TechEmerge Sustainable Cooling – LAC Cities

TechEmerge Sustainable Cooling– Latin American Cities Matches innovators from across the world in sustainable cooling, air-conditioning, and refrigeration with leading companies and municipalities in Latin America to conduct pilot projects and build commercial partnerships. Selected innovators receive market-entry support and funding to pilot
cost-effective, efficient, climate-smart solutions in the Mexican and Colombian markets.

Ready to expand into new markets and tackle Latin America’s biggest challenges in sustainable cooling?

TechEmerge, an award-winning match-making program from IFC, the private sector arm of the World Bank Group, is offering innovators with sustainable cooling technologies, products, and services the opportunity to enter the growing market of Latin America. With a warm climate, the highest urbanization rate in the world, and a record of supporting innovation, the region’s many large cities provide an ideal environment for scaling cost-effective, energy-efficient, climate-smart cooling solutions.

WHAT ARE WE LOOKING FOR?

Over 30 leading companies, ESCOs, and municipalities in Mexico and Colombia with a wide range of cooling needs have already signed on to the program. Priority will go to proven products installed in at least one commercial setting, but innovations at the product development stage in a wide range of sectors will also be considered, including:

Temperature-Controlled Logistics
Logistics companies, retail chains, agricultural & pharmaceutical companies need refrigerated trucks and TRU design, off-grid cooling, cooling innovations for production, transport and storage of vaccines, medicines, food, beverages, and other temperature-sensitive goods.

Commercial/Residential Buildings
Property Managers and developers need energy-efficient air-conditioning technology and software applications for managing and maintaining cooling and HVAC.

Supermarkets/Retail
Retail chains and supermarkets need energy-efficient refrigerated cabinets for food, beverages, and other goods, temperature zoning inside retail premises, and cooling data and control management solutions.

Scalable SME Solutions
Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in multiple sectors need cost-effective cooling solutions that can be scaled for affordability and access.

Training & Capacity Building
HVAC associations and training centers need innovative distance and virtual learning for technicians who install, operate, maintain, and certify cooling equipment.

WHY ENTER THE CHALLENGE?

Innovators receive support and grant funding to build their business and enter Latin America’s growing cooling
market, while also addressing critical issues of energy efficiency, affordability, access, and climate-impact.

The region presents the world’s second-largest climate-smart investment potential of up to USD 5.7 trillion by 2030. Demand for cooling is expected to triple in the next 30 years.

BENEFITS FOR INNOVATORS

• Access to municipalities and leading corporates in a wide range of sectors, with specific focus on the Colombian and Mexican markets
• Access to a total pool of up to USD 1.5 million in grant funding to support pilot projects in LAC
• Guidance from TechEmerge and our global network of industry advisors to develop pilot implementation and market entry strategies
• IFC supports participants throughout market entry and tech transfer—offsetting financial and operational risks for innovators and reducing adoption risks for local firms and municipalities
• Potential IFC investment for successful innovators with scalable solutions

TIMELINE

Applications Open – July 22
Innovator Application Due – September 18
Finalists Announced – October
Meet LAC Adopters – November
Pilots Begin – January 2021