Approximately 36 million trees fall annually in the U.S. due to decay, disease, or urban development, with most ending up incinerated, landfilled, or shredded into mulch—a process that worsens carbon emissions and squanders energy. Startups like Cambium are now utilising advanced technology to repurpose this waste, creating a sustainable alternative to traditional timber sourcing.
The problem of wood waste is stark: only 5–10% of wood waste is currently reused, with coordination challenges between tree care services, sawmills, and buyers being a primary barrier.
“If you’re a tree care service, you’re only incentivised to get to your next booking. If you drive out of your way to drop off logs somewhere that would reuse them, it won’t work,” said Cambium CEO Ben Christensen.
Cambium’s solution lies in its AI-powered platform, which digitises the wood supply chain by integrating tree care services, trucking companies, and sawmills into a unified network. Through deploying LLMs (Large Language Models) and real-time tracking tools, the Baltimore-based startup streamlines logistics, inventory management, and carbon impact monitoring—modernising a traditionally fragmented, “pen-and-paper” industry.
Key innovations include barcode-tracked “carbon smart” wood, where each piece carries a digital identifier revealing species, milling date, and grade via Cambium’s app. The firm also partners with manufacturers like Mercer Mass Timber and Vaagen Timbers to convert reclaimed wood into cross-laminated timber (CLT)—a low-carbon alternative to steel and concrete. Cambium reduces long-distance shipping to lower emissions and revitalise local economies by connecting regional stakeholders.
Cambium has raised $28.5 million to date, including an $18.5 million Series A led by VoLo Earth Ventures. The startup has already moved 8 million board feet of wood from waste streams, sequestering over 10,000 tonnes of CO₂e and collaborating with brands like Room & Board and Steelcase on sustainable product lines.
Meanwhile, trade policies, such as Trump-era tariffs on Canadian lumber, threaten Cambium’s cross-border operations in the northeastern U.S., where sawmills rely on material transported just miles across the border.
“Trade policies significantly influence how that material is moved,” Christensen added.
While initially focused on North America, Cambium aims to expand internationally, capitalising on rising demand for traceable, low-carbon building materials. With its tech-first approach, the firm aims to redefine the wood industry’s role in combating climate change.