Blue Frontier: Disrupting Air Conditioning

Serial entrepreneur Daniel Betts founded Blue Frontier in South Florida to offer a climate-friendly solution to increase air conditioning efficiency and dehumidify using new technology he developed. Backed by significant venture capital, Blue Frontier had to choose which segment of a complex industry to enter that would help with rapid scaling to create a new industry giant. Betts focused on commercial buildings and an alternative to rooftop units at a premium price for greater efficiency, demonstrating the product on government buildings (U.S. Defense Department), a Waffle House restaurant, and an arena in Canada. As 2025 began, Betts and team wondered how to accelerate progress in light of political backlash against incentives for climate change solutions, considering alternatives including cooling as a service, consulting to building owners, units for data centers, and a “Florida surge” to get Blue Frontier units installed on many buildings by offering financial help. How could the company build demand for a premium-priced product that was difficult to understand?