Funding for climate tech startups in Southeast Asia hits record high in 2022

According to data compiled by Dealstreetasia, private funding dedicated to climate technology startups in Southeast Asia hit $1.11 billion in the first 11 months of 2022. This impressive figure illustrated a considerable increase in international investors’ appetite for these green, sustainable startups.

A report titled "The state of climate tech in Southeast Asia 2022” showed this is the first time climate tech startups – defined as those focusing on decreasing greenhouse gas emissions or addressing the effects of climate change – have raised more than $1 billion in a single year. In contrast, the total capital raised by climate technology firms in 2021 was $607 million.

Since 2012, Vietnam-based climate tech startups account for a 5.3 per cent share of climate tech funding value in the whole Southeast Asian industry, which places the country in the top three countries. Singapore ranks first (80.4 per cent), followed by Indonesia (13.1 per cent).

The renewable energy sector of climate technology startups has received the largest investment, with total funding rising to over $200 million yearly as of 2019.

Among the eleven categories examined in the paper, renewable energy received the most financing (at 41.5 per cent of the total) between 2012 and the present.

“Renewable energy sources such as solar and wind have reached a cost lower than traditional fossil fuels – without the need for government subsidies,” said ABC Impact chief investment officer Than Shao Ming.

On the other hand, Dealstreetasia also noted that startups focusing on deep technologies, such as innovative industrial products with knock-on effects, were contributing to global efforts to decarbonise.

Examples can be seen in the cases of RWDC, the creator of Solon, an eco-friendly alternative to petroleum-based materials for single-use plastics, producers of nanofiltration systems SEPPURE and SOLV8 Technology, graphene producer Graphene Life, and Fortuna Cools.

Fresh data as of November 11 compiled by Deloitte Southeast Asia shows that Southeast Asian firms have raised $6.3 billion via 136 IPOs, which is 52 per cent lower than the record $13.3 billion raised through 152 IPOs in 2021.

Gaurav Arora, director and head of Startup Business, Amazon Web Services, Asia-Pacific and Japan gives his insights.

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