Aurora Hydrogen, a clean hydrogen technology company developing a modular and scalable microwave-driven methane pyrolysis process, has announced the closing of a $3 million investment from Oldendorff Overseas Investments (OOI), the investment platform of Hamburg-based Reederei NORD Group and co-owned by Nikolaus Oldendorff. The funds will advance the use of Aurora’s technology for marine vessels, further supporting the company’s commercialization. Aurora Hydrogen is an EIC Rose Rock portfolio company.

The deal includes OOI’s long-term commitment to purchase Aurora units to support the decarbonization of Reederei NORD’s maritime shipping and associated logistics operations. This investment and strategic alliance establishes a clear commercial pathway for deploying Aurora’s zero-emission hydrogen technology across global ports and maritime markets, particularly within Europe where alternative fuel adoption is rapidly accelerating.

Aurora’s patented technology produces low-cost hydrogen from natural gas while generating a valuable solid carbon co-product, eliminating the need for CO₂ capture or storage and significantly reducing carbon intensity compared to conventional hydrogen production methods. Its modular and scalable systems are designed to be deployed directly within ports, vessels, industrial hubs and logistics centers – enabling distributed, low-carbon hydrogen fuel supplies precisely where the resource is needed to support increased use.

“This strategic investment reflects strong commercial interest from customers that are actively working to decarbonize some of the world’s most challenging transportation sectors,” said Bryce Campbell, President of Aurora Hydrogen. “The combination of growth capital and a long-term unit purchase commitment reinforces the real-world applicability of our technology.”

“Decarbonization of maritime shipping requires solutions that are scalable, efficient, and easily integrated into existing infrastructure,” said Nikolaus Oldendorff of Oldendorff Overseas Investments. “Aurora’s microwave methane pyrolysis offers one of the cheapest paths to cleaner and affordable hydrogen – an important step toward achieving the maritime industry’s climate objectives.”

Aurora has achieved 99% microwave absorption within the reactor and over 85% natural gas-to-hydrogen conversion in numerous operating campaigns while sequentially increasing operating run-time. The company is currently optimizing its demonstration plant for continuous hydrogen production as it advances toward its 2027 commercial operations target.

Aurora has raised $14 million to date from investors including OOI, EIC Rose Rock, Energy Innovation Capital (EIC), Williams, Chevron Technology Ventures and Shell Ventures as well as approximately $10 million from the Canadian government and grant programs such as Natural Resources Canada, NGIF Accelerator, Alberta Innovates and Sustainable Development Technology Canada.