What is behind South Asia's quickly developing climate innovation scene? In this episode of Catalyzing Climate Conversations, hosts Laura and Isabelle speak with Pratap Raju, Founding Partner of Climate Collective, to hear his perspectives on the growing field.

Pratap has spent a decade helping build the infrastructure and communities that allow cleantech and sustainable innovations to take root in India and beyond. In this episode, he shares with us what he has learned along the way and one key ingredient: Ecosystem Orchestration.

In this episode, we explore:

• The South-South Collective: Why direct collaboration between innovators in Africa, Asia, and Latin America is a key piece to scaling global solutions.

• The AI Frontier: A look at the Climate Collective's newClimate Launch accelerator and how to distinguish true AI-driven climate solutions from fundraising buzzwords.

• Standardizing Impact: Why "standardized impact" is critical for the success of impact-first companies, and ways to streamline the process.

• Delhi Climate Innovation Week: Highlights on some of the key themes driving one of the region's most influential gatherings.

• The Advice: Pratap's "one-sentence" vision for the future of climate entrepreneurship in South Asia.

Whether you're an investor looking at the region, an entrepreneur based in South Asia, or just curious about the intersection of AI and Nature, this episode will provide thoughtful insights and tips to help you navigate the field and continue building your impact.

Connect with our guest:

• Pratap Raju

• Climate Collective

Follow along to Catalyzing Climate Conversations and tune in to our upcoming episodes wherever you get your podcasts! For more information and/or to get in touch, please see our website.

Episode Music Credits:

Finally Free/Marc Jackson Burrows - PRS – Audio Network;

Your Mind 2/ Michael Awagbe, Benjamin Arthur, Dwayne Domonick Grant, Campbell E Browning, Pablo Love, Edward Swinburne, Melvin E Brown - PRS - Audio Network

The views and opinions expressed by guests on this podcast are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the hosts or their organizations. This podcast should not be considered professional or investment advice, and listeners should consult appropriate professionals for advice tailored to their specific needs.

Now more than ever, data is central to both business operations and climate resilience. But a major challenge remains: we are generating vast amounts of information, but oftentimes it is not leveraged to its full potential to inform real-world climate action.

In the hands of startups, this data can be a powerful tool for aligning and orienting the development of new innovations that can have scalable nature and climate impacts, while addressing real business challenges.

In this episode, hosts Isabelle and Laura are joined by Gideon Blaauw, Regional Lead for CleantechHUB Latin America. Together, they discuss the work CleantechHUB is doing to train startups in responsible data and AI integration, and the role that ecosystem actors have in creating the foundation for a climate-resilient entrepreneurial ecosystem.

Key Topics:

• The Data Gap: Why startups in emerging markets must be data- and AI-ready in order to maximize their climate impact.

• Ecosystem Orchestration: How CleantechHUB is leaning into data training for their climate startup cohorts to promote investable solutions.

• The COP30 Vision: The reality of translating international goals for climate action to on the ground implementation in LAC.

• Global South Synergies: The role that global platforms and collaboration initiatives can have for accelerating climate solutions in the Global South.

Guest Bio:

Gideon Blaauw is an ecosystem orchestrator and the Regional Lead for CleantechHUB LAC. Based in Bogota, he works at the intersection of the private sector and impact space, helping climate startups navigate the journey from ideation to capital markets.

Follow the series:

• Catalytzing Climate Conversations (C3): here

Credits:

• Hosts: Isabelle Foster and Laura Simmons-Stern

• Music: Finally Free/Marc Jackson Burrows - PRS – Audio Network; Mindfulness 2/Philip Guyler - PRS, Paul Clarvis - PRS - Audio Network; Your Mind 2/ Michael Awagbe, Benjamin Arthur, Dwayne Domonick Grant, Campbell E Browning, Pablo Love, Edward Swinburne, Melvin E Brown - PRS - Audio Network

Note, this episode was recorded at the end of 2025.

The views and opinions expressed by guests on this podcast are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the hosts or their organizations. This podcast should not be considered professional or investment advice, and listeners should consult appropriate professionals for advice tailored to their specific needs.

Latin America is one of the most biodiverse regions in the world, holding nearly 60% of terrestrial life, in addition to abundant freshwater and marine diversity [UNEP]. It is also home to numerous climatetech entrepreneurs, developing solutions for protecting nature, supporting more sustainable consumption & production, and driving more circular and inclusive economies.

What is the best way to nurture and grow the region's burgeoning entrepreneurial ecosystem and help transform these ideas into nature-and people-positive companies?

Join us as we talk with Felipe Gonzalez Rosas, Climate Entrepreneurship Director at Tec de Monterrey, leading CATA1.5°T's work in Latin America. We will hear about Felipe's journey as a climate entrepreneur himself to now leading this regional platform, and the important role that collaboration, partnerships, and a team-first approach place in building a sustainable venture ecosystem.

Citation:

UNEP-WCMC (2016) The State of Biodiversity in Latin America and the Caribbean: A mid-term review of progress towards the Aichi Biodiversity Targets. UNEP-WCMC, Cambridge, UK

Mentioned in Today's Episode:

CATA1.5°T's Report "Climate Tech Venture Landscape Report for Latin America & the Caribbean": Link Here

CATA1.5°T: Here

Tec de Monterrey: Here

Climate KIC: Here

GIZ: Here

Felipe Gonzalez Rosas: LinkedIn

Follow along to Catalyzing Climate Conversations and tune in to our upcoming episodes wherever you get your podcasts! For more information and/or to get in touch, please see our website.

The views and opinions expressed by guests on this podcast are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the hosts or their organizations. This podcast should not be considered professional or investment advice, and listeners should consult appropriate professionals for advice tailored to their specific needs