Alba Forns Joins The Cartier Women’s Initiative to Expand Access to Clean Energy Financing

Santa Cruz, CA – March 2026 - Alba Forns, Co-Founder of Climatize, has been selected as a 2026 Cartier Women’s Initiative fellow, recognizing her commitment to addressing the financing gap for small and mid-sized renewable energy projects through a community-driven investment platform.

Chosen among applicants from around the world, Alba Forns represents the North America category of the 2026 Cartier Women’s Initiative Awards, which celebrate women entrepreneurs using business as a force for positive change.

About Your Initiative

Climatize was founded in 2021 to address a critical bottleneck in the energy transition: access to capital for distributed and community-scale renewable energy projects. Through its SEC-registered funding portal, Climatize enables individuals to directly support the development of solar, battery storage, EV charging, and energy efficiency projects across the United States

Key highlights of the initiative include:

• Over $15 million facilitated across 35 renewable energy projects

• A growing community of over 3,500 investors 

• A technology-driven underwriting and project onboarding system that reduces friction and expands access to capital

By combining financial innovation, technology, and community engagement, Climatize contributes to accelerating the deployment of clean energy infrastructure and democratizing access to climate investment opportunities.

“Access to capital remains one of the biggest barriers to scaling clean energy, especially for smaller projects that are often overlooked by traditional financing. At Climatize, we are building a model where communities can directly participate in funding the infrastructure that powers their future,” said Alba Forns, Co-Founder of Climatize.

“Being part of the Cartier Women’s Initiative is an opportunity to learn from and grow alongside a global community of women who are tackling some of the world’s most pressing challenges.”

“We are delighted to welcome Alba Forns to the Cartier Women’s Initiative community. Through Climatize, she exemplifies how entrepreneurship can drive meaningful, positive change. We look forward to supporting her journey and celebrating the impact she is creating.”

About the Cartier Women’s Initiative

The Cartier Women’s Initiative is an international entrepreneurship program established in 2006 to support women impact entrepreneurs who are building a more inclusive society for generations to come.

Since its inception, the program has been dedicated to identifying and accompanying women whose businesses address some of the world’s most pressing social and environmental challenges. Through a comprehensive approach combining financial support, access to a global network and tailored leadership development, the Cartier Women’s Initiative enables fellows to scale their businesses while strengthening their capacity to lead and create lasting impact.

Over the years, the initiative has grown into a vibrant international community of more than 520 community members, united by a shared ambition to drive meaningful change within their respective ecosystems.

At its core, the Cartier Women’s Initiative is guided by a set of enduring convictions: the belief that women are powerful agents of transformation, that talent is universal, while opportunities are not, that continuous learning is essential to progress and that sustainable impact is rooted in a deep commitment to the communities it serves.

About the 2026 Edition – Celebrating 20 Years

The 2026 edition of the Cartier Women’s Initiative marks the program’s 20th anniversary, a milestone that reflects two decades of commitment to supporting women entrepreneurs who are leveraging business as a force for good.

This anniversary edition is placed under the theme of Lighting the Path, a tribute to the women who bring clarity, courage and determination to the world, and who actively shape vision into tangible impact that drive meaningful changes.

The Awards Ceremony, to be held on June 10, 2026, in Bangkok, Thailand, will bring together 30 fellows across 10 award categories, including 9 regional awards and the Science & Technology Pioneer Award, which recognizes groundbreaking solutions built on distinctive scientific or technological advances.

About Cartier

A reference in the world of luxury, Cartier, whose name is synonymous with open-mindedness and curiosity, stands out with its creations and reveals beauty wherever it may lie. Jewellery, high jewellery, watchmaking and fragrances, leather goods and accessories: Cartier's creations symbolize the convergence between exceptional craftsmanship and a timeless signature. Cartier is part of Richemont and has a worldwide presence through its network of flagships and boutiques, authorised retail partners, and online. 

Cartier.com 

For information about the Cartier Women’s Initiative: www.cartierwomensinitiative.com