QuickBytes: This cleantech firm is changing mindsets and taking on climate change

Founded in 2013 by Cliff Siaw in Malaysia, Progressture Solar is a clean energy provider and net zero partner. The firm focuses on solutions to commercial and industrial clients in areas such as the development of solar energy projects, renewable energy certification, and carbon credits. In 2020, Ng Yew Weng came on board as the firm’s other co-founder.

Cliff Siaw and Ng Yew Weng / Photo credit: Progressture Solar

Progressture Solar participated in the Summer 2022 edition of Tech in Asia School’s Fundraising Program.

Siaw, who serves as the startup’s CEO, talks about the inspiration behind the launch of Progressture Solar and the challenges it has faced so far.

This interview has been edited for clarity and brevity.

What problem are you trying to solve?

Progressture Solar is committed to supporting a green economy and meeting the goal of keeping global warming below 1.5 °C. We believe that the commercial and industrial sector plays a crucial role in achieving net zero.

The world is facing a climate emergency, where carbon emissions have been identified as a major factor contributing to the global climate crisis. With businesses struggling to hit their sustainability targets and facing difficulties in reducing their carbon emissions, we provide a go-to solution for businesses by offering ownership of renewable energy assets while advising them on sustainable operations.

Our goal is to tackle the climate emergency and move towards net zero by empowering industrial decarbonization.

What is the greatest struggle your company has faced?

As the adverse effects of climate change can be felt and seen around the globe, we live in a time when it is more important than ever to make sustainable choices and consider our impact on the environment. This shift has put pressure on many industries to be more sustainable. Unfortunately, companies struggle with sustainability efforts and find it hard to achieve their sustainability targets.

The challenge for us is this: Companies claim to be committed to environmental, social, and governance (ESG), sustainability, and net zero goals, but when it comes to taking concrete actions, they are hesitant and shy away.

We have also encountered a number of companies that claim to be eco-conscious and sustainable but the truth is, they’re not. Even when evidence of climate change is clear, there is a lot of greenwashing by companies, corporations, financial institutions, and investors. What many companies and industries fail to understand is how urgently they need to act and reduce their carbon emissions to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050.

How do you intend to overcome this hurdle?

We believe that a solid and carefully formulated strategic plan is the key to success. We are equipped with relentless and unwavering efforts to deliver above and beyond, achieving high revenue growth and profitability, primarily by attracting investments from large non-financial corporations.

The Progressture Solar team / Photo credit: Progressture Solar

For this to happen, it starts with instilling the right mindset and values in our team members to ensure that we are all working towards a common goal by collaborating closely with the team every day to address and resolve any issues that may arise. We also dedicate a lot of resources to the sales team to deliver the right narrative to the market, delivering products and packages at the right price point and pricing strategy.

With environmental sustainability as the top priority in our operations, we aim to help improve awareness and educate our value chain so that we can progress together. We are looking forward to educating businesses and investors not just on the climate crisis, but also on the financial benefits of clean energy transitions.

What has helped you keep going during these tough times?

Climate change is real. As advocates for a greener future, our journey comes with obstacles that drive us to become more resilient and strive to reach our goals. What keeps us going is the relentless belief that we have the strength and power to make a difference to reduce carbon emissions and save the planet.

The journey we are on has also been strengthened by those around us who have believed in our cause since the beginning and continue to support us today. Yew Weng and I are also fortunate enough to have each other as business partners, enabling us to act as a sounding board for different perspectives in our daily operations.

What are you looking forward to in 2023 and on the road ahead?

We plan to enhance our visibility in the market by increasing our marketing efforts. This involves bolstering our marketing strategy, execution, and regional brand presence.

In the year ahead, we will be focusing on internal and external efforts such as institutionalizing improvements within our organization, introducing new cleantech solutions to the market, and continuing our green efforts.

Finally, as an enabler for a greener future, our goal is to build an ecosystem where everyone can work together and play their part in combating climate change.