04 Mar Press Release: The 17 Cleantech startups shaping a greener future for Colombia
Bogotá, Colombia, 3 March 2021 — The Cleantech HUB has selected the 17 of the most promising cleantech startups for the first cleantech accelerator in Colombia. The startups span a number of sectors from Agri-tech to carbon tracking software to the circular economy, off the grid refrigerators, renewable energy and vertical gardening. All present innovative, out of the box solutions for local, regional and global problems. These early-stage innovators will take part in Colombia’s first Cleantech Accelerator program using the proven methodology of Europe’s sustainable innovation leader Climate-KIC and powered by Fundacion BolivarDavivienda and Fondo Accion Fimi.
There’s no silver bullet to meet tomorrow’s challenges and confront an unpredictable future. Climate change is accelerating the burdens of our growing population, urbanization, food & water scarcity, extreme weather events, resource scarcity, mass migration and inequality. The world needs thousands of innovations in clean technology and we need them fast. The Cleantech Hub Colombia is driving green entrepreneurship & cleantech innovation by offering a holistic integrated approach to speed up the process from ideation, incubation, acceleration, commercialization and driving the ecosystem.
It is the first time in history that this advanced accelerator program is organized outside of Europe. “Colombia already has a strong entrepreneurial mindset and solid innovation infrastructure and we wanted to see the color green shine through this ecosystem as well,” says Andres Bello from FundacionBolivarDavivienda. “We firmly believe that entrepreneurship and innovation are at the center of climate action and that we have to be the change we want to see.”
The accelerator also builds on the successful introduction of the green business idea competition ClimateLaunchpad in Colombia. “In 2019 – 2020 we received over 300 early-stage green business ideas of which we supported over 40 startups to transform their green business idea into a clear business pitch,” says Gideon Blaauw, Cleantech Hub’s Colombia lead. “Now we are very proud to announce that we can support these entrepreneurs even further to the next level to go from start-up to scale up.”
The 20 Colombian green entrepreneurs & cleantech innovators to watch in 2021
Each of the startups was selected on their merit of 6 main criteria including their history with the ClimateLaunchpad ecosystem, their innovativeness, their feasibility, team, climate & social impact, scalability and their long-term perspective to disrupt the system.
- Siembra Vertical: A vertical farming startup that envisions a future in which small producers of rural and periurban areas can access vertical farming technologies to shift to more sustainable agriculture practices.
- CarbonBox: An app that makes carbon calculation, reduction and offsetting easy and achievable for everyone.
- Still New: A marketplace for second-hand premium kids clothes creating environmental and social impact through fashion and responsible consumption.
- Dinnova: A startup that designs and develops modular and solar refrigeration systems which can be installed anywhere and are not dependent on the electricity grid.
- Valorable: A circular, Energy-as-a-Service solution for storage and back-up through the reutilization of lithium-ion batteries that have finished their first life cycle with their original users.
- ACKADIA: A data-driven Agritech company that manages organic waste and transforms it into compost by using state-of-the-art bioreactors.
- COLFIBAN: A startup that tackles deforestation and creates a circular economy by turning banana trunk fibre waste into premium-quality natural veneer.
- Tavi Technology: TAVI technology is a company focused on the design and development of alternatives or unconventional energy generative systems, always emphasizing the care and benefit of the planet.
- Biotermica: Thermal polygeneration startup which turns waste into energy and produces bio inputs from organic waste.
- Sunny App: Solar-as-a-Service solution that seeks to massify the use of Distributed SOLAR ENERGY in Colombia and Latin America.
- Green Mind Solutions: Vegan protein startup creating snacks, powders and beverages from the native Sacha Inchi seed on land previously used in the production of coca.
- Plástico Infinito: A startup that provides the machinery to transform plastic into social welfare for communities at scale.
- AIR4U: Air purification startup which creates ozone generators for the sanitation, purification and disinfection of the air at home or at work.
- Chispa Acción Social: A social platform that joins the dots between smart ideas and smart people who work to improve the quality of life for urban citizens in Cali.
- Ecofique: Circular economy startup which transforms fique waste — from the production of coffee bags — into high-grade fertilizers, soil bioactivators, fungicides and nematicides.
- GreenID: An international business development company, that aim to speed up the energy transition and sustainable practices by transferring knowledge and technology across different countries.
- Green Runners: A transparency platform that promotes the recovery and protection of environmental corridors: Strategic locations for their water resources and biodiversity.
For more inspiration on these cleantech startups and to join the green revolution please visit: www.cleantechhub.net
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Press Kit:
Click this link to find the Press Kit on Dropbox
Press Contact:
Gideon Blaauw
National Lead Colombia
+57 313 715 5965
gideon.blaauw@cleantechhub.net
About the Cleantech Hub Colombia. The Cleantech Hub is driving green entrepreneurship & cleantech innovation by offering a holistic integrated approach to speed up the process from ideation, incubation, acceleration, commercialization and driving the ecosystem. www.cleantechhub.net
About FundacionBolivarDavivienda. More than 75 years of experience and support from the Bolívar Business Group has enabled our foundation to expand its horizons and to provide the trust that has distinguished our organization throughout Colombia with our wide array of programs. Our mission is to support and promote life-changing and high-impact projects that develop skills in individuals, communities and organizations in order to build a more just, innovative and equitable society. www.fundacionbolivardavivienda.org
About Fondo Accion FIMI. At Fondo Acción, we believe in the power of good ideas and in how entrepreneurship, which seeks to positively impact society, can be a tool to create possible territories and generate change in communities and their relationship with the environment. Therefore, in order to continue with actions that have a positive impact on the community, we created the Mission Impact Investment Fund or FIMI. https://fondoaccion.org/