Unblock (unblock.energy) is a technology company founded in 2021 that converts wasted energy—such as flared natural gas or curtailed renewables—into computing power by deploying modular data centers at remote energy sites, primarily in Latin America.[3][4] It serves energy producers facing infrastructure constraints, solving the problem of stranded energy resources while generating revenue and reducing emissions equivalent to 40,000 cars annually; the company has scaled rapidly to 15MW capacity in over a year and raised $13.5M in funding to expand.[3][4] A separate entity, Unblock Tech (unblocktech.com), founded in 2013 in Hong Kong, develops Android-based UBOX TV streaming boxes and UPAD tablets for expatriates and global users, providing perpetual free updates to over 2,000 channels without monthly fees via P2P and CDN networks.[1][2][5] This analysis focuses on the energy-compute Unblock due to its recent funding, growth in AI-driven trends, and alignment with sustainable tech innovation; the streaming Unblock operates in consumer hardware with established distribution in Asia and beyond.[1][5]
Unblock was founded in 2021 by Tomas Ocampo (CEO) amid Argentina's escalating gas flaring issues in regions like Vaca Muerta, where vast energy resources go unused due to infrastructure bottlenecks.[3][4] Ocampo identified the opportunity at the intersection of AI's surging compute demand and Latin America's underutilized energy, partnering with entities like Crusoe Energy Systems for flare gas tech and launching operations that now run the world's second-largest computing fleet at oil fields.[3][4] Early traction came from rapid scaling to 15MW in just over a year, de-risked by proven modular tech, leading to a $13.5M raise in 2024 led by Goldcrest Capital and Collaborative Fund, with backers like Pampa Energia and FJ Labs fueling regional expansion.[3]
Unblock rides the explosive growth of AI compute demand amid global energy constraints, timing perfectly with Latin America's bottlenecked resources—like Argentina's Vaca Muerta flares—and rising focus on sustainable data centers.[3][4] Market forces favoring it include AI's energy hunger (projected to rival national grids), regulatory pushes against flaring, and grid volatility from renewables; by turning waste into flexible demand, it influences the ecosystem through emission reductions, job creation, and partnerships like Crusoe, positioning Latin America as a compute hub.[3][4] This model de-risks energy producers while addressing Big Tech's off-grid needs, amplifying regional tech infrastructure.
Unblock's next phase involves doubling capacity by September 2025 via major projects, aggressive hiring, and local data center production to capture Latin America's stranded energy.[3] Trends like AI proliferation, carbon regulations, and modular edge computing will propel it, potentially evolving into a pan-regional elastic network that influences global sustainable compute standards—tying back to its core mission of transforming waste into the power driving AI's future.[3][4]
Unblock has raised $14.0M in total across 1 funding round.
Unblock's investors include Andreessen Horowitz, Craft Ventures, Goldcrest Capital, Lux Capital, Redpoint Ventures, Sequoia Capital, SNR.
Unblock has raised $14.0M across 1 funding round. Most recently, it raised $14.0M Seed in July 2025.
| Date | Round | Lead Investors | Other Investors |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 1, 2025 | $14.0M Seed | Andreessen Horowitz, Craft Ventures, Goldcrest Capital, Lux Capital, Redpoint Ventures, Sequoia Capital, SNR |
