Energy infrastructure startup Unblock has raised $13.5 million in a funding round, with proceeds to be used to expand its efforts to convert wasted energy into computing power across Latin America.
Founded in 2021, Unblock deploys modular data centers at remote energy sites and captures any gas that would otherwise be flared or curtailed renewable energy. The company has said its operations eliminate 142,000 tons of CO₂ annually while generating economic value for energy producers.
Tomas Ocampo, CEO and Founder of Unblock, said:
“We are building at the crossroads of AI’s explosive energy demand and Latin America’s vast bottlenecked energy resources. Latin America’s infrastructure constraints create the perfect breeding ground for flexible computing. We envision an elastic computing network that flexibilizes midstream infrastructure while also smoothing volatility in the power grid.”
Driven by Argentina’s escalating flaring issues, Unblock has rapidly scaled and now operates the world’s second-largest computing fleet at oil field facilities. Two major upcoming projects are set to double the company’s capacity by September.
The funding will support Unblock’s continued expansion across the region, with aggressive hiring underway and local vertical integration of its data center production. The company is positioned at the intersection of rising compute demand and Latin America’s underutilized energy resources.
The round was led by venture capital fund Goldcrest Capital and Collaborative Fund, and also included participation from Pampa Energia, Grupo Sielecki, FJ Labs, NYDIG, Luxor Technology, Sunna Ventures, and a selection of Latin American entrepreneurs.
Dan Friedland, Managing Partner at Goldcrest Capital, said:
“The combination of already de-risked technology with strong local execution makes [Unblock] uniquely positioned to capture Latin America’s massive stranded energy opportunity. Their growth from 0 to 15MW in just over a year speaks volumes about their ability to execute.”
