11 tech firms target climate challenges in Latin America

Eleven technology companies have touched down in Latin America this week to showcase new technologies and approaches associated with transport mobility and water resilience to help combat the climate challenge. 

The cohort arrived in Sao Paulo, Brazil to make presentations to innovation agencies and further presentations to a delegation of city officials and investors at the ‘South Summit’ in Porto Alegre. They participated in the South Summit after being selected to take part in the UK-Latin America Net Zero and Resilience Partnership, run by Connected Places Catapult and funded by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology and the UK’s Science and Innovation Network. 

The programme looks to develop innovative solutions to tackle climate-related challenges in four core cities and regions in three countries: Buenos Aires (Argentina), Campinas (Brazil) and the Metropolitan Region of Guadalajara and Monterrey (Mexico). 

Two further ‘observer’ cities watching the programme with interest are the Metropolitan Region of Santiago (Chile) and Porto Alegre (Brazil). 

Each of the 11 companies has been assigned to a ‘challenge’ associated with each location. Buenos Aires in Argentina is looking to optimise last mile logistics to meet increasing demand for deliveries and reduce the number of freight vehicles in the city centre. Guadalajara in Mexico wants to encourage active travel and other forms of sustainable transport to reduce the use of private vehicles within the city. 

Campinas in Brazil is keen to enable last-mile logistics and data-driven transport planning and services to encourage a transition to alternative and sustainable transport methods. Finally, the city of Monterrey in Mexico is looking to implement changes and solutions that improve water resilience. 

Introducing the 11 companies working alongside each city or region: 

Last mile logistics, Campinas:  

WeDRT – Provider of on-demand rapid transport to help move people away from single occupancy vehicles. 

Inteliports – Building intelligent drone ports for fully autonomous drone deliveries.  

Scipopulis – Big data analysis platform to assist on the elaboration of evidence-based public policies. 

Last mile logistics, Buenos Aires: 

Grid Smarter Cities – Software solutions to manage the kerbside in order to address logistic and environmental issues in cities. 

Moova – A platform that optimises last mile delivery using artificial intelligence to plan routes and allow real time tracking. 

Rasic – A computerised vehicle routing and scheduling system to optimise delivery routes, reduce emissions, and help companies to optimise their supply chains. 

Water resilience, Monterrey: 

ALIS – Biotechnology start-up focused on water circularity and producing natural ingredients for the cosmetic and food industry with microalgae. 

Business Modelling Associates – AI decision intelligence platform, Decisio, focused on helping water and energy companies make better, faster and more connected decisions. 

Gentian / Water Offsets – Software which combines AI and satellite images to precisely map biodiversity and green infrastructure in order to achieve water neutrality and water resilience in global cities and local communities. 

Mobility, Metropolitan Region of Guadalajara 

ITP – Urban transport consultancy using an outcome-focused, context-led approach to help cities find deliverable solutions to the mobility challenges they face.  

Where Is My Transport – Mapping public transport networks and understanding commuter needs, patterns and behaviours to optimise journeys. 

For more details about the project.