Bison Underground entered the $100M XPRIZE Carbon Removal competition involving over 1,300 teams worldwide. Their solution pelletizes biomass and injects it 12–24 inches deep into soil, preserving significantly more carbon than surface methods — up to 20% compared to less than 5% at the surface.
To advance through competition milestones, Bison Underground needed a working proof-of-concept prototype capable of creating vertical soil voids at depth while moving across farm fields. With Dr. Adams focused on completing his PhD and no in-house mechanical design capability, the team needed a professional engineering partner who could rapidly translate 2D concept sketches into buildable, testable hardware — under tight competition deadlines.
The team lacked internal mechanical engineering capability and had only early-stage 2D sketches to work from. Previous university partnerships had failed due to inconsistency and missed deadlines, leaving the project behind at a critical point in the competition cycle. With milestone dates approaching and third-party validation of their prototype required by XPRIZE judges, Bison Underground needed to pivot quickly to a partner who could deliver focused, professional engineering without delay.
The technical challenge was equally demanding. Soil penetration at depth, hydraulics integration, and mobile platform design all had to be solved simultaneously — while keeping the system buildable from off-the-shelf components and operable on moving farm vehicles at walking speed. The stakes were significant: falling behind on prototype development risked elimination from a multi-million dollar milestone competition.
Finite Engineering was engaged from December 2023 to March 2024, providing focused mechanical engineering expertise that stabilized the project, translated concepts into actionable designs, and met tight deadlines. After evaluating several engineering firms with agricultural equipment experience, Dr. Adams selected Finite based on their specialized expertise and professional responsiveness — qualities that mattered when managing competition funding responsibly.
Finite’s engineers converted Dr. Adams’ 2D sketches into 3D CAD models, structured the system into six design blocks, and identified off-the-shelf hydraulic and structural components to accelerate development and reduce cost. The platform evolved from an early trailer-mounted concept to a mini-truck bed mount better suited to field mobility and power requirements.
Deliverables included 13 fabrication drawings, calculation spreadsheets documenting penetration force requirements and component specifications, and graphic illustrations supporting both prototype fabrication and competition documentation. Finite’s structured approach freed Dr. Adams to focus on scientific validation, carbon accounting, and competition management — the areas where his expertise was irreplaceable.
The engagement produced a full prototype design package — structured across six design blocks and supported by 13 fabrication drawings — delivered on time and within budget. The prototype validated deep soil injection functionality in real field conditions, enabled XPRIZE milestone completion, and helped Bison Underground compete in the Phase 2 round in 2024 among a global field of over 1,300 teams.
Field results demonstrate the technology’s real-world impact. At Castlerock Park in Norman, Oklahoma — a site with high levels of salt contamination from local runoff where vegetation had ceased to grow — Bison Underground injected alfalfa pellets to depths between 12 and 24 inches. Grass was quickly established after injection, and the biomass conduits are actively remediating the site.
