Santander X Global Challenge
SAN FRANCISCO, CA — 4 December 2024
Oxentia is on the Expert Panel for the 2024 LATAM Cleantech 25.
As an expert panellist, we’ll assist Cleantech Group with identifying innovators that are pushing the boundaries of technology, business models, and market adoption to drive significant change.
Cleantech Group, a leading global authority in cleantech innovation, is excited to unveil its inaugural 2024 LATAM Cleantech 25 [1]. This first-ever list showcases private companies at the forefront of sustainable innovation, each recognised for their potential to significantly impact the Latin American region and beyond, within the next five to ten years. Oxentia was honoured to be part of the Expert Panel and contribute our insights and recommendations to round out the final list.
Latin America’s role in climate and cleantech innovation
Latin America accounts for 5.5% of global industry value added and 6.3% of global GDP [2], despite contributing only 3.5% of global CO2 emissions. However, the region faces increasing challenges, including a warming trend of 0.2°C per decade [3] and the rising economic costs of intensified storms.
Latin American entrepreneurs are stepping up to address these challenges. A quarter of the companies on the LATAM Cleantech 25 list focus on innovations for resilience, targeting solutions for coastal sea rise, natural disasters, and shifting agricultural threats.
“The urgency faced and answered by Latin America’s cleantech innovators is a lesson for the world in the attitude that will be necessary to meet the next phases of the climate change fight,” said Anthony DeOrsey, Research Manager at Cleantech Group. “I predict that, when looking back on this inaugural list in the 2030s, we will be struck by the foresight displayed by these innovators in 2024.”
Featured in the LATAM Cleantech 25
The 25 companies span six key industry groups, demonstrating diverse approaches to sustainable solutions. Examples from each industry group include:
Agriculture & Food
- Infira: Perennial varieties of major crops that reduce input costs for farmers.
Energy & Power
- Splight: AI platform that provides grid management, energy efficiency, and performance solutions for energy sources.
Materials & Chemicals
- Ceibo transform the copper mining industry through innovative technologies that will accelerate access to copper reserves.
Resources & Environmental Management
- Coral Vita protects threatened ecosystems by growing diverse and resilient corals and outplanting them into degraded reefs
Transportation & Logistics
- Reborn are one of the first electric bus factories in Latin America that leverage electromobility to accelerate the decarbonization of transport.
Waste & Recycling
- Ainwater is an AI-assisted software that monitors and optimises wastewater treatment operations to increase energy efficiency.
Select Insights from the LATAM Cleantech 25
- Biotechnology and horticulture: Regional capabilities are beginning to transfer into the cleantech innovation ecosystems of South and Central America and the Caribbean. This shift is becoming increasingly critical in the face of compounding climate adaptation needs.
- Chile and Brazil as Investment Leaders: These countries dominate venture and growth investments in Latin America with export strengths in agriculture, lithium, copper, and steel that link them to global demand markets and embed themselves in the DNA of innovators launching ventures.
- Niche Advantages for Agriculture & Food: While Latin America averages only 1% of global cleantech investments, its Agriculture & Food innovators stand out globally. Since 2020, agriculture, forestry, and fishing have contributed 6% or more to the region’s GDP.
A thorough selection process
The companies featured on the LATAM Cleantech 25 list were selected through a thorough process that involved nominations from an expert panel of investors, industry experts, and cleantech professionals, as well as in-depth analysis by Cleantech Group’s research team. The final selection was based on a range of criteria, including the company’s potential technological impact, the business model strength, their leadership team’s quality, and the solution’s scalability.
Expert panel
The LATAM Cleantech 25 Expert Panel is made up of 17 Latin American innovation experts. The panel is diverse in geography, age, and background.
We are proud to contribute our nominations and inputs to help reach a final list of the most promising innovators.
About Oxentia:
Oxentia is a leading global innovation consultancy that empowers organisations, individuals, and ecosystems to transform ideas into impactful ventures. Established with roots in the University of Oxford’s renowned technology transfer expertise, Oxentia operates independently to deliver tailored solutions across Higher Education, Corporate, and Government sectors. With a presence in over 70 countries, the company is committed to driving innovation and positive change worldwide. For startups and spinouts, Oxentia offers venture support, helping entrepreneurs accelerate their journey from concept to market through business planning, funding strategy, and access to a global network of partners, investors and more.
About Cleantech Group
Cleantech® Group is a research-driven company that helps corporates, public sector, investors and others, identify, assess, and engage with the innovative solutions and opportunities that are related to the world’s massive, and growing, environmental and climate challenges. Our insights and expertise are delivered to clients all over the world through our Research, Consulting, and Events. We have been the leading authority on global cleantech innovation since 2002.
