The Climate Impact Innovations Challenge (CIIC) 2026 today announced the nine finalists selected to advance to the next stage of Indonesia’s largest climate innovations tech competition. CIIC 2026 is presented by East Ventures, a pioneering and leading sector-agnostic venture capital firm in Southeast Asia; Temasek Foundation, a Singapore-based philanthropic organization that catalyzes sustainable development initiatives in Asia; and Tencent, a global technology leader recognized for developing innovative products and services that connect people and empower industries worldwide.
In its fourth edition, CIIC 2026 offers a total prize pool of Rp15 billion to support piloting and developing innovative climate solutions in Indonesia. Selected finalists will also have the opportunity to receive a special award of pre-purchased carbon credits worth up to US$1 million, further supporting the deployment and scaling of impactful climate solutions.
Following a rigorous evaluation process, nine high-potential solutions have been selected from more than 850 applications received from around 60 countries. Applications were distributed across the three competition tracks, with Circular Economy accounting for 38.2% of applications, followed by Food & Nature Solutions at 34.3% and Energy Transition at 27.5%. Indonesia recorded the highest number of applicants, followed by India, Singapore, the United States, and South Korea.
The nine finalists of Climate Impact Innovations Challenge 2026 are:
Energy Transition track:
- CRecTech (Singapore): Converts palm oil biogas into bio-methanol at 50% lower cost, cutting emissions by up to 93%.
- Phase Two Chemicals (China): Cuts pulp and paper bleaching costs by 25% and emissions by up to 80% with on-site hydrogen peroxide.
- Sun Ice Energy (Singapore): Solar-powered cold storage that reduces diesel use by up to 90% while providing up to 24 hours of off-grid cooling
Food & Nature Solutions track:
- Blueyou (Switzerland): Mangrove restoration on degraded land alongside feed- and chemical-free blue food production, while increasing smallholder farmer incomes by up to 3x.
- Pandawa Agri Indonesia (Indonesia): Integrated agricultural solution that reduces pesticide use by 50%, increases crop yields by 15%, and cuts emissions by up to 60%.
- Yagasu (Indonesia): Improving coastal livelihoods by up to 40% on nearly 40,000 hectares of mangroves, while generating carbon credits.
Circular Economy track:
- Macrocycle Technologies (USA): Textile-to-textile polyester recycling technology with 80% lower energy usage, 80% lower CO₂ emissions, and 99% less water usage, all at price parity.
- Naysor (South Korea): Converts palm oil waste into cleaner fuel with 99% less chlorine and 3× greater energy efficiency.
- Planet Carbon (Indonesia): Converts agricultural waste into biochar carbon removal, boosting crop yields by 23% while reducing fertilizer use and improving smallholder incomes.
“Congratulations to the nine finalists of Climate Impact Innovations Challenge 2026. This year’s participants have brought forward a diverse range of innovations addressing critical challenges across energy, food and nature, and circular economy. Through CIIC, we aim to provide a platform for innovators to gain greater exposure, connect with relevant ecosystem stakeholders, and further develop their solutions as they progress through the competition. We look forward to the next stage of CIIC 2026 and witnessing the ideas and approaches they bring to the Grand Finale,” said Avina Sugiarto, Partner at East Ventures.
The Nature-Based Solutions finalists demonstrate how innovation can protect and restore vital ecosystems while strengthening local livelihoods and advancing climate action. Guided by our Tech for Good value, Tencent is pleased to support these innovators in harnessing technology to develop and scale practical solutions that create lasting value for communities and the planet,” said Hao Xu, Vice President of Sustainable Social Value at Tencent
Over the next few months, ecosystem leaders will guide finalists, providing mentorship on forging strategic partnerships, developing go-to-market and commercialization plans, and sharpening their presentation skills.
Their final pitch will take place at the Climate Impact Innovations Challenge 2026 Grand Finale on 6 October 2026, hosted at the Indonesia International Sustainability Forum (IISF) 2026 in Jakarta, Indonesia. Registration for the forum is now open; it can be accessed at indonesiasustainabilityforum.co.id.
Climate Impact Innovations Challenge 2026 is supported by several partners, including Strategic Partner: Triputra Agro Persada, Investor Partner: Mana Impact, Sinarmas Agribusiness & Food, and many others.
For further information, interested parties can visit the CIIC website at climateimpactinnovations.com.
