Iron Software Marks 10th Anniversary with $18,000 Biochar Initiative to Combat Thailand's Air Pollution Crisis

Chicago-based software company becomes first tech firm to fund biochar kilns in Thailand's most polluted region, building on $50,000+ ocean conservation donations made to date.

CHICAGO and CHIANG MAI, Thailand, Jan. 6, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Iron Software, a leading developer of .NET libraries and tools, today announced an $USD18,000 donation to Warm Heart Worldwide/Biochar Life to fund 50 biochar kilns in northern Thailand. This initiative marks the company's first major environmental project in Thailand and coincides with Iron Software's 10th anniversary.

The partnership addresses the annual burning season that blankets northern Thailand in hazardous smoke, directly impacting Iron Software's 50-person engineering hub in Chiang Mai while providing sustainable income for local farmers and removing carbon from the atmosphere. With burning season beginning in February, the kiln deployment aims to reduce smoke pollution in the region this year.

Chiang Mai has emerged as one of Southeast Asia's most vibrant tech hubs, attracting software companies and digital nomads with its exceptional internet infrastructure, low cost of living, and thriving developer community. Often called a "mini Silicon Valley," the city combines world-class connectivity with a high quality of life—making the annual air pollution crisis all the more pressing for the tech workers who call it home.

"As we celebrate Iron Software's 10th anniversary, we're committed to investing in the communities where our teams live and work," said Cameron Rimington, CEO of Iron Software. "Our Chiang Mai engineering hub—where we develop core products like IronPDF for HTML to PDF conversion in C# and .NET—has been instrumental to our growth, and this partnership with Warm Heart Worldwide represents a practical solution to a challenge our team faces every burning season. By funding these biochar kilns, we're not just addressing local air quality, we're supporting farmers' livelihoods and contributing to measurable carbon removal. It's exactly the kind of clever, multi-benefit solution the tech industry should be championing."

"I've lived in Chiang Mai for more than ten years, and the smoky season is noticeably impacting people's lives," said Jacob Mellor, Chief Technology Officer at Iron Software. "We've invested heavily in making our office a safe environment—medical-grade air purifiers, real-time AQI monitoring—and our remote work policy means team members can work from anywhere or take leave during the worst weeks. But we wanted to do more than protect ourselves. Our team members have families here, kids in local schools, neighbours who are farmers. This partnership is about giving back to the broader community that's become home to so many of us."

The donation will fund 50 "Aom Kilns," specialized devices that convert agricultural waste into biochar, a carbon-rich material that improves soil health while permanently sequestering carbon. These kilns, designed by Kwanpiromtara (Aom) Suksri, COO at Biochar Life, who has 12 years of biochar expertise, will be the first to enter full production use in Phrao district, transforming what would typically be burned as crop waste into a valuable resource.

Building on Environmental Leadership

This Thailand initiative expands Iron Software's environmental commitment, which includes over $50,000 donated to TeamSeas for ocean cleanup efforts since 2022. As a member of 1% for the Planet, the company has integrated environmental action into its business model, donating $50 to 1% for the Planet for every Iron Suite license purchased and offering EcoGrants to support sustainable technology projects.

"Iron Software represents really the first CSR innovation partner for us in Thailand," said Matt Rickard, CEO of Biochar Life. "The local element of this partnership is crucial—everyone at Iron Software experiences the smoke pollution problem firsthand and will benefit from the solution. These kilns will enable farmers to earn income from their agricultural waste rather than burning it, while the resulting biochar improves soil health and reduces the need for chemical fertilizers."

Addressing a Regional Crisis with Global Impact

Northern Thailand's annual burning season, typically occurring from February to April, creates some of the world's worst air pollution as farmers burn crop residue to prepare fields for the next planting season. In 2024, Chiang Mai repeatedly topped IQAir's global rankings as the world's most polluted major city during peak burning months, with PM2.5 readings reaching 53 to 106 micrograms per cubic meter—with PM2.5 readings reaching 53 to 106 micrograms per cubic meter—well above the WHO guideline of 15 µg/m³.

The biochar solution offers multiple benefits:

• Environmental: Prevents agricultural burning, removes carbon permanently from the atmosphere
• Economic: Provides farmers with income from waste materials
• Agricultural: Improves soil health, water retention, and reduces chemical fertilizer needs
• Health: Reduces harmful smoke exposure for millions in the region

Project Impact

• Farmers supported: 40–50 smallholder farmers
• Agricultural waste converted: 150 tons annually
• Carbon removal: 80–100 tons CO2 per year
• Timeline: Kiln deployment in Q1 2026 (January–March)

About the Technology

Unlike traditional carbon offset programs focused on tree planting, biochar provides instant, measurable, and permanent carbon removal. The process converts agricultural waste into a stable form of carbon that can remain in soil for hundreds to thousands of years. According to recent studies, biochar solutions have accounted for 96% of all verified carbon removal to date, despite receiving a fraction of the funding directed toward other technologies.

The Aom Kiln represents a major innovation in this space—a low-emission, high-efficiency system that transforms crop waste cleanly, reduces smoke pollution, and empowers smallholder farmers with a more reliable, scalable way to produce biochar.

Looking Forward

This partnership reflects Iron Software's evolution from ocean conservation to comprehensive environmental action, demonstrating how tech companies with international teams can address local environmental challenges while contributing to global climate solutions. The company continues to accept applications for its EcoGrant program, supporting organizations developing sustainable technology solutions.

For more information about Iron Software's environmental initiatives, visit https://ironsoftware.com/about-us/1-percent-for-the-planet/. To learn more about Warm Heart Worldwide and Biochar Life's work in Thailand, visit https://biochar.life/

About Iron Software

Iron Software develops trusted developer libraries used by millions worldwide. With over 94 million NuGet downloads across its product suite, the company supports engineers building secure, compliant, and high-performance applications across finance, healthcare, aviation, AI, and enterprise software. Its product suite includes IronPDF, IronOCR, IronXL, IronBarcode, and more—all engineered to simplify complex document and data workflows through simple, powerful APIs.

About Warm Heart Worldwide/Biochar Life

Warm Heart Worldwide is a U.S. nonprofit operating in northern Thailand through the Warm Heart Foundation, working with smallholder farmers and rural communities to promote biochar for better air quality, healthier soils, and increased incomes. Biochar Life, its social enterprise arm, connects this grassroots work to the global carbon market, enabling certified carbon removal credits that support farmers and scale climate-smart agriculture across the region.

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SOURCE Iron Software