NEG8 Carbon’s Ray Naughton on Carbon Capture and Building for the Next Generation
Ray Naughton, Founder and Managing Director of NEG8 Carbon, spoke with John Kennedy of ThinkBusiness about his life, climate change and investing in something beyond your self and lifetime.
For the full article, see My Business Life: Ray Naughton, NEG8 Carbon
Ray has spent his career bridging technology and purpose. With a background in international business and years leading Siemens Nixdorf in Ireland, Ray shifted focus to venture capital and co-founded a university seed fund. That work eventually led him to breakthrough research being conducted at Trinity College Dublin and later University College Dublin, and so NEG8 Carbon was born.
NEG8 Carbon’s aim is straightforward: to remove carbon dioxide directly from the air, using a highly efficient Direct Air Capture process, and do so at a cost that allows it to scale. (NEG8 Carbon’s Direct Air Capture Technology)
“Our unique strength at NEG8 Carbon lies in our efficient method of capturing CO₂ directly from the atmosphere.”
The long-term goal? To remove 100 million tonnes of CO₂ annually by 2050, and the company believes that Direct Air Capture can also play a role in helping Ireland meet its CO₂ emissions reduction targets.
Ray is clear about what drives him, which is the growing urgency of climate change and the opportunity to do something meaningful (Why Direct Air Capture?). His inspiration came not from a textbook, but a conversation with German entrepreneur Heinz Nixdorf, who challenged him to think about what he was doing “for the kinder”, a moment that shifted Ray’s outlook.
As far as business lessons go, Ray has learnt the important difference between leadership and management.
“Your role as a leader is to create an environment where people can get involved, feel valued, respect each other and contribute. When you do that well, you don’t just build a strong business, you build a place where people enjoy themselves and make money. And that’s a good outcome for everyone.”
Ray views life and business as iterative. It is an ongoing loop of learning, applying, and adjusting. To lead a business well, you need to champion respect, consistency, and clarity in everything from daily operations to long-term strategy.
“Before I hire anyone, I always say the same thing: don’t join us unless you’re ready to learn every day, be challenged in your work, and take the lead in what you do.”
And when asked what advice he’d give his younger self, Ray keeps it simple: “Study more.” In his view, no learning ever goes to waste.
For more:
- Advantages of Direct Air Capture
- DAC Technologies
- Direct Air Capture vs Point Source
- An Open Letter in Support of Direct Air Capture