Henua Technologies

Climate Circle Q&A with cofounder Octavio Zapata (HBS '01)

• What inspired you to start your venture?

  In early 2023, I joined the How to Create a Climate Venture class at the Harvard Innovation Labs, having the intention to help with the planet climate crisis. As an experienced tech business executive, I had been reflecting for quite some time that one of the most rewarding times in my career, happened a decade ago. I implemented some very large pioneer recycling programs. They were unrelated to the core business of the company, however I felt very proud because I helped the environment and the business. The recycling program, a circular economy case as it would be called today, turned out to be very profitable, loved by customers, business partners and the market. Of course, the results came as a surprise to many executives who believed corporate sustainability was pure cost.

  Fast-forwarding ten years, early into How to Create a Climate Venture, I came to realize that many executives still debate between business performance and the cost of environmental compliance. There are still no tools to steer corporate sustainability in a way that meets both, economic performance, and environmental compliance targets. Henua Technologies was born. Our software would combine environmental management technology, innovation, and business intelligence for companies of all sizes to implement sustainability, compliance, and process transformation programs that are efficient and profitable. They would meet their strategic, economic, environmental and sustainability goals.

• What impact are you hoping to achieve?

  We want to accelerate the adoption of carbon neutral processes and business models by enabling companies to implement corporate sustainability, compliance and process transformation agendas that are efficient and profitable. This way we help the planet and the economy.

• What’s the hardest part about building your venture?

  Onboarding customers to seize the opportunity. We have great technology, signed international customers, brought on board our first employees, yet it is hard for a small team based in Chile to add customers throughout America. Our growth has been organic, but at this stage we need to raise funding to optimize the opportunity.

• Have you always been involved in climate work, or did you transition into the field?

  I transitioned. I was a tech CEO who thought a successful company is one that meets economic, environmental, and social goals. Such goals need to be meaningful and at the core of the business. By experience, I knew corporate sustainability programs could be profitable and strategic, but there is a lack of tools to make it happen easily. As the climate crisis increased, I decided to develop a SaaS—a Corporate Sustainability Suite—to enable business executives to implement sustainability programs that are profitable and help companies achieve their economic, environmental, and social goals.

• What’s the craziest (or most unexpected) moment so far?

  My cofounder Juan Manuel and I casually attended an entrepreneur’s founding event. We were there to see, learn, maybe meet a fund executive. At the event, by mistake, I was signed on as a potential investor. We then were invited to meet, and were pitched by, more fund executives than we would have ever imagine!

• What’s been one of the coolest moments in your journey?

  Onboarding customers to seize the opportunity. We have great technology, signed international customers, brought on board our first employees, yet it is hard for a small team based in Chile to add customers throughout America. Our growth has been organic, but at this stage we need to raise funding to tackle the opportunity.

• What lesson have you learned that you wish you could save future climate founders from having to learn themselves?

  Customer acquisition may take longer than expected. This is not necessarily because of business model or product; startup dynamics and other factors can also slow you down. So, prepare yourself for it.