This article was developed and published under the SET Alliance project, you can access the full version on the SET website here.

In 2024, the Your Virtual Cold Chain Assistant (Your VCCA) and Servetia initiatives, led by BASE Foundation and part of the SET Alliance, made significant progress in expanding the adoption of as-a-service models across different sectors. These flagship projects showcase how servitisation can drive sustainability, from enabling affordable and energy-efficient cold storage for farmers to accelerating decarbonisation in the Swiss building sector.

Your VCCA: Expanding Sustainable Cold Chains

Your VCCA promotes Cooling-as-a-Service (CaaS) for smallholder farmers, offering solar-powered cold storage facilities on a pay-per-use basis. Key 2024 milestones include:

• Guinea-Bissau Expansion: A new project launched to assess farmer needs, deploy solar-powered cooling units, and introduce the Coldtivate app to monitor produce shelf-life.
• Smart Cool Markets: A digital marketplace piloted in Nigeria, allowing farmers to connect with buyers through an app, increasing market access and reducing food waste.
• Onboarding Kit Development: A toolkit designed to help cooling companies integrate CaaS models, including assessment tools, pricing strategies, and capacity-building resources.

Servetia: Scaling Energy Efficiency in Switzerland

Servetia helps businesses transition to sustainable energy solutions through EaaS, allowing companies to pay for energy services rather than investing in costly infrastructure. Key developments include:

• Partnership with Zollikerberg Hospital: Supporting the adoption of photovoltaic systems, renewable heating, and LED retrofits while introducing servitisation through tailored workshops.
• Building Bridges Conference: A session featuring experts from the European Investment Bank (EIB), the Solar Impulse Foundation, and Servetia highlighted the role of servitisation and innovative financing in scaling low-carbon solutions.

As these projects continue to expand, they reinforce the potential of EaaS models to accelerate sustainability and unlock new investment opportunities globally.