The International Solar Alliance (ISA) today announced 10 winners from 9 countries—six of them co-led by women—of the SolarX Startup Challenge: Latin America & Caribbean (LAC) Edition at COP30 in Belém, Brazil. The LAC edition of the Challenge—launched at COP29 in Baku—builds on the successes of the Africa and Asia-Pacific editions, which declared winners in 2023 and 2024. Together, the earlier editions have supported 50 startups from Africa and the Asia-Pacific, including India, through a monetary endowment and a dedicated acceleration programme. The LAC edition of the SolarX Startup Challenge marks a significant expansion of ISA’s footprint in this region.
The SolarX Startup Challenge aims to identify and support scalable, cost-effective, and high-impact solar innovations tailored to regional needs. The LAC edition attracted strong participation from entrepreneurs across the region, offering solutions that advance clean energy access, grid resilience, and emerging solar applications. Following a rigorous evaluation process led by industry experts, investors, and clean-energy practitioners, the winning startups were selected for their ability to deliver real-world impact and technological relevance.
“This year’s SolarX Challenge received 113 applications from 29 countries, reflecting the region’s growing interest in practical solar solutions,” said Mr Ashish Khanna, Director General, International Solar Alliance. “We are encouraged to see participation from both ISA and non-ISA Member Countries. Ten promising startups from nine nations across Latin America and the Caribbean have been selected for ISA’s structured acceleration programme, each receiving a US$15,000 grant to further develop and scale their solutions. Along with this support, they will have access to technical mentorship, investor networks, and capacity-building opportunities through ISA’s partners, helping them strengthen their work and contribute to wider solar deployment in the region.”
He added, “These winners illustrate how local innovation can meaningfully support the region’s energy transition. Latin America and the Caribbean hold significant solar potential, yet continue to face challenges in access, affordability, and resilience. The SolarX Challenge aims to bridge this gap by supporting entrepreneurs who are developing adaptable and impactful business models. ISA remains committed to enabling these efforts and advancing a more sustainable future for the region.”
The winners will now enter a structured acceleration programme, working closely with ISA, technical mentors, and regional partners to refine, pilot, and scale their solutions. ISA has also showcased the progress of its winning start-ups at major global platforms.
The 10 winning startups from 9 countries selected under the SolarX Startup Challenge 2025 – LAC Edition are:
● Kingo – Guatemala: Designs and operates IoT-based last-mile clean energy and connectivity solutions for remote off-grid areas.
● Digital Grid – Brazil: A specialised SaaS platform addressing operational, financial, and regulatory challenges of shared and off-grid solar generation through end-to-end automation.
● SQUAIR – Brazil: An intelligent platform for integrated energy and temperature management for energy-intensive refrigeration environments such as logistics centres and factories.
● Suncast – Chile: Offers highly accurate solar energy prediction and soiling estimation services without the need for physical sensors or additional infrastructure.
● Grinplus – Uruguay: Helps small solar generators in developing countries earn income by selling renewable certificates.
● HD Photovoltaics – Argentina: Produces lightweight, modular, multifunctional BIPV panels that act simultaneously as construction materials and renewable energy generators.
● SUNNA – Ecuador: Develops easy-to-install solar heaters, lamps, and PV systems designed for diverse geographic and socio-economic contexts with minimal technical intervention.
● Green Energy – Nicaragua: Provides the Shagara WaterHub, integrating an award-winning water purification tank with an autonomous vending machine powered by an off-grid solar system.
● Quantum Motors – Bolivia: The first company in Latin America to integrate solar panels directly into urban electric vehicles; its Quantum E4 Solar model includes a 100W flexible rooftop panel for auxiliary charging.
● Suno – Colombia: A digital finance platform enabling transparent, cross-border funding for real-world clean-energy projects, starting with community-scale solar farms.
About the International Solar Alliance:
The International Solar Alliance is a global initiative launched in 2015 by India and France at COP21 in Paris. It has 125 Member and Signatory Countries. The Alliance works with governments to improve energy access and security worldwide and promotes solar power as a sustainable transition to a clean energy future. ISA’s evolving vision is anchored on four strategic pillars: (1) Catalytic Finance Hub to unlock and mobilise investments at scale; (2) Global Capability Centre and Digitisation to foster innovation, digital platforms, and capacity building across Member Countries; (3) Regional and Country-level Engagement to drive tailored interventions through strategic partnerships and (4) Technology Roadmap and Policy to accelerate the deployment of emerging solar technologies through actionable policy frameworks and knowledge resources. With its advocacy for solar-powered solutions, ISA aims to transform lives, bring clean, reliable, and affordable energy to communities worldwide, fuel sustainable growth, and improve quality of life. On 6 December 2017, 15 countries signed and ratified the ISA Framework Agreement, making ISA the first international intergovernmental organisation to be headquartered in India.
