Eight innovative startups from around the world will battle for a share of S$4 million in funding at the Liveability Challenge 2026 grand finale. Selected from a record 1,500 entries across more than 100 countries, these finalists bring fresh solutions to the cooling crisis and industrial emissions. The event takes place on May 20 at Marina Bay Sands in Singapore, shining a spotlight on practical ways to build more liveable cities in a warming world.
This year’s shortlist highlights the growing momentum in climate tech. Organised by Eco-Business and presented by Temasek Foundation, the programme focuses on ideas that can scale fast in tropical urban settings where heat and emissions hit hardest.
Record Entries Show Urgent Global Push for Solutions
The Liveability Challenge has grown into Asia’s biggest platform for spotting and speeding up sustainability innovations since it started in 2018. This ninth edition drew the highest number of submissions yet, with entries flooding in from every corner of the globe.
The strong response comes as temperatures rise and extreme weather events become more common. Tropical cities face particular pressure from soaring cooling demands and the need to cut emissions without slowing economic growth.
Bold new ideas keep arriving despite mixed signals from global politics. Experts say the quality and diversity of this year’s applicants reflect real determination among innovators to tackle these challenges head on. Past participants have already gone on to raise hundreds of millions more in follow-on funding after receiving support through the programme.
Cool Earth Solutions Aim to Beat Rising Heat
Two main themes guide this year’s finalists: Cool Earth and Decarbonisation. The Cool Earth group targets the growing problem of urban heat and energy hungry cooling systems.
UK based Endo Enterprises developed a closed loop hydronic additive that can cut cooling energy use in buildings by up to 15 percent. The simple addition to existing systems improves how heat transfers in chilled water setups common in offices and homes.
Japan’s SPACECOOL brings passive radiative cooling technology. Their material reflects sunlight and releases heat into space without using any electricity. Early tests show it can lower surface temperatures and reduce urban heat island effects while cutting building energy needs by up to 11 percent.
These approaches matter because cooling already accounts for a big slice of electricity demand in hot climates. As temperatures climb, that demand will only grow unless smarter options become mainstream.
Decarbonisation Finalists Target Hard to Abate Emissions
The Decarbonisation theme features solutions for cleaning up industries where emissions prove toughest to eliminate.
Singapore’s FlueVault offers low cost carbon capture for industrial sources. Their approach also recovers valuable metals, cutting costs by up to 50 percent compared with traditional methods while creating useful by products.
Another Singapore team, Metha8, developed methanol to power technology. It delivers 24/7 baseload electricity at 60 percent efficiency with built in carbon capture, providing a cleaner way to generate steady power.
US company MacroCycle Technologies created a textile to textile recycling process for polyester. It uses 80 percent less energy, produces 80 percent fewer emissions, and needs 99 percent less water than conventional methods, all while matching virgin material prices.
Power To Hydrogen from the US promises cheaper green hydrogen. Their system delivers five times greater durability and 65 percent lower capital costs, opening a path to hydrogen at around US$2 per kilogram.
Estonia’s UP Catalyst turns industrial flue gases into battery grade carbon materials at 26 percent lower cost than standard production. This helps create sustainable supplies for electric vehicle batteries and other clean tech.
France’s YAMA developed electrified carbon capture for dilute gas streams. It achieves up to 50 percent cost savings and offers flexible operation that fits well with real world industrial settings.
Here are the eight finalists and their core innovations:
- Endo Enterprises (UK): Hydronic additive that slashes building cooling energy by up to 15 percent
- FlueVault (Singapore): Affordable industrial carbon capture with critical metal recovery
- MacroCycle Technologies (US): Low impact textile recycling at price parity with virgin materials
- Metha8 (Singapore): Efficient methanol to power with integrated CO2 capture
- Power To Hydrogen (US): Durable, low cost green hydrogen production technology
- SPACECOOL (Japan): Passive material that cools without electricity
- UP Catalyst (Estonia): Flue gas to high value battery materials
- YAMA (France): Flexible electrified capture for challenging gas streams
Singapore Plays Central Role in Climate Innovation
Singapore hosts the grand finale as part of Temasek’s Ecosperity Week, underlining the city’s position as a hub for green technology. Local agencies like A*STAR provide extra support for decarbonisation finalists, giving them access to advanced research facilities.
The focus on tropical liveability makes perfect sense here. Singapore and similar cities in Southeast Asia deal daily with heat, humidity, and the challenge of growing while cutting emissions. Solutions that work in these conditions can spread quickly across the region and beyond.
The grand finale on May 20 will see these teams pitch live to judges, investors, and industry leaders at Marina Bay Sands Expo and Convention Centre. Two winners will each receive S$1 million in catalytic grants, with additional support available through partners.
This funding and mentorship can help bridge the gap between promising lab ideas and real world deployment. Previous winners have used the platform to refine their technologies and attract bigger investments.
What the Future Holds for Climate Tech
These eight startups represent a broader wave of innovation aimed at making sustainability not just possible but profitable. Their technologies address key pain points in energy use, materials, and emissions reduction.
Success at the Liveability Challenge could accelerate adoption in buildings, factories, and power systems worldwide. For tropical cities facing the double threat of heat stress and decarbonisation pressure, these ideas offer practical pathways forward.
The record number of entries this year sends a clear message. Innovators worldwide refuse to wait for perfect conditions before acting on climate challenges. They keep developing tools that can deliver real impact today.
As the finalists prepare for their big moment in Singapore, the world watches to see which solutions will rise to the top. Their progress could help shape how cities stay cool and industries clean up in the critical years ahead.
The journey from shortlist to scale up is never easy, but these teams bring fresh hope. Their work reminds us that even in uncertain times, human ingenuity keeps finding ways to protect the places we call home.
