The Inter-American Development Bank's Innovation Lab (IDB Lab) and Latimpacto have formalized a landmark agreement with the purpose of collaborating together to drive development and well-being in the region. In this exciting step forward, both organizations are pleased to announce the creation of the Catalytic Green Fund, an initiative designed to contribute to the development of social and environmental impact solutions in the region through an innovative approach to support and grow high-impact ventures.
Through the strategic combination of resources and expertise brought by the two organizations and the fund's partners, we aim to motivate a strengthening of the impact ecosystem in the region through a perspective of positive change for the region.
A Fund for Collective Impact and Sustainable Transformation
The Green Catalytic Fund emerges as a cutting-edge response to the challenges of the present. Its creation has the central objective of uniting leading organizations in Latin America and the world in an unprecedented alliance to drive decarbonization and Net-Zero solutions. By identifying solutions with technological and nature-based approaches, we aim to catalyze deep and meaningful change in the fight against climate change and environmental protection.
This Fund will work closely with its strategic partners and the market intelligence areas of IDB Lab and Latimpacto to design a precise methodology that will determine the specific focus of the Fund.
The Amazon: a particular focus for the Fund
The Fund will have a particular, but not exclusive, focus on the Amazon. Here, the Fund will seek to support initiatives that promote Net-Zero solutions in the Amazon basin, the objective being to identify and accelerate innovative ventures that promote the sustainable use of nature, in areas such as agroforestry, soil restoration or other ecosystem services. In this case, we will look for ideas that have a social empowerment, environmental protection and restoration, and climate focus in order to support efforts to prevent the watershed from reaching its point of no return.
Building a Sustainable Future
Within this framework, we are proud to share our ambitious targets. Within a given timeframe, we aim to reduce or avoid nearly 6.2 million tons of carbon dioxide by the fifth year of the Fund. In addition, we are committed to supporting between 400 and 500 entrepreneurs and startups that are generating or can benefit from decarbonization and Net-Zero solutions in Latin America.
We seek to ensure that at least 40% of these initiatives are led by women or involve them in leadership positions. Our vision also includes the efficient management and reclamation of hectares of land and forests that contribute to the reduction of CO2 emissions and can support the development of activities that promote restoration and sustainable land use.
For more information, please do not hesitate to contact Juan David Ferreira, Latimpacto's program director, by e-mail: david@latimpacto.org.
