New Energy Nexus (NEX)
Developing climate-proofing solutions for resilient businesses in emerging markets
The Trafigura Foundation is supporting an initiative to climate-proof small businesses in vulnerable urban areas of Indonesia, Nigeria and Pakistan with innovative solutions developed by local entrepreneurs.
The challenge
Small and medium-sized businesses are the economic backbone of many developing countries. Many of these businesses are based in urban areas prone to the disruptive impacts of climate change, including floods and heatwaves that destroy inventory and pose a health risk to workers, and storms that can lead to days-long power outages.
New technologies hold great promise for the development of practical, small-scale solutions in areas including cooling and backup power generation. However, climate-tech entrepreneurs are often held back by a lack of financial and technical support to bring their innovations to market and scale up their deployment.
The solution
New Energy Nexus (NEX) is a global network that supports clean energy entrepreneurs and startups to drive innovation and the implementation of solutions that can create jobs and build economic and social resilience in underserved communities.
NEX provides these entrepreneurs with the bespoke services they need to scale – technical support, funding and networks. NEX also works with stakeholders such as finance institutions, regulators, skills providers, and policymakers to improve the business environment for innovators.
Partnership impact
With support from the Trafigura Foundation, NEX will mainstream climate adaptation alongside climate mitigation across its programmes in three countries: Indonesia, Nigeria and Pakistan.
Key targets of the partnership include:
- 13 climate entrepreneurs with national reach are strengthened and fully operational
- Higher revenue for at least 50% of these entrepreneurs
- 200 MSMEs climate-proofed with improved infrastructure and enrolled in early-warning-systems
- 1,650 employees and their families (6,600 people) with sustained livelihoods
- At least 60% of MSMEs maintaining operations during extreme weather events or with fewer inactive days
- 350 technicians trained to install and maintain climate-resilient infrastructure solutions
- At least 50% of trained individuals remain employed in the sector
Visit the New Energy Nexus website.
