Proyecto Mirador

What Proyecto Mirador does

Proyecto Mirador is a U.S. 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, founded in 2004 and headquartered in Honduras, that designs, manufactures, and distributes improved biomass cookstoves — primarily the Dos Por Tres model with rocket-combustion technology — to rural households in Central America. It operates through subsidiaries in Honduras and Guatemala and, as of recent reporting, has installed more than 405,500 stoves serving an estimated 1.6–1.7 million beneficiaries across 16 of 18 Honduran departments and 8 of 22 Guatemalan departments. Past operations have included Belize and Nicaragua, the latter of which was discontinued in 2022.

The organization's business model rests on two revenue streams: (1) donations, advertised at approximately $100 per stove with 100% of contributions directed to stove construction, and (2) the sale of Gold Standard Verified Emission Reductions (VERs) on the voluntary carbon market, distributed in part through the Cool Effect retail marketplace. The cookstove program operates on a "No Cuesta, No Cuida" co-investment model in which beneficiary families contribute labor and assume maintenance responsibility, supported by 41 local microenterprises and roughly 350 indirect jobs that form the field-level construction and maintenance backbone.

Operationally, the organization maintains a large longitudinal field dataset — 350,000+ GPS-tagged stove locations and over 1 million field surveys — that has passed 13 successive Gold Standard verifications between 2009 and 2024. Since 2020–2021 it has layered Salesforce Einstein AI on top of this dataset to streamline monitoring, reporting, and verification. In 2025 it launched the Dee Lawrence Stove Research Center to advance combustion engineering, and in April 2026 it became the first Latin American cookstove project to receive a Calyx Global AA rating along with the Core Carbon Principles label, materially improving its access to high-integrity voluntary carbon markets.

Name

Proyecto Mirador

Legal name

Proyecto Mirador Foundation

Website

https://proyectomirador.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Proyecto Mirador is a U.S. 501(c)(3) non-profit that builds and distributes improved biomass cookstoves (Dos Por Tres) to rural households in Honduras and Guatemala, funding operations through donations and Gold Standard voluntary carbon credit sales.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Clean Cookstove Distribution

NAICS

Power Boiler and Heat Exchanger Manufacturing (332410)

SIC

Heating Equipment, Except Electric & Warm Air Furnaces (3433)

akta.pro primary industry

Biomass Heating Systems (Commercial/Institutional Boilers) (EUAAAGAE)

akta.pro secondary industry

Emissions Control & Flue Gas Cleanup for Biomass Heat/Power (SCR/SNCR, ESP/Baghouse) (EUAAAGAK)

Keywords

• Improved cookstove programs
• Carbon credit projects
• Clean cooking solutions
• Biomass stove distribution
• Voluntary carbon offsets

Headquarters

HQ city

Greenbrae

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Carbon Credit Sales: Sells Gold Standard Verified Emission Reductions (VERs) on the voluntary carbon market. 100% of proceeds from carbon credit sales go to construct Dos Por Tres stoves in rural areas of Central America. First carbon credits sold to Tchibo in 2010-2011.
2. Donations: Accepts donations to fund stove construction. Donating a stove costs $100. 100% of donations go toward construction of stoves for the poorest families. No fees charged for U.S. operations.
3. Cool Effect Platform Partnership: Integrated into Cool Effect's portfolio, an online platform that gives people and companies the opportunity to reduce their carbon emissions by purchasing carbon credits from certified projects.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Proyecto Mirador constructs and installs the Dos Por Tres improved biomass cookstove directly in the kitchens of rural households in Honduras and Guatemala. Each stove is built with local materials contributed by beneficiaries under a co-investment (No Cuesta, No Cuida) model, with Mirador supplying specialized stove parts, technical expertise, installation, and post-installation monitoring. The stove reduces firewood consumption by approximately 50%, removes 47-90% of indoor particulate matter, and the resulting verified emission reductions are sold as Gold Standard carbon credits to fund continued construction.

Product overview

Proyecto Mirador is a U.S. 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that operates a single core product: the Dos Por Tres improved biomass cookstove, distributed in Honduras and Guatemala through a co-investment model. The offering centers on the stove itself (an improved cookstove that reduces firewood use by 50%, removes indoor air pollution, and saves trees) supported by complementary services including the "DEE LAWRENCE" Stove Research Center for continuous product improvement, stove monitoring and follow-up services via Salesforce-powered MRV (Monitoring, Reporting, Verification) systems, and ongoing maintenance support including the El Cinco cleaning tool. The organization does not operate a modular software platform; rather, the stove product is the primary offering with supporting operational infrastructure.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Dos Por Tres: Improved biomass cookstove model that removes toxic smoke from homes, reduces CO2 emissions, saves trees, and creates jobs. The Dos Por Tres stove reduces firewood consumption by half, removes 47% of particulate matter from homes, and saves 5-8 trees per year.

Products and services

• Dos Por Tres Improved Cookstove The Dos Por Tres is an improved biomass cookstove that reduces firewood consumption by approximately 50%, removes 47-90% of particulate matter (smoke and soot) from homes, saves 5-9 trees per household per year, and prevents approximately 7.2 tonnes of CO2e emissions over its 6-year lifetime. It is built in the kitchen of each beneficiary home using local materials contributed by the household under a co-investment model.
• "DEE LAWRENCE" Stove Research Center A dedicated testing laboratory at Mirador's Honduras headquarters that conducts stove performance tests under ISO 19867-1 protocol to improve thermal efficiency, heat transfer, and reduce pollutant emissions (CO2, CO, and particulate matter) from the Dos Por Tres stove, supporting continuous product improvement.
• Stove Maintenance Support Ongoing maintenance support provided to beneficiaries including the El Cinco cleaning tool, use and maintenance brochures, and a recommended maintenance schedule designed to extend the operational lifespan of the Dos Por Tres stove to 7-8 years.
• Stove Monitoring and Follow-up Service A three-visit supervision program (at 1, 7, and 14 months) conducted by direct employees to verify stove quality, installation, usage, and maintenance, supported by a Salesforce-powered MRV system that collects GPS coordinates, beneficiary data, and over 1 million field survey responses.

Named customers3 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

AI capability2 records

Feature6 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core, supporting, minor and foundational.

• Cool EffectcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2018Cool Effect is a San Francisco Bay Area 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to reducing carbon emissions. Integrated into their project portfolio since 2018-2019, allowing people and companies to purchase carbon credits from Proyecto Mirador through their platform. Returns more than 90% of each donation directly to project partners.
• Gold StandardcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGold Standard was established in 2003 to ensure carbon reduction projects present highest levels of environmental integrity and contribute to sustainable development. Proyecto Mirador has been Gold Standard certified since 2009 (4th cookstove project worldwide).
• Aprovecho Research CentercoreTechnology or IntegrationNon-profit specializing in interactive experimental design of wood stoves through rapid prototyping, thermal and emissions measurements. Provided training at Oregon facility. Partnered to build on-site stove testing laboratory at Mirador headquarters with LEMS technology. DEE LAWRENCE Stove Research Center established based on this partnership.
• SalesforcecoreTechnology or IntegrationLeading CRM software and cloud services provider. Partnered since 2011 to deliver best-in-practice MRV and manage operational workflow. Salesforce Einstein AI implemented for stove monitoring since 2020-2021.
• Mogli TechnologiessupportingTechnology or IntegrationSalesforce Partner since 2011, developer of Mogli SMS - a Salesforce native application with end-to-end encryption for secure communication. Provides technology supporting nonprofit and mission-driven organizations like Mirador.
• SAJOMA Climate Technical ConsultingsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerClimate technical consulting providing support and expert advice for evaluation, development, and certification of emission reduction projects. Works closely with Mirador to provide technical solutions throughout carbon certification and verification lifecycle.
• Climate SolutionssupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerSpecializes in solutions and advice to address climate change and sustainability challenges. Conducted Health Impact Study (ADALYs) measuring exposure to indoor air pollution with Dos Por Tres cookstove vs traditional stoves.
• SEI (Stockholm Environment Institute)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational environmental research and policy organization dedicated to addressing global sustainability challenges. Uses interdisciplinary approach combining science, economics, and policy analysis.
• UNAM (Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerDedicated to quality academic training and internationally recognized for excellence in research. Within UNAM, Center for Research in Environmental Geography (CIGA) provides study and analysis of geographical and environmental processes.
• National Audubon SocietyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIn 2016-2017, 50 Dos Por Tres stoves installed in Cookscumb Protected Area in Belize in partnership with National Audubon Society. First stove construction program outside the country.
• FUNDESURsupportingChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHonduran organization that collaborates with Proyecto Mirador to improve health of families in southern Honduras. Helps beneficiaries acquire local construction materials.
• Municipality of El Chol, Baja VerapazsupportingChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorGuatemala municipality partnership for health improvement and environmental care in municipality. Helps provide local materials to beneficiaries.
• Habitat for HumanitysupportingChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorInternational housing organization that partners with Proyecto Mirador as an excellent alternative to promote environmental rescue, providing households multiple benefits through Dos Por Tres stove.
• OCHO (Organization for Community Health Outreach)foundationalStrategic or Co-development PartnerMedical brigade organization that connected to Honduras through the Episcopal Church. Their medical clinic discovered respiratory problems from traditional stoves, leading to the founding of Proyecto Mirador in 2004.

Scale indicators19 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• BURN Manufacturing: East Africa-based improved cookstove manufacturer with carbon credit program. Operates the same biomass cookstove + voluntary carbon market revenue model and competes for corporate carbon credit buyers in the same buyer ecosystem.
• Envirofit International: U.S.-headquartered improved cookstove and clean cooking social enterprise distributing across multiple developing markets including Central America. Closely comparable business model combining product distribution with carbon credit revenue.
• CleanCook / BioLite: Improved biomass and clean cookstove provider operating across East Africa and Latin America. Direct competitor in the same product category (improved biomass stoves for low-income households), targeting the same SDG/carbon credit outcomes.

Emerging players

• Greenway Appliances: Improved cookstove provider focused on South and Southeast Asia. Comparable business model combining efficient biomass stoves with carbon credit monetization and rural distribution networks.
• Climate Focus (cookstove portfolio): Climate consultancy and cookstove project developer active in Latin America. Overlapping with Mirador in Gold Standard cookstove project development, MRV, and voluntary carbon market positioning.

Others

• Gold Standard Foundation: Voluntary carbon market standard-setter that certifies Mirador's VERs. Not a competitor but a key enabling partner — comparable as it sets the integrity bar Mirador must clear and influences pricing across all improved cookstove credits.
• Cool Effect: Carbon credit marketplace that has listed Proyecto Mirador since 2018-2019. Not a product peer but a key distribution channel and ecosystem participant for monetizing cookstove carbon credits.
• Aprovecho Research Center: Non-profit specializing in cookstove R&D and emissions testing. Long-time partner that trained Mirador staff and supported the DEE LAWRENCE lab. Functions as a technology/R&D enabler rather than a competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/proyectomirador
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/proyecto-mirador
• TikToktiktok.com/@proyectomirador

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Proyecto Mirador