Scaling Climate Impact Through Strategic Partnership
How Cadence Design Systems and Clinton Health Access Initiative are revolutionizing cooling technology for the global South
Photo Credit: t Penguin on Unsplash
The Assignment
Cadence Design Systems engaged Platypus Advisors to create a signature impact initiative under the Cadence Giving Foundation (CGF), focused on climate and sustainability. The goal: to design a program that leverages Cadence’s technical expertise, fosters collaboration, and delivers measurable environmental and social outcomes in the global South.
The Context
Challenge
Rising demand for air conditioning in the global South is contributing significantly to greenhouse gas emissions. Yet, many next-generation, low-emission cooling technologies are not accessible or affordable due to market failures, high costs, regulatory barriers, and lack of product innovation.
Opportunity
Cadence has advanced computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modeling tools and relevant product-team expertise. CHAI (Clinton Health Access Initiative) brings deep experience in working with governments, manufacturers, and public health systems. Together, they can shape markets and drive system-level change.
Photo Credit: Eric Lafforgue / Art in All of Us / Getty Images
Our Role & Process
Landscape & Opportunity Analysis
Conducted in-depth research into climate impact of cooling, market dynamics, regulatory environments, cost barriers.
Benchmarking case studies: what low-emission cooling initiatives are working elsewhere, what pitfalls to avoid.
Idea Generation & Iteration
Generated multiple initiative proposals (e.g. product innovation grants; policy/regulation advocacy; financing mechanisms)
Hosted workshops with Cadence product teams, CHAI, and external experts to test feasibility and alignment with capacity and impact potential.
Partner & Stakeholder Alignment
Identified CHAI as the nonprofit partner; engaged with relevant manufacturers, governments, NGOs.
Defined scope: where to pilot, what technologies to support, what risk-sharing is possible.
“Platypus came on at the very beginning when nothing was done — they ultimately started the social impact function from 0 to 10.”
-Nicole Johnson, Global Director of Social Impact, Cadence Design Systems
The Outcome
The engagement resulted in the launch of a multi-year partnership between Cadence and the Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI) to accelerate the proliferation of affordable, clean cooling technologies in low- and middle-income countries most burdened by climate change. Through the Cadence Giving Foundation, Cadence is serving as both a catalyst funder and a technology partner—providing its Fidelity™ Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) tools to advance the research and design of next-generation, higher-efficiency air conditioners. CHAI is leveraging its global relationships with major manufacturers and policymakers to help reshape the air conditioning market, while a broader coalition of NGOs and governments works to address systemic barriers such as financing, regulation, and consumer awareness.
The Impact
This partnership is positioned to reshape one of the fastest-growing contributors to global emissions: residential cooling. By coupling Cadence’s technical innovation with CHAI’s proven market-shaping strategies, the collaboration is designed to accelerate the transition to next-generation cooling that reduces emissions while protecting vulnerable populations from acute heat stress. The work underscores a key lesson: durable climate solutions require both breakthrough technologies and systemic interventions that shift entire markets toward resilience and equity.