Cooling is no longer a matter of convenience. In a rapidly warming world, it is a matter of survival. One truth is undeniable: the future of food security will be shaped by the strength of post-harvest value chains, and cold storage stands at their core.

Across the globe, new solutions are bringing cooling closer to farms, often powered by renewable energy. The Your Virtual Cold Chain Assistant (Your VCCA) initiative is working to strengthen this backbone, making cold storage more accessible and affordable for farmers and entrepreneurs in low- and middle-income countries.

Since its launch in 2021, the Your VCCA initiative has pioneered Cooling-as-a-Service across India, Nigeria, Guinea-Bissau, and Iraq, making cold storage accessible through pay-per-use models, digital tools, and open-source software. From the Coldtivate app that helps farmers monitor shelf life and access markets by linking producers with buyers, to tailored pilots and training in diverse regions, Your VCCA has built a proven, scalable model that reduces food loss, strengthens livelihoods, and fosters climate-resilient agriculture.

Drawing on this wealth of experience – from testing business models and deploying projects, to engaging farmers, companies, and financiers across regions – Your VCCA is now convening the Global Summit to bring together these perspectives and address the key topics of how to scale cold rooms-as-a-service and harness digitalisation to reinforce cold chains worldwide.

It is our pleasure to announce the first Global Your VCCA Summit will be taking place online on 22 October 2025. The day-long event will bring together donors, investors, farmers, and innovators from Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean to explore how sustainable cooling can transform agriculture, strengthen markets, and unlock new opportunities for climate change adaptation.

What to Expect

A distinguished faculty of internationally recognised leaders will present a comprehensive programme that includes:

• Deep-dive sessions on bankable solar cold rooms and financing models at scale,
  
• Technical presentations on GHG assessment and leveraging performance data for credit access, and
  
• An Innovation Arena, showcasing fundable ideas at the cutting edge of post-harvest and food systems. This session will bring together investors and innovators to provide a unique opportunity for meeting, pitching impactful concepts and getting feedback from expert financiers. Interested in presenting your project? Apply here.
  

Together, we will confront a central question: How can cooling solutions endure, grow, and scale equitably, creating prosperity for all?

👉 Register today and join global leaders at the Summit to shape resilient, sustainable cold chains that last.

Partners & Organisers

BASE Foundation and Empa gratefully acknowledge the generous support of the ClimateWorks Foundation in making this event possible.