Turning CO₂ into valuable material

Turning a complex decarbonisation technology into a clear, confidence-building story that helps MCI attract partners, build credibility and accelerate investment.

Client & Context

Mineral Carbonation International (MCI) is an Australian climate-technology company developing a world-first, patented process that converts CO₂ emissions into solid, valuable materials. Backed by early government and industry funding, MCI spent several years proving and refining its technology at a pilot plant in Newcastle, and was now preparing to scale, attract new investors and form industrial partnerships. Operating in a high-stakes environment where industry and government are urgently seeking credible, scalable decarbonisation solutions, MCI needed a clear, compelling way to explain how its approach differs from traditional carbon sequestration, transforming CO₂ into commercially useful products that support circular-economy manufacturing and low-carbon infrastructure.

Challenge

MCI’s technology is complex, and for audiences without a background in carbon chemistry or industrial processing, its value can be difficult to grasp quickly. At the same time, the organisation needed to communicate with a wide range of stakeholders – investors evaluating commercial potential, industry partners looking for practical decarbonisation pathways, government ministers and policy makers assessing strategic relevance, and sustainability groups examining environmental legitimacy. If their story was too technical or abstract, MCI risked missing critical opportunities for funding, partnerships and policy alignment. They needed a communication tool that simplified the science without compromising accuracy, and positioned the technology as both credible and commercially compelling.

Redboat’s Approach

Redboat’s partnership with MCI began through the Canberra Innovation Network, where early conversations revealed the need for clearer, more strategic communication of MCI’s breakthrough technology. We stepped in to shape the message, guiding the process from discovery workshops and message architecture through script development, design, storyboarding and final animation, translating complex science into a clear and compelling narrative. Throughout the engagement, we also acted as a strategic advisor, helping MCI refine its value proposition, distinguish itself from carbon sequestration and align its story with investor and government priorities.

The solution

The final output was a short, high-impact animated explainer designed for investment pitches, ministerial briefings, industry presentations and public engagement. We created a distinctive sketch-based aesthetic using a white, scribbled CO₂ motif with MCI’s brand colours, and built the animation as a smooth, continuous visual journey to make the technology easy to understand. The film simplifies the science by illustrating how mineral carbonation naturally occurs over millions of years and how MCI accelerates it through engineered systems, clearly distinguishing this from underground carbon sequestration. It also highlights the value of the process by showcasing the commercial by-products it creates, including cement alternatives, plasterboard materials, 3D-printing compounds, fire-retardant products and speciality chemicals. The result is a clear, compelling narrative that makes a complex climate technology both accessible and commercially relevant.

Results & Impact

The animation delivered strong qualitative results. It helped MCI communicate their value proposition clearly, supported investor and policy discussions, attracted interest from industry partners and became a reusable asset across events and presentations. Importantly, it was delivered at a pivotal time as MCI completed its pilot plant and prepared to scale.

Strategic Value

This project reflects Redboat’s role as a lifecycle consultancy rather than a content supplier. We helped MCI clarify its communication strategy, translate a complex technology into a clear, investable narrative and ensure consistent, accurate messaging across stakeholders. The animation continues to support MCI’s goals around investment, partnerships and national visibility. At a time when industries urgently need credible decarbonisation solutions, our work helped MCI communicate not just what they do, but why it matters.

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