon management platform designed for corporations to measure, reduce, and report their greenhouse gas emissions. Importantly, it does not offer carbon offsetting. Zevero's platform is accessible, largely self-serve, although backed by expert support when needed. This hybrid of robust technology and strategic advisory makes the company uniquely positioned to help clients navigate the complex landscape of emissions data without the cost of consultancy fees but with the same accuracy. A Monzo, of the carbon accounting world if you will.

The platform facilitates emissions measurement across all scopes, particularly the elusive Scope 3, which covers supply chain emissions. As George puts it, the aim is not just data collection but enabling the invisible to become visible and in the process educating people. 

"For me, one of the most rewarding parts is seeing our customers go from saying, ‘I’ve got no idea what Scope 1, 2, or 3 emissions are,’ to speaking at events like the Sustainability Expo as leading panellists all within just a few years. That’s incredible. If we can educate and empower those people, just imagine the ripple effect they can have on their own teams and customers. It’s definitely challenging at first, but for me, that’s what makes it so exciting."

George emphasises that part of Zevero’s role is helping people understand why they should engage with carbon accounting in the first place. For many, the journey begins with uncertainty, and Zevero positions itself as a trusted guide to demystify the process.

“I think part of it is helping people understand that they don’t need to fix everything all at once,” he explains.

Why Carbon Accounting Matters

Understanding carbon emissions is foundational to sustainability. Without an accurate picture of where emissions are coming from, businesses risk misallocating resources to initiatives with minimal impact. George likens this to trying to save for a house by cutting out one coffee a week, if you're spending thousands elsewhere, the small changes won't add up.

This visibility is vital for companies aiming to meet net-zero targets by 2030 or 2050. Regulations like the EU's Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) are pushing businesses to publicly disclose emissions data, raising the stakes for accurate, auditable carbon accounting. Zevero’s platform helps businesses not only comply with such frameworks but use them as a catalyst for genuine transformation.

Scaling Impact Through Acquisition and Global Reach

Since its inception in 2020, Zevero has seen impressive growth. After an angel round and subsequent seed investment, the company was acquired by a larger Singapore-based startup in 2024. The acquisition has enabled Zevero to scale rapidly, expanding operations in Japan and across Asia, where sustainability practices are emerging and demand for carbon tools is growing.

With a team now spread globally, Zevero is poised to bring UK and European climate leadership to international markets, offering a valuable bridge between cutting-edge tech and local regulatory needs.

Balancing Profit and Purpose

Unlike some startups, Zevero doesn’t see profit and purpose as opposing forces. Their business model is intrinsically linked to impact, the more companies they work with, the more emissions they help reduce. George and Ben’s goal has always been to dedicate their careers to solving climate change. The recent acquisition was not a shortcut to a quick exit, but a calculated move to maximise their long-term impact on the planet.

The Bigger Picture

The sustainability space is evolving rapidly, especially around data formalisation and collaborative climate action. New legislation is creating pressure but also opportunity, for companies to invest in sustainability infrastructure. George notes a shift from competition to collaboration, with communities of sustainability professionals sharing best practices to drive collective progress.

At the same time, sustainability teams are burning out, buried under compliance paperwork rather than action. Zevero’s mission is to alleviate that burden through automation and clarity making it easier for companies to do sustainability, not just talk about it.

With just a few short years until 2030 climate goals hit their first big deadline, platforms like Zevero will be indispensable in the global push toward a low-carbon future.

George also contributes to the climate conversation with his blog ‘The Grumpy Optimist’ which can be found at https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-grumpy-optimist/.