In 2018, global carbon emissions jumped to an all-time high of 37.1 billion tonnes. This means emissions are heading in the opposite direction from the deep cuts urgently needed to fight climate change. Meanwhile, the current Paris agreement pledges from nations will only limit global warming to a 3C increase, while even a partial rise of 1.5C would spell disaster for many people.
Concerned with the urgency to create effective mechanisms to combat climate change by involving the whole society, Juan Tomás Rodrígo Gómez decided to launch his own project in Murcia (Spain): BluO2. His main goal was to contribute to the sustainability of the planet, with an initiative that seeks to make a positive change by using a new system to offset the global carbon footprint.
“Years ago, I was thinking about the enormous growth of online shopping worldwide and how it was becoming an important factor in global warming. And when free shipping and returns became standard, I felt the need to do something: if it was possible for organizations to reduce greenhouse gases through proven mechanisms compensating for the carbon footprint generated, why not bring these tools to the individual level?”
That is why BluO2 developed the technology to measure, reduce, and offset the carbon footprint produced from these harmful gases, with a single click while supporting projects that reduce atmospheric CO2, mitigate poverty and are certified with the strictest international standards.
“After going through my environmental studies I became very attached to nature and social commitment. Working as a cooperant in Latin America for several years, I understood that some problems can only be tackled following the maxim “think globally and act locally”, explains Juan Tomás Rodrígo Gómez.
And because fighting climate change is not the only goal, BluO2 also has an internal double objective: transparency and social utility. Transparency that allows the users to feel absolutely certain about the fate of their contributions and their impact beyond the compensation itself. Being transparent also meant committing to making BluO2’s accounts public while allocating the majority of their profits to projects that help the planet and the people who inhabit it.
The Struggle to Finding the Right Methodology
But the challenges of starting a project like this from scratch are numerous. From the first decision to bet on an idea to actually materializing it, the road of entrepreneurship is long and paved with uncertainty, work, learning, and more work. From the beginning, Juan Tomás decided to dedicate himself fully to BluO2.
As a consequence, he suffered the anguish of seeing how his savings were melting without knowing if he would ever get any kind of income. He spent countless hours at home in front of the computer but was wasting most of his time and effort as he didn’t know the proper steps to take and the existing mechanisms for it.
“When I started to work on the project, I did it by following certain guidelines that I compiled and that soon proved insufficient. So I felt the need to adjust to a methodology that would give me a safe path so that my efforts would be well channeled and as effective as possible. That’s when I stumbled upon Bridge for Billions which appeared in a search and ended up being part of their incubation program, The Leap, almost without realizing it”, explains Juan Tomás Rodrígo Gómez.
Initially looking for a mentor to walk him through all the work that lay ahead, he didn’t imagine everything he would learn as well: value proposition, customers, competition, partners, sales and distribution, prices, business model, growth and financing … BluO2 was even elected “Best project” and won a 1000 euros prize! This seed capital will allow them to develop a new website, and work on other products that allow universal carbon footprint offset services so that individuals and organizations can fight climate change more efficiently.
“To build solid foundations for a project, you need to define and develop a lot of themes. Bridge for Billions really allowed me to do so, using an intuitive tool and with the continuous support of a trusted and qualified mentor. Without The Leap, it would have taken me years to do what I have done in just four months ”
