This startup is turning discarded trees into a billion-dollar wood recycling industry

America discards more trees than most realize. Every year, about 36 million trees fall—whether from storms, disease, or urban development. The U.S. also churns out roughly 18.1 million tons of wood waste annually, most of which ends up burned or dumped in landfills. Instead of repurposing this valuable resource, we’re creating unnecessary emissions and waste.

While many startups are racing to build the next AI-powered tool or robotics breakthrough, Cambium is tackling a problem grounded in the physical world—the millions of trees that fall every year and the environmental damage caused by wasted wood. Instead of chasing virtual solutions, Cambium’s founders are focused on something tangible: turning discarded trees into usable resources.

The Baltimore-based startup is using technology to track, recycle, and reintroduce salvaged wood into the supply chain. Cambium calls itself the platform “where timber meets tech.”

Cambium CEO Ben Christensen shared that the company’s origins are deeply personal, tracing back to his upbringing in rural New Mexico. He explained that growing up surrounded by woodworking and science gave him a strong foundation in sustainable wood use and climate action. Over time, he dedicated himself to understanding the significant challenges caused by wood waste mismanagement.

“Cambium’s story began where my life did, in rural New Mexico. A childhood immersed in woodworking and science instilled in me a deep understanding of sustainable wood use and climate action. I spent considerable time learning the extent of the challenges posed by wood waste mismanagement,” CEO Ben Christensen said on the company website. 

Cambium Founders

Christensen also told CNBC in an interview,  “We make it really easy to source wood that would have otherwise been wasted, and we build technology for the wood industry so that we can save material, create new local jobs, and address climate change at scale.”

Every piece of Cambium’s “carbon smart” wood comes with a barcode. A quick scan through the company’s app reveals the wood’s species when it was milled, and its grade. That transparency makes it easier for businesses to source sustainable materials without guesswork.

Cambium’s system isn’t just about tracking—it’s about moving that material efficiently across the U.S. and parts of Canada. The company coordinates with tree care services, trucking companies, sawmills, and major brands like Amazon, CBRE, Gensler, and Room & Board.

“We help truckers coordinate loads so they can actually move this material, and then we help sawmills source that material, track that material when they’re actually using it within their sawmill, and then ultimately sell that material as well,” Christensen said.

While local wood recyclers exist, no one has tackled the supply chain issue at a national scale. Christensen believes Cambium is positioned to do just that, with ambitions to expand globally. Investors are paying attention.

“For us, as a venture capitalist who is looking to invest in businesses that can go to the moon and become billion-dollar businesses, this meets all the criteria,” said Adrian Fenty, founding managing partner at MaC Venture Capital.

Cambium Secures $28.5M to Scale Tech-Driven Wood Recycling

Cambium has pulled in $28.5 million in funding from backers including Volo Earth Ventures, NEA, and Revolution’s Rise of the Rest Seed Fund. The demand for reclaimed wood is substantial—if all discarded wood in the U.S. were salvaged, it could meet nearly half of the country’s total wood demand, according to Christensen.

The company’s revenue is growing, with sales doubling last year. The biggest boost came from its software business, which helps manage the process of moving, tracking, and selling recycled wood. Christensen points out that Cambium’s appeal to Silicon Valley investors isn’t just about lumber—it’s about software.

“It’s critical for Silicon Valley investors because we don’t want to invest in a wood company,” Fenty said. “We don’t want to invest in a construction company. We want to invest in a software company.”

Cambium does face challenges, including trade policies affecting the industry. Tariffs on Canadian lumber, for instance, have created hurdles, especially in the northeastern U.S.

“We’re moving material to sawmills that are 10 or 20 miles away across the border, and so obviously trade policy really impacts how that material moves,” Christensen said.

Still, the company is betting that technology can reshape how wood waste is handled, turning what would have been discarded into something valuable.

Cambium Team