Climate Impact Innovations Challenge is back with the largest prize pool of Rp15 billion and a new partner on board

The Climate Impact Innovations Challenge (CIIC) returns for its fourth edition with a boosted prize pool of Rp15 billion – up by Rp5 billion. Presented by East Ventures, a pioneering and leading sector-agnostic venture capital firm that has supported over 300 tech companies across Southeast Asia, Temasek Foundation, a Singapore-based philanthropic organization that supports sustainable development initiatives in Asia, and the addition of Tencent as a new presenting partner, a global technology leader recognized for developing innovative products and services that connect people and empower industries worldwide, CIIC continues to strengthen its position as Indonesia's largest climate tech innovations competition. 

This year, CIIC 2026 is committed to offering a special award of pre-purchase carbon credits worth up to US$1 million to the selected finalists, supporting the development and deployment of impactful climate solutions. These solutions aim to address pressing ecological challenges and help mitigate the impacts of climate change. 

“We are honored to once again present CIIC 2026, which reflects our strong belief that technology and entrepreneurship are powerful drivers of climate solutions. Over the years, CIIC has become a platform that empowers innovators to transform bold ideas into scalable solutions addressing Indonesia’s most pressing environmental challenges. By bringing together founders, investors, and ecosystem partners, we aim to accelerate the development and adoption of climate technologies that can create meaningful and lasting impacts,” said Avina Sugiarto, Partner at East Ventures.

“The Climate Impact Innovations Challenge has, over the years, grown in a powerful and catalytic platform driving real-world sustainability innovations in Indonesia and across Asia. This year, we are scaling our ambition with a larger prize pool and stronger support to accelerate this journey. Temasek Foundation is proud to partner East Ventures once again and to welcome Tencent onboard –   together, we aim to help more innovators turn bold ideas into meaningful impact for People and the Planet,“ said Heng Li Lang, Head, Climate & Liveability, Temasek Foundation.

“At Tencent, we are committed to driving lasting, positive change by using technology as a force for good. We are proud to collaborate with East Ventures and Temasek Foundation on CIIC 2026 to advance climate innovation and scale high-potential solutions across markets. Together, we aim to nurture a more resilient and forward-looking climate innovation ecosystem benefiting communities. We look forward to empowering the next generation of innovators through the partnerships this platform will forge,” said Dr. Xu Hao, Vice President of Sustainable Social Value, Tencent. 

This year, CIIC 2026 focuses on three tracks, which include:  

• Energy Transition: Innovative solutions that promote renewable energy adoption, sustainable mobility systems, and efficient resource use. The goal is to enable inclusive, cost-effective energy transitions that benefit communities and industries. 
• Food & Nature Solutions: Innovative nature-based solutions that promote across terrestrial and blue carbon ecosystems that conserve, restore, or improve ecosystems, including climate-resilient agriculture that advances sustainable food systems. The goal is to enable inclusive strategies that ensure food security and restore ecological balance. 
• Circular Economy: Innovative solutions that promote both waste and water circularity and help adapt to climate-related disasters. The goal is to prevent and manage pollution, improve community health, enhance resilience to climate change impacts, and significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

The competition spans from April to October 2026, with the key timeline and activities listed below:

• Application period (April - June 2026)
• Announcement of finalists (August 2026)
• Mentorship (August 2026)
• Grand Finale (September/October 2026)

Since its inauguration in March 2023, CIIC has already shown a clear impact in advancing innovation and accelerating the deployment of sustainable solutions in Indonesia. The initiative has brought together senior mentors, strategic partners, and industry stakeholders from leading corporations such as PLN, Sinarmas, and Triputra Agro Persada to help strengthen the climate tech ecosystem. Moreover, with its catalytic support, past winners have gone on to achieve meaningful milestones in technology, commercialization, and global validation. 

Among them, BANIQL has emerged as a strong example of downstream impact. The company has developed a proprietary technology to produce nickel intermediates for battery applications from ore, with the potential to significantly reduce the environmental footprint of nickel production. Supported by CIIC, BANIQL subsequently secured additional grant funding from the South Korean Government to support global commercialisation of its nickel product. Its progress has also been recognized internationally through its selection into the Creative Destruction Lab Minerals 2024-2025 cohort and its status as a WIPO Global Awards 2025 finalist. Notably, BANIQL’s technology has demonstrated up to 95% lower energy use and 80% lower water consumption compared to conventional nickel production methods.

Qarbotech is another strong example of CIIC’s impact in supporting scalable climate solutions for agriculture. The company is focused on improving agricultural productivity through a photosynthesis enhancer for agriculture, demonstrating yield improvement of up to 30%. Their solution has been validated by third parties across more than 40 crop types and 8,000 acres of commercial farmland. Qarbotech was also selected as a 2025 Breakthrough Energy Fellow, becoming the first Malaysian company to join the programme.

Across several editions, CIIC has received more than 1,300 applications from over 60 countries.

For further information and application, interested parties can visit the CIIC website at climateimpactinnovations.com.