Climate Tech Highlights #3

Hello there!

I'm excited to share that I'll be attending Web Summit Rio 2024 this week, a major gathering for technology and innovation enthusiasts worldwide.

A highlight I'm particularly eager to explore is the diverse array of environmental impact startups showcased in the exhibition lounge - from emissions tracking software solutions to foodtechs addressing organic waste.

I'll be sure to provide a detailed roundup of the most compelling cases in our next issue, so stay tuned!

Now, let's dive into last week's Climate Tech highlights!

Image of the week 📷

• Atacama Fashion Week: Inspired by the world's leading fashion weeks, the NGO Desierto Vestido held an event aimed to spotlight the global issue of improper clothing disposal. Models showcased outfits made from garments found in a vast open-air landfill in the Atacama Desert.The United Nations indicates that the fashion industry activity accounts for 8% of greenhouse gas emissions and 20% of water waste worldwide. Read the full story

Around the globe 🌎

• Electrifying the rides: Roam, a Kenyan-based pioneer in electric mobility, has recently entered into a strategic partnership with Mogo, a leading asset financier in East Africa. This collaboration is designed to enable individuals to switch to electric motorcycles by offering a financing package that aims to increase the daily earnings of boda boda (motorbike taxi) riders by 30%. Read the full story

• One more deal on nuclear fusion: Despite fluctuations in investment levels, nuclear fusion technologies continue to garner interest from venture capitalists. Munich-based Proxima Fusion has successfully raised €20 million in a seed round to initiate the construction of its first generation of fusion power plants. A noteworthy feature of Proxima’s strategy is the utilization of AI to simulate the behavior of plasma, from which fusion energy is born. Read the full story.

  Compostable coffee pods: Coffee companies like Keurig and Nespresso produce each year almost 50 billion single-serve coffee pods, which are notoriously difficult to recycle. Club Coffee in Canada is using a different approach, making a compostable alternative out of the leftovers of roasted beans. Check it out

A glance at Brazil 🇧🇷

• Keep an eye on these two: During their PhD in Chemistry at the State University of Campinas, Carla Fonseca and Silmara Neves founded IQX. This company develops additives that facilitate the recycling of hard-to-process plastics into new products. In 2023, their innovations prevented the disposal of 300 tons of plastic in landfills, promoting a circular economy and reducing harmful emissions. Additionally, IQX generated significant employment in the recycling sector, especially for female heads of households. Read the full story

• Better Cotton for whom? Researchers from the NGO Earthsight traced thousands of shipment records between two cotton producers it said were linked to land-grabbing and illegal deforestation in the Cerrado to Asian manufacturers that supply finished garments to brands including H&M and Zara. The report stated that a sustainability standard used by the fashion brands called Better Cotton was "fundamentally flawed" and gave consumers no guarantee they were not buying cotton from Brazilian farms involved in environmental crimes. Read the full story

Don't miss out! 👀

• Interested in AI? Join the Autonomous Innovation Virtual Summit and follow interesting discussions on the future of innovation, AI ethics, regulation and more! Reserve your seat!

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See you next Tuesday!