When people think of Colombia, they often picture coffee plantations, pristine beaches, and the vibrancy of Bogotá or Medellín. What truly sets the country apart, however, is its extraordinary natural wealth. Colombia is one of the world’s most biodiverse nations, home to both the Amazon basin and two coastlines, with ecosystems ranging from tropical forests to high-altitude páramos. This abundance of natural capital makes the country uniquely vulnerable to climate change – but also uniquely positioned to benefit from cleantech innovation.
In June, I spent time in the country to better understand how Colombia’s cleantech ecosystem is evolving. What I found was a landscape brimming with potential — defined by passionate entrepreneurs, creative ecosystem builders, and a growing recognition that climate solutions must be part of Colombia’s future development. At the same time, the sector is grappling with funding gaps, cautious corporate engagement, and a complex policy environment.
Photo I took from Bogotá’s Monserrate
Below are some of my main takeaways.
A Young but Growing Ecosystem
Cleantech is still new in Colombia. Just a few years ago, there were hardly any dedicated actors, but today dozens of accelerators, incubators, and support organizations are helping entrepreneurs. By regional standards, Colombia sits behind Brazil, Mexico, and Chile, but ahead of many neighbors, with particularly strong growth in the past six years.
Bogotá and Medellín dominate activity, though other cities like Cali, Barranquilla, and Cartagena are also emerging. Unlike in some countries where ecosystems are centralized in the capital, Colombia remains distinctly regional, with each city fostering its own networks of universities, chambers of commerce, and business groups.
Innovation Hotspots
Three themes consistently stand out as Colombia’s cleantech priorities:
- Renewable energy is the fastest-growing area. Start-ups are piloting solar, wind, and hybrid systems, not only to reduce emissions but also to deliver cheaper energy to industries and communities.
_ - Circular economy innovation is gaining traction, especially in urban contexts where waste management is both a social and environmental challenge. New models for recycling, reuse, and resource efficiency are taking shape.
_ - Bioeconomy is particularly promising, leveraging Colombia’s biodiversity to create new products in food, materials, and cosmetics. Many of these innovations are linked to Amazonian resources, with potential both domestically and internationally.
These priorities align with Colombia’s national climate commitments, such as its pledge to cut emissions by 51% by 2030, while also drawing on the country’s ecological strengths.
Entrepreneurs and Start-ups
The profile of Colombia’s climate founders differs from other regions. Student spinouts are still rare, as universities struggle with tech transfer and IP commercialization. Instead, founders tend to be slightly older, and many are returnees who studied or worked abroad. Their experience gives them valuable international networks but also reflects how challenging it can be to launch a start-up directly from research.
In parallel, family-owned SMEs are increasingly important players. In agriculture and biodiversity, younger generations are inheriting farms and businesses and seeking to integrate climate technology. While these SMEs don’t always fit the start-up mold, they represent a vital and growing segment of the cleantech economy.
Despite this energy, the ecosystem has only a handful of scaled climate ventures. Most start-ups remain in early stages, still searching for product–market fit and working to consolidate. At the same time, there are positive signals that targeted support can make a real difference. One example is the ClimaTech Accelerator in Bogotá, which linked 15 start-ups with major corporates such as Ecopetrol and Grupo Bolívar. In just 20 weeks, the selected ventures reported growth in both sales and employment, showing how well-designed programs can help start-ups overcome barriers and scale faster.
Funding Gaps
One of the biggest hurdles is access to early-stage finance. While some later-stage investment exists, the Seed and pre-Seed stages are consistently underfunded.
This reflects a broader regional dynamic; by some local estimates, nearly 80% of cleantech investment in Latin America went to companies in just two countries: Mexico and Brazil. Colombia, despite its promise, remains on the margins of this flow of capital.
Local banking rules also create barriers. Companies often need to be several years old to access even basic financial products like credit cards or bank accounts, forcing founders to rely heavily on personal funds at the riskiest stage of development.
Corporate Engagement
Large Colombian corporations increasingly publish sustainability reports and set climate targets, but translating these into start-up collaboration has been more challenging. Some stakeholders we spoke to also said that corporates often prefer proven international solutions rather than piloting with local early-stage innovators. They also mentioned that some corporates expect external partners to co-fund pilots, which is difficult in a capital-scarce environment.
That said, there are encouraging signs: some leading companies are experimenting with innovation partnerships, and investment arms are beginning to emerge. A notable case is Alpina, one of Colombia’s largest food companies, which has partnered with Rockstart, to support 18 agrifood start-ups with $100,000 each plus mentorship and sector expertise. While still uncommon, initiatives like this show how corporates can play a catalytic role in cleantech innovation.
Policy and Institutions
Colombia’s government has been vocal about environmental commitments, yet the support landscape for entrepreneurship has been uneven. Some public agencies that once focused on start-ups have redirected toward community initiatives, valuable in their own right but not always aligned with scaling ventures.
At universities, regulatory frameworks have slowed tech transfer and spinout creation, limiting the commercialization of strong scientific research.
In this context, international organizations and private actors are filling gaps. Multilateral institutions, bilateral programs, and global NGOs are financing accelerators, providing grants, and building technical capacity. Their presence has been critical in sustaining momentum despite domestic uncertainties.
Looking Ahead
Colombia’s biodiversity makes it one of the most important countries in the world for climate action, and its growing cleantech ecosystem reflects that potential. Entrepreneurs are building solutions in renewable energy, circular economy, and bioeconomy that could reshape industries locally and attract attention globally.
To achieve this, the ecosystem needs three things above all:
- More early-stage capital
_ - Stronger corporate engagement with local innovators
_ - Consistent long-term policy support
Encouragingly, there is real energy among founders, ecosystem builders, and investors to push in this direction.
For those following climate innovation in Latin America, Colombia is a country to watch. Its challenges are real, but so is the determination of its innovators. And in a nation so blessed with natural wealth, the stakes could not be higher.
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