Azora and CBRE Spain launch climate solutions competition

Azora and CBRE Spain have joined forces to launch the Climate Solutions Challenge, a one-of-a-kind competition to identify leading European companies that specialise in the decarbonisation of real estate.

Applications will be accepted until Monday, December 11, and the winning project will be eligible to receive funding from Azora and work with both companies to boost its business development.

“The Climate Solutions Challenge is a direct route for leading European companies to access a unique business development opportunity in decarbonisation by working with two of the most important companies in the Real Estate sector,” said Fernando Gómez Fortún, investment director, Azora.

The aim of the Climate Solutions Challenge is to identify leading companies that contribute to mitigating the environmental impact of real estate, increasing the adaptive capacity of urban ecosystems, and delivering a positive impact on society.

For this reason, Azora and CBRE are looking for companies that respond to key urban or energy challenges within the real estate sector through solutions such as energy efficiency, the use of renewable energy, waste management, sustainable mobility in urban areas, or smart building software, amongst others.

European companies interested in participating in the Climate Solutions Challenge must have a solid customer base and demonstrated and proven technology and a viable business model. The focus of the Climate Solutions Challenge is to identify leading companies in the lower middle market that have exhibited fast growth in recent years, and which generate an annual EBITDA of up to €10 million. The winner will be eligible for funding from Azora and will be able to collaborate with Azora and CBRE to boost its business development efforts.

The partnership between Azora and CBRE stems from the two companies’ shared conviction that ESG investments need to be promoted and contribute to the decarbonisation of the real estate sector.

This also creates an unprecedented investment opportunity across the lower middle market in Europe, which is where most of the innovation is taking place as a result of the supportive regulatory environment. The sector’s commitment towards Net Zero can offer new growth avenues for companies that provide innovative solutions for these objectives to be met.

“The incorporation of ESG factors into investment decisions is growing,” said Patricia García de Ponga, head of ESG, CBRE Spain. “With the Climate Solutions Challenge we hope to identify more innovative formulas with which to accelerate decarbonisation and achieve a much more sustainable real estate sector.”