“As a community, we are working for a better planet”
Let’s start with a short introduction: What is your role at CATAL1.5°T?
I’m Felipe González Rosas, Climate Entrepreneurship Director at Tec de Monterrey, and for the CATAL1.5°T Initiative my role is to lead the team in Latin America from the business standpoint – starting with our accelerator programme.
What does Tec de Monterrey contribute to the CATAL1.5°T acceleration programme, why are they the perfect partner?
Tec de Monterrey is a top education institution in Latin America and also one of the leaders in entrepreneurship skill-building for both the university’s students and the external business community. The entrepreneurship institute (through the Instituto de Emprendimiento Eugenio Garza Lagüera) is the perfect partner for CATAL1.5°T in Latin America because we share all the same values and ambitions, which relate to having a mechanism to elevate the climate tech sector in emerging markets.
What was your experience during the accelerator programme so far?
It has been an amazing experience. The energy at the bootcamp was evident in the participants, and the founders of the first cohort’s ten companies got to interact with each other and walk away with a new sense of purpose. Through the different online sessions and other interactions, everyone, including the entrepreneurs and the CATAL1.5°T team, gained knowledge. There are still many things to do for us, many changes to make to our curriculum, as is natural for this type of programme. So far, however, I think the value that we have brought to the climate tech ecosystem is second to none.
What was your highlight so far?
I like working directly with the founders. In several sessions that we have had, founders have come up to me with questions and giving them my own perspective has been truly enriching. My goal is to help these entrepreneurs to succeed, so any interaction of this type, long or short, is very important to me.
How would you describe the spirit of the accelerator programmes’ entrepreneurs?
I would describe the CATAL1.5°T entrepreneurs as contrarians. I consider myself a contrarian, and it can be difficult. However, what we as a community are working for is a better planet. We do so from our own strengths, and each company has its own. The common denominator of the entrepreneurs and the CATAL1.5°T team members is grit, the ability to power through the obstacles that arise, no matter what, or for how long.
How would you describe working with the first accelerator cohort?
Working with any of the start-ups in the programme is a pleasure. Their energy, commitment, and open mind are contagious. We have been involved in many decisive moments of their development, and we are genuinely grateful to be part of their success.
Apart from the start-ups, what is the interest of investors and ESOs in the accelerator programme like?
Investors, other ESOs and the climate tech community in general are very interested in our start-ups. On our Demo Day in September 2024, about 100 people came and listenedto the applicants’ pitches. The interest in climate tech start-ups has been steadily increasing in the last few years, and the CATAL1.5°T programmes have provided a boost to this trend.
What makes CATAL1.5°T unique?
The mission-driven team that participates in it. All the team members’ priority is to help our start-ups, which in turn has a direct impact on the climate. In May 2024, the global team met in Berlin, and it was clear that we are not here for selfish or disparate reasons. We are like-minded people who are concerned about the environmental crisis and are determined to support innovators from our countries to contribute to the much-needed change.
