Stavanger-based Desert Control combats climate change by halting desertification with its patented nanoclay technology. According to estimates from Desert Control, desertification, which is also called “soil death,” directly impacts the lives and livelihoods of more than 100 million people in Saharan Africa. Based on the results of successful pilots in Dubai the MASSIV organizers believe that Desert Control can play a significant role in building the Great Green Wall of the Sahara, a project that promises to improve health and prosperity for people in the area. “Winning the Lighthouse MASSIV program is an incredible honor, especially because there were so many other inspiring companies in our class. This program has been a huge opportunity for us. Thanks to Mastercard, we have already formed new strategic partnerships across the globe. It is absolutely fantastic that Mastercard chose a winner who is 100% within green innovation / agriculture & AgTech and climate technology, without being a FinTech, or directly financial services related in our innovation and market offering.” “Desert Control’s liquid nanoclay technology is a remarkable example of Nordic innovation that can make the world more prosperous and secure. MASSIV’s vision is to be an ‘impact unicorn factory’ that helps social impact companies scale through partnerships—and Desert Control is exactly the kind of company we are excited to support.” Unlike traditional accelerators and corporate innovation programs, Lighthouse MASSIV is free and focused primarily on global challenges. By partnering with startups that have high potential to improve the prosperity and security of the planet, MASSIV seeks to make inclusive growth a reality for those most in need. Other companies that took part in the MASSIV program include Jamii.one, a group savings app designed to empower women in Sub-Saharan Africa; Normative, a sustainability reporting software used by corporations and investors around the world; Hiveonline, a community finance platform designed to support financially excluded entrepreneurs; Aion Sigma, a company that provides affordable smartphones to those without credit or internet history; and Red Flash, a micro-taxation service aimed at empowering local governments in Africa. Mastercard, together with Invenio Growth, its partner in running Lighthouse, hopes to enhance all these companies through collaborations, thereby making the world a more prosperous and secure place. As winner of the program, Desert Control receives an invitation to pitch for Start Path, Mastercard’s global start-up engagement program You can follow Desert Control’s journey, and see startups selected for later classes, by following the program’s LinkedIn page. Agritech startup Desert Control wins Mastercard’s Lighthouse MASSIV program
Lighthouse MASSIV, Mastercard’s partnership program dedicated to finding and scaling the next impact unicorn, is pleased to announce Desert Control as its inaugural winner.
Ole Kristian Sivertsen
CEO Desert Control
Mats Taraldsson
Head of Digital Development and Fintech Engagement, Mastercard Nordics and Baltics