Zero by Fifty

What Zero by Fifty does

Zero by Fifty (zbf / zero.by.fifty) is a sustainability-focused business incubator and accelerator that discovers, incubates, and scales startups across packaging, food and beverage, water, cooling technology, energy storage, biotechnology, and logistics IoT. It applies a proprietary "Three M Approach" (Markets, Mentorship, Money) and a Three-Step Plan to move companies from validation to scale, supported by its sister platform Ubuntoo — an AI-powered sustainability knowledge engine — and by execution entities including Marcaps LLC (Mexico) and Zero by Fifty Ventures (capital). The firm operates from offices in Atlanta, Amsterdam, Mexico City, and Bogota, giving portfolio founders transatlantic access to enterprise buyers and channel partners.

The firm's underlying platform combines manual acceleration services (mentorship, corporate introductions, market-entry support) with strategic capital deployment and partnership facilitation. Ubuntoo provides a data layer for sustainability-sector matchmaking, while ZBF itself contributes operator-led diligence, governance support, and direct introductions to a corporate partner base that includes AB InBev, Johnson & Johnson, Postobon, Ericsson, and Caterpillar. Portfolio activity ranges from long-dated engagements (BoxLock since 2014) to recent 2024 seed and equity positions (NanoFreeze, Best Planet Science).

Zero by Fifty generates revenue through a mix of advisory and professional services to corporates, equity investments in portfolio companies (minority positions with board participation), and transaction-related fees tied to introductions and channel arrangements. Specific pricing, AUM, management-fee economics, and revenue are not disclosed, and the firm appears to operate as a private, for-profit entity with a small senior team of ~13 identified professionals spanning CPG, beverage, retail, and accelerator backgrounds.

Name

Zero by Fifty

Legal name

Zero by Fifty

Website

https://zerobyfifty.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Zero by Fifty is a sustainability-focused incubator and accelerator that discovers, incubates, and scales startups in packaging, food and beverage, water, cooling, energy storage, biotech, and logistics, using its Three M Approach to serve corporate partners and portfolio founders across the Americas and Europe.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Sustainability Consulting and Cleantech Incubation

akta.pro primary industry

Decarbonization Strategy & Marginal Abatement Cost Curve (MACC) Advisory (EUABAKAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Net-Zero Target Setting & SBTi/Net-Zero Standard Support (EUABAKAA), Circular Economy & Waste/Materials Reporting (Zero waste, packaging) (EUAHAJAL)

Keywords

• Sustainability consulting
• Cleantech incubation
• Startup acceleration
• Climate venture capital
• Net zero advisory

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Professional Services - Mentorship & Advisory: Zero by Fifty provides expert business support including marketing and commercial capability development, product strategy, sales team structure, technology consulting, and personalized 1:1 coaching with founders. They offer ongoing advisory support to help startups secure future rounds of capital.
2. Capital Investment: Direct capital investment for early-stage startups through equity positions. They develop capital structure strategies, prepare investor pitches, and leverage their extensive investor network to secure funding. Example: Zero by Fifty took an equity position in Best Planet Science and invested in BoxLock in 2014.
3. Strategic Partnership Development: Collaboration services where Zero by Fifty identifies high-value industrial applications, connects innovators with major corporate partners, and accelerates pilot deployments. They provide execution capability, sustainability frameworks, and market access for sustainability solutions.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Zero by Fifty is a sustainability-focused incubator and accelerator that helps discover, incubate, and scale early-stage sustainable startups through a proprietary 'Three M Approach' (Markets, Mentorship, Money) and a structured 3-step business transformation plan. The firm pairs corporate partners seeking to achieve net zero goals with vetted cleantech startups, delivers hands-on mentorship and commercial capability development to founders, and takes direct equity positions in portfolio companies.

Product overview

Zero by Fifty is a sustainability-focused business incubator and accelerator that operates a platform of services across three pillars (Markets, Mentorship, and Money) to help discover, incubate, and scale sustainable businesses. The company provides a structured Three-Step Plan methodology alongside capital investment and strategic partnerships to connect innovative sustainable technologies with corporate partners seeking decarbonization solutions. The portfolio includes partner companies focused on: energy systems (Alterno with sand battery thermal storage, Best Planet Science with hydrogen innovations), packaging (The Good Cup with patented paper cups, Notpla with seaweed-based materials, BioPlaster with sargassum bioplastics), food/beverage ingredients (Policane sustainable sweetener), water solutions (ALIS Biotecnología with algae-based water treatment, Best Planet Science's Vik-Sha water enhancement), cooling technology (NanoFreeze with bio-nanotechnology), and logistics IoT (BoxLock with smart locks). Zero by Fifty does not offer a software product or API; its offerings are advisory, mentorship, and investment services for sustainable innovation startups.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Ubuntoo: Environmental Solutions Platform that provides sustainability solutions and knowledge management services. Sister company to Zero.by.Fifty, leveraging Collective Intelligence (human expertise x AI) for environmental solutions.
• Zero by Fifty Ventures
• Marcaps LLC

Products and services

• Markets Service (Three M Approach)
• Mentorship Service (Three M Approach)
• Money Service (Three M Approach) - Capital Investment
• Three-Step Business Transformation Plan

Quantifiable outcome

• NanoFreeze achieved a 15x valuation increase through partnership with Zero by Fifty
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• UbuntoocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUbuntoo is a sister company to Zero.by.Fifty that provides sustainability solutions and knowledge management services through an advanced AI platform. Together they address the urgent need for scalable sustainable solutions through their accelerator program, combining Zero by Fifty's network with Ubuntoo's knowledge base and global expert network.
• Industry Leaders (Corporate Partners)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerZero by Fifty partners with industry leaders to articulate clear problems and challenges in delivering sustainability agendas. They help address those challenges and grow in new markets, helping startups design robust solutions and business models to deliver against corporate sustainability needs.
• Best Planet SciencecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerZero by Fifty formed a strategic partnership with Best Planet Science and took an equity position, aligning both organizations as long-term partners committed to turning breakthrough scientific innovations into real-world impact. Focus areas include water, advanced hydration, and functional beverages.
• NanoFreezecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerZero by Fifty played a crucial role in accelerating NanoFreeze's growth, raising over USD $600K in seed capital, assisting with IP protection, providing strategic customer development guidance, enhancing brand media presence, and facilitating international expansion. NanoFreeze achieved a 15x valuation increase.
• PolicaneflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerZBF assists Policane in market positioning, business development, and establishing connections with key brands. The alliance aims to advance the growth of low-glycemic, climate-friendly sugar alternatives, aligning with both companies' commitments to health and sustainability.
• ALIS BiotecnologíaflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerZero by Fifty provides the strategic platform, partnerships, and scaling power that allow ALIS's algae-based water regeneration technologies to reach real-world impact. Zero by Fifty identifies high-value industrial applications, connects ALIS with major corporate partners, and accelerates pilot deployments.
• NotplaflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to open new markets especially in North America and Latin America. Zero by Fifty supports Notpla's expansion of its seaweed-based biodegradable packaging solutions to new geographic markets.
• The Good CupflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerZero by Fifty played a crucial role in scaling The Good Cup through strategic customer development and partnership initiatives. By integrating The Good Cup into Zero by Fifty's Coffee RenewLab, the partnership promotes a fully sustainable coffee experience.
• BioPlaster ResearchflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerInvestment, mentorship and partnership to open new markets especially in Europe, North America and Latin America for BioPlaster's algae-based biomaterials and bioplastics from sargassum.
• AlternoflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerZBF will support the development of infrastructure and commercial networks necessary to bring Alterno's groundbreaking sand battery solutions to the Americas and Europe, starting with pilot projects in key agro-industrial and manufacturing sectors.
• Raval The AgencyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAn ally organization providing creative advertising services. Founder Guillermo Giménez y Brotons brings over 30 years of brand strategy experience from Coca-Cola and Unilever.
• Universidad de los AndesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner for research collaboration and talent development. Multiple team members and advisors are alumni or faculty.
• Accelerate2030minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProgram supporting NanoFreeze and ALIS Biotecnología through the Accelerate2030 initiative for sustainable innovation scaling.
• Research Institutions (UNAM, CIMAV, Tec de Monterrey, IPN, UCL, Oxford, ETH Zurich)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBioPlaster has research collaborations with multiple universities including Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Centro de Investigación en Materiales Avanzados, Tecnológico de Monterrey, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, University College London, University of Oxford, and ETH Zurich.
• Mailboxes EtceteraminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBoxLock formed a recent alliance with Mailboxes Etcetera to extend market reach and service capabilities for smart lock solutions.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• MassChallenge: Global zero-equity startup accelerator operating across multiple verticals and geographies. ZBF's advisor Dr. Ernesto Martinez was previously Head of Corporate Development & Innovation at MassChallenge, making it a direct comparable in the accelerator model with a similar multi-vertical, mentor-driven structure.
• New Energy Nexus: Global ecosystem of accelerators supporting clean-energy entrepreneurs across multiple continents including LATAM and Asia. Comparable as a geographically distributed climate-tech accelerator with a similar emerging-markets focus.
• Greentown Labs: Largest climate-tech startup incubator in North America, providing workspace, prototyping facilities, and corporate connections to clean-energy and climate startups. Directly comparable in serving early-stage climate ventures with a corporate matchmaking model.
• Elemental Excelerator: Climate-tech accelerator and investor that funds and scales startups addressing climate, energy, and sustainability challenges. Directly comparable as a dedicated climate-tech ecosystem builder with corporate partnership and equity-investment components.
• ClimateLaunchpad: Global green business ideas competition and accelerator operating in over 50 countries. Closely comparable in early-stage climate-startup identification, mentorship, and cross-border program delivery.
• South Pole: Climate consultancy and solutions provider helping corporates with decarbonization strategy, climate targets, and carbon markets. Overlaps with ZBF's corporate sustainability advisory work and portfolio approach to scaling climate solutions.

Broad incumbents

• Techstars: Global accelerator network running vertical and geography-specific programs including sustainability-focused cohorts. Broader incumbent that operates at significantly greater scale but applies a similar mentor-driven, equity-investing accelerator model.
• Y Combinator: Largest global startup accelerator with a sustainability/cleantech cohort and a long-form mentorship + equity investment model. Comparable as a benchmark accelerator with a much broader mandate and significantly larger AUM.
• SOSV (Climate / HAX programs): Multi-stage venture fund and accelerator running vertical-specific programs including sustainable/climate tracks. Comparable in combining accelerator operations with equity investing across hardware and sustainability startups.

Emerging players

• Watershed: Enterprise climate platform that helps corporates measure, report, and reduce emissions. Comparable to ZBF's corporate-facing sustainability services, though ZBF pairs this with venture incubation in a different go-to-market shape.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/zerobyfifty
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/zerobyfifty

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments1 record

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

Frequently asked questions about Zero by Fifty