As fuel insecurity deepens and electricity demand surges, Asia-Pacific’s cleantech innovators are signaling what can be done now to prepare for what sometimes seem like improbable challenges
San Francisco, CA – April 30, 2026: Cleantech Group has announced the 2026 APAC Cleantech 25 list. This annual report highlights the top private companies in the Asia-Pacific region that are making significant strides in cleantech innovation and sustainability.
The APAC Cleantech 25 recognizes forward-thinking companies developing and deploying breakthrough solutions—from AI-optimized data centers to solid-state fusion, from sand-based thermal batteries to off-grid cold chain, from green cement to solar-reflective cooling. These companies are at the forefront of addressing Asia-Pacific’s most pressing energy, industrial, and climate challenges while driving economic growth and technological advancement in the region.
“We expect energy generation, energy storage, and industrial decoupling from fossil fuels to be areas still ripe for innovation in Asia-Pacific, and in some cases, even more so than the rest of the world. This year’s APAC Cleantech 25 gives us an indication of the intensity with which these drives were underway in Asia-Pacific before the outbreak of the Iran conflict (note: the list was finalized in early March, the first days of the conflict). We expect these dynamics to only further intensify.”
– Anthony DeOrsey, Research Manager at Cleantech Group
Selection Process and Key Themes
The companies featured in the APAC Cleantech 25 were chosen through a rigorous selection process, incorporating input from Cleantech Group’s expert panel, market intelligence team, and data-driven insights. The selection criteria considered factors such as technological innovation, market scalability, partnerships, and investment traction.
This year’s analysis reveals key investment and innovation trends:
- The Global Pressure Cooker Intensifies: How Can APAC Reduce the Temperature Locally? The world is in the throes of a large-scale military conflict in the Middle East, imposing significant supply chain and economic impacts globally. Asia-Pacific faces these pressures in an even more exacerbated way, with an estimated 60% of APAC oil sourced from the Middle East, tightening fertilizer supply, and growing fiscal strain on governments subsidizing fuel. Energy generation, energy storage, and industrial decoupling from fossil fuels are areas still ripe for innovation in the region, and in some cases even more so than the rest of the world.
- APAC Innovation Remains Globally Relevant: Venture and growth investments in Asia-Pacific experienced an apparent drop-off in 2024 and 2025, but much of this can be attributed to the fast maturation of Chinese innovators out of the equity continuum and into debt rounds. When separating China from the rest of Asia-Pacific, the past 15 months have been relatively strong in terms of deals—with Q1 of 2026 already exceeding 2020 entirely, and these are in decidedly global spaces such as compute efficiency, fusion, and sustainable building materials.
- A Fast Race for AI Infrastructure: Asia-Pacific is fully leaning into global competition in data center infrastructure, chips, semiconductors, and heat management materials. Japanese innovators are highly visible in these themes, from reinventing memory storage to developing thermal transfer materials for heat dissipation. As the next generations of GPUs intensify in power requirements, there will be a drive to quickly access thermal management materials—similar to the frenzy to procure power, chips, and cooling equipment the world is seeing right now.
- AI-for-Cleantech Emerges in APAC: While APAC cleantech for AI infrastructure is kicking into full gear, AI-for-cleantech is also taking hold. Cleantech Group is consistently becoming aware of new AI-for-cleantech companies in the region, where massive upward efficiency growth potential remains largely untapped in countries like China, Malaysia, Vietnam, India, and Indonesia. This year’s list features AI applications taking aim at both energy systems and AI infrastructure operations.
- Electricity Demand Will Hit New Highs, Decarbonized Heat Is a Multi-Decade Journey: Asia will not only have digital services demand but also astounding demand from air conditioning, industrial electrification, and increasingly electrified fleets. In India and Southeast Asia, heavy industries requiring high heat inputs will see significant growth, with cement, iron, and steel expected to account for over 50% of energy demand growth through 2035. This year’s list features innovators in fusion, long-duration energy storage, and thermal energy storage for industrial process heat.
- Climate Adaptation Compounds, South-to-South Transfer Grows: According to Cleantech Group data, only 5–7% of venture and growth investments in cleantech go to adaptation and resilience technologies, but Asia-Pacific has opportunities to diverge where paths to market are clearer. Extreme heat is already impacting daily lives across South and Southeast Asia, cooling solutions are needed immediately, and extreme heat will be an accelerant on already-stressed food systems. The 2026 cohort includes innovators in solar-reflective cooling, off-grid cold chain, and modular water treatment, with high-potential South-to-South transfer as solutions developed for one part of the Global South find applications across many others.
Driving Investments and Industry Collaboration
The APAC Cleantech 25 is produced with the support of ADB Ventures and Twin Tower Ventures, and serves as a key reference for investors, corporations, and policymakers looking to engage with the most promising cleantech start-ups in the region. By showcasing the latest advancements and emerging leaders in sustainable technology, Cleantech Group aims to accelerate investment and collaboration that can drive meaningful environmental progress.
Download your complimentary copy of the 2026 APAC Cleantech 25.
About Cleantech Group
Cleantech® Group is the human intelligence authority on global cleantech innovation. Since 2002, we’ve helped decision-makers across industry, finance, and policy navigate the rapid shifts transforming the global economy.
Going beyond market intelligence—offering insights, strategic guidance, and curated connections to help leaders stay ahead, identify opportunities, and act with confidence. Our insight is built on over 20 years of human intelligence, proprietary data, and direct relationships with the ecosystem leaders driving change.
MEDIA CONTACT:
Addison Marr
Senior Marketing Manager
Cleantech Group
Email: addison.marr@cleantech.com