On September 25, 2025, ICLEI South America, in partnership with the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MCTI), WRI Brazil, and the Municipality of Teresina, promoted the CiBiX – City-Business Accelerator Workshop, with funding from the Global Environment Facility through the UrbanShift program, a global platform that brings together leaders and institutions committed to sustainable development and integrated urban planning. Held at the Museum of Image and Sound of Teresina, the meeting brought together representatives of public authorities, experts, startups, and partner organizations to discuss and create solutions to help address the challenge of extreme urban heat.

The workshop is part of the innovation agenda, an area in which ICLEI has a well-established track record. Through ICLEI Innovation, the organization has been driving the sustainable development of cities, supporting startups and innovative solutions focused on local territories, always in alignment with the main global sustainability agendas.

A space for dialogue and co-creation.

The opening ceremony was attended by authorities such as Luís André, City Councilor of Teresina; Leonardo Madeira, Coordinator of the Teresina 2030 Agenda; Jaqueline de Carvalho, Director of Urban Planning and Land Regularization of the Timon City Hall; David Peixoto, National Coordinator of the CITinova I and II Projects; and Rodrigo Perpétuo, Executive Secretary of ICLEI South America, reinforcing the event's relevance in strengthening strategic partnerships to address extreme urban heat. The program also included contextualization sessions on this challenge, a roundtable discussion on partnership and financing models, and presentations of innovative solutions by selected startups.

• Gaia XS, represented by João Lopes;
• Ninho do Verde Soluções Ambientais, represented by Lígia Rocha;
• Cognitiva Soluções em Software, represented by João Pedro Vieira;
• Verde Link, represented by João Antônio Alves;
• Fonte Viva, represented by Andressa Maria and Wenner Batista.

In the afternoon, participants were divided into working groups to assess the applicability of these solutions in Teresina, discussing technical, economic, social, and environmental aspects, as well as ways to make their implementation feasible through cooperation between different sectors.

“Participating in CiBiX was a great opportunity to showcase the potential of our idea to various interested people, and it was important to talk and understand more about climate change with the support of ICLEI, which is helping many people on this journey,” declared Wenner Batista, creator of the Fonte Viva initiative.

Innovation and local impact

The workshop represented a fundamental step in transforming ideas into concrete partnerships capable of improving urban thermal comfort and the quality of life for the population. As Rodrigo Perpétuo highlighted, “Five highly applicable solutions to combat extreme heat were presented, coming from the innovation sector and startups or civil society initiatives. I am certain that this is the path to bringing the public and private sectors closer together to face the climate crisis. ICLEI is very pleased to foster this activity within the scope of UrbanShift in Teresina.”.

This initiative reinforces the commitment of the capital of Piauí to its 2030 Agenda, positioning the city as a national reference in tackling extreme heat and in the search for sustainable and inclusive solutions.