Stardust Solutions

Stardust Solutions is a privately held climate-technology startup focused on solar-radiation modification (SRM), particularly the possibility of reflecting a portion of incoming sunlight by placing engineered particles in the stratosphere. The company presents its work as research and technology development rather than an intention to conduct unilateral climate intervention. Its stated objective is to give governments additional options and potentially more time to address climate change through emissions reduction, adaptation, and other established measures. The company was founded in Israel in 2023 by Yanai Yedvab, Amyad Spector, and Eli Waxman. It is organized as a Delaware company in the United States and operates an Israeli subsidiary, Stardust Labs, whose laboratory is located in Ness Ziona. Its leadership combines experience from Israeli government science and defense-related institutions with academic astrophysics. Chief executive Yanai Yedvab previously served as deputy chief scientist at the Israel Atomic Energy Commission and led the physics division at the Shimon Peres Negev Nuclear Research Center. Chief Product Officer Amyad Spector is a physicist with experience in government research and development projects and prior employment at the same nuclear research center. Lead scientist Eli Waxman is an astrophysicist affiliated with the Weizmann Institute of Science. Stardust says it is developing particles intended to produce sunlight-reflecting effects without the atmospheric damage associated with some sulfuric-acid aerosol concepts. The technologies described publicly include an amorphous-silica particle designed to limit interactions with atmospheric gases and a second particle consisting of an amorphous-silica shell surrounding a calcium-carbonate core. The company has claimed that a program dispersing approximately 10 million tons of particles over several years could lower global temperatures by about 1.5 degrees Celsius, while estimating that initial cooling phases could cost around $10 billion. These figures are company projections rather than established commercial results, and the wider scientific community continues to assess the particles' atmospheric, ecological, health, and governance implications. The company has attracted substantial private financing for a young SRM enterprise. Publicly reported funding totals $75 million across two rounds: a $15 million seed financing involving Awz Ventures and SolarEdge, followed by a $60 million round led by Lowercarbon Capital and joined by Exor, Matt Cohler, Future Ventures, and Lauder Partners. Stardust has also worked with WestExec Advisors and Holland & Knight on governance and regulatory questions. Its reported workforce is approximately 25 people. Stardust operates in a highly contested field. Supporters of SRM research argue that controlled investigation may be necessary because climate risks are severe and because governments need evidence before making policy decisions. Critics question whether a for-profit company should develop technology capable of affecting the global climate, especially when research and deployment could be difficult to separate in practice. Concerns include secrecy, weak public participation, unequal regional effects, geopolitical conflict, uncertain respiratory and ecological consequences, and dependence on continuous particle replacement. A sudden stop after large-scale deployment could produce rapid warming, often called termination shock. Stardust has said that this risk could be reduced through a gradual phase-out as decarbonization advances. The company has publicly emphasized that it will not deploy the particles independently and that any future deployment should depend on international decision-making and an appropriate regulatory framework. In 2026, it released principles and a research framework covering SRM research and testing, stated that it would focus on research rather than deployment, and committed to publishing validated scientific results, including adverse or negative findings. It also reported white papers and preprint articles developed with university researchers in Israel, Europe, and the United States. Because the technology remains experimental and public information about its operations is limited, Stardust's long-term business model, regulatory status, deployment plans, and commercial prospects remain uncertain.

Stardust Solutions emerged in Israel in 2023 as a startup devoted to solar-radiation modification, a controversial class of climate interventions intended to reduce warming by reflecting a fraction of sunlight before it reaches the lower atmosphere. The company was established by Yanai Yedvab, Amyad Spector, and Eli Waxman. Their backgrounds span Israeli government science, nuclear research, product development, and academic astrophysics. Yedvab became the company's chief executive after serving as deputy chief scientist at the Israel Atomic Energy Commission from 2011 to 2015 and heading the physics division at the Shimon Peres Negev Nuclear Research Center. Spector, a physicist and the company's chief product officer, had worked on government research and development projects and previously worked at the same research center. Waxman serves as lead scientist and is an astrophysicist at the Weizmann Institute of Science. The business is incorporated in Delaware and operates through the Israeli subsidiary Stardust Labs. Its laboratory is located in Ness Ziona. Public descriptions identify a workforce of approximately 25 employees. The company raised $15 million in seed financing, reportedly involving Awz Ventures and SolarEdge, and later announced a $60 million round led by Lowercarbon Capital, with participation from Exor, Matt Cohler, Future Ventures, and Lauder Partners. The reported $75 million total made Stardust one of the most heavily financed companies specifically associated with solar-radiation-modification development at the time described by the available sources. Technically, Stardust has focused on particles designed to reflect sunlight in the upper atmosphere. Conventional SRM proposals often examine sulfur compounds that could form sulfuric acid aerosols, raising concerns about ozone depletion, acid deposition, and other atmospheric effects. Stardust has instead described two particle concepts based on amorphous silica. One uses a coating intended to reduce reactions with atmospheric gases; the other uses an amorphous-silica shell around a calcium-carbonate core. The company has stated that approximately 10 million tons of particles released over several years could theoretically reduce global temperatures by about 1.5 degrees Celsius, and that early cooling stages could require roughly $10 billion. These statements are projections from the company and do not establish the feasibility, safety, or economic viability of a global program. Stardust's public communications emphasize that it does not intend to deploy particles independently. It describes its role as developing evidence and technical options that governments could evaluate while the world continues working on emissions reduction and adaptation. The company has engaged WestExec Advisors and Holland & Knight on governance, regulatory, and public-scrutiny issues. It has also faced criticism for limited transparency and for the possibility that a privately financed company could move faster than international institutions. The central controversies concern governance as much as chemistry. Janos Pasztor, a former United Nations climate adviser who was engaged by Stardust on regulatory and scrutiny issues, warned that inadequate rules could permit a wealthy individual or government-linked actor to initiate global cooling without broad international agreement. Rutgers researcher Alan Robock has highlighted the risk of geopolitical conflict if different regions experience or perceive different climate effects. Holly Buck of the University at Buffalo has argued that the company's for-profit structure could worsen distrust and weaken legitimate public research, while Duncan McLaren of American University has characterized the approach as resembling secretive defense procurement rather than an open public technology program. Another concern is termination shock. Large-scale SRM would require continued replenishment of particles; if deployment stopped abruptly after the climate system had adjusted to the cooling effect, temperatures could rise rapidly. Stardust has argued that gradual tapering, alongside continuing decarbonization, could reduce that danger. The company has also submitted a patent application, although the available material does not identify its claims or legal status. In 2026, Stardust released a set of principles and a research framework for SRM investigation and testing. The documents presented research as distinct from deployment, promised environmental safeguards for planned 2026 tests, and committed the company to publishing peer-reviewed findings and validated data, including negative results. They also stated that any future deployment should be governed through international decision-making, potentially under a framework analogous in function to the Montreal Protocol. The company subsequently reported two white papers and six preprint articles prepared with academic collaborators in Israel, Europe, and the United States. Its ultimate status as a research company, technology supplier, or future contractor remains unresolved, and no evidence in the supplied sources establishes commercial deployment.

• 2026

  SRM principles and testing framework released

  [1]Stardust Solutionsen.wikipedia.org

  Stardust published documents outlining its research-first position, proposed safeguards, transparency commitments, and support for international governance of deployment.

• 2026

  White papers and preprints reported

  [1]Stardust Solutionsen.wikipedia.org

  The company reported two white papers and six preprint articles produced with researchers from Israel, Europe, and the United States.

• 2023

  Company founded in Israel

  [1]Stardust Solutionsen.wikipedia.org

  Yanai Yedvab, Amyad Spector, and Eli Waxman founded Stardust Solutions to develop solar-radiation-modification research and technologies.

• Delaware incorporation and Israeli laboratory established

  [1]Stardust Solutionsen.wikipedia.org

  The company became organized as a Delaware entity with an Israeli subsidiary, Stardust Labs, operating a laboratory in Ness Ziona.

• Two rounds raise a reported $75 million

  [1]Stardust Solutionsen.wikipedia.org

  Stardust raised a $15 million seed round and a later $60 million financing round from a group of venture and strategic investors.

A research-led climate-technology company developing potential solar-radiation-modification options while publicly distinguishing research from unilateral deployment.

• Solar-radiation-modification material

  Amorphous-silica reflective particle

  A particle concept based on amorphous silica with a coating intended to limit interaction with atmospheric gases. Stardust presents it as an alternative to sulfuric-acid aerosol approaches, although its performance, atmospheric behavior, environmental effects, and deployment feasibility require further independent research.

• Solar-radiation-modification material

  Silica-shell calcium-carbonate particle

  A second particle concept comprising an amorphous-silica shell around a calcium-carbonate core. The company describes it as an engineered sunlight-reflective material for upper-atmosphere research rather than a commercially deployed product.

• Governance and research program · 2026

  SRM research and testing framework

  A framework released by Stardust describing safeguards, research procedures, environmental-risk controls, publication commitments, and the separation of scientific investigation from any future deployment decision.

• Criticism over secrecy and private control of climate intervention research

  Researchers and governance commentators have criticized Stardust's limited transparency and for-profit structure, arguing that a privately financed company working on globally consequential climate technology could reduce public participation, undermine trust in legitimate research, and create an undemocratic path toward deployment.

  Source

Read more

• 2026

  Publish SRM principles and a safety frameworkStrategy

  Background

  The company faced scrutiny over the safety, transparency, and governance of planned SRM research and testing.

  Action taken

  Stardust released guiding principles and a framework stating that tests would seek to prevent environmental harm, that validated results would be published, and that any deployment should require international decision-making.

  Aftermath

  The documents clarified the company's stated research-first policy, while independent assessment of the technology and the proposed governance approach remains necessary.

  Source

• 2026

  Report academic publication programOther

  Background

  Stardust sought to demonstrate scientific engagement and respond to concerns about opacity.

  Action taken

  The company reported two white papers and six preprint articles prepared with university researchers in Israel, Europe, and the United States.

  Aftermath

  The publications increased the amount of publicly described research, but preprints and company-sponsored work do not by themselves resolve questions about safety or governance.

  Source

• Position research as distinct from unilateral deploymentStrategy

  Background

  Solar-radiation modification could affect countries and regions differently and carries unresolved atmospheric, ecological, health, and geopolitical risks.

  Action taken

  Stardust publicly stated that it would focus on research and technology options and would not deploy particles independently.

  Aftermath

  The position addresses some governance concerns but has not eliminated criticism regarding secrecy, private financing, and the possibility that research could facilitate later deployment.

  Source

• 2026

  Stardust publishes solar-radiation-modification research principles and safety framework[1]Stardust Solutionsen.wikipedia.org

  Other · Regulation

  The company released documents describing the rationale for SRM research, proposed safety practices, a research-first posture, and the need for international governance before any deployment.

• 2026

  Stardust reports white papers and preprint articles with university researchers[1]Stardust Solutionsen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  The company reported publishing two white papers and six preprints in collaboration with researchers from Israel, Europe, and the United States.

• Stardust Solutions raises $15 million seed financing[1]Stardust Solutionsen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  The company reportedly secured a seed round backed primarily by Awz Ventures and SolarEdge.

• Stardust Solutions raises $60 million second round[1]Stardust Solutionsen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  A second financing round led by Lowercarbon Capital included participation from Exor, Matt Cohler, Future Ventures, and Lauder Partners.

1. 1Stardust Solutionsen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Perspective: Governance Recommendations for the For-Profit SAI Startup “Stardust”srm360.org