AVPN Announces 18 Grantees of USD 5 Million Sustainability Seed Fund 2.0 and the Sustainability Solutions Lab Resource Hub

 
AVPN, the largest network of social investors in Asia, announced the grantees of the APAC Sustainability Seed Fund (SSF) 2.0, which is a USD 5 million catalytic initiative supported by Google.org, and the Asian Development Bank (ADB), as the strategic and outreach partner. AVPN will award 18 non-profit organisations with funding to implement and scale innovative technology-led solutions that tackle pressing climate and sustainability challenges in the Asia Pacific region. Building on the June 2024 launch of the APAC Sustainability Solutions Lab, which received an additional USD 2 million grant  from Google.org, the Lab will now serve as a resource hub for grantees from both APAC SSF 1.0 and 2.0. It will provide capacity building support to grantee partners and increase their visibility, enhancing the impact of their innovative solutions.
The Asia Pacific region is home to seven of the world’s ten most climate-vulnerable countries, where climate change poses an ‘existential threat’[1] and the potential to cause long-term impact to future generations. Weather events in APAC in 2022 affected more than 50 million people directly, with an upwards of USD 36 billion in economic losses[2]. The failure to adapt to growing climate risks has posed significant economic and social threats. While technology has emerged as a transformative force to offer innovative avenues to address these challenges, climate technologies remain severely underfunded.
Building on the success of SSF 1.0 Fund, the APAC SSF 2.0 seeks to nurture and amplify solutions that harness technology to address urgent climate impact areas such as renewable energy and decarbonisation, climate adaptation, waste management and/or circular economy, air quality, water preservation and biodiversity protection. The grantees, based across the Asia Pacific region, will leverage technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), cloud computing, Internet of Things (IoT), and application software in their climate solutions. Grantees include:

Australia – Cool.org
India – INREM Foundation, CEPT Research and Development Foundation (CRDF), Institute for Financial Management and Research, Gujarat Mahila Housing Sewa Trust
Indonesia – YAKKUM Emergency Unit, Gringgo Indonesia Foundation, Perkumpulan Jaringan Pantau Gambut
Japan – Social Innovation Japan, Institute for Global Environmental Strategies
New Zealand – Wildlife.ai Trust
Singapore – Imagine H2O Asia
South Korea – Coalition for Our Common Future
Thailand – Asian Institute of Technology, Sathira-Dhammasathan
The Philippines – University of the Philippines Public Administration Research and Extension Services Foundation, Inc., Asia Society for Social Improvement and Sustainable Transformation (ASSIST)
Vietnam – Vietnam Rural Industries Development and Research Institute (VIRI)

The Fund will support grantees’ efforts in scaling their solutions, provide networking opportunities and capacity building, fostering and simplifying solutions that harness the power of technology for climate adaptation and mitigation to ensure a positive and lasting impact in Asia.
Additionally, AVPN will offer selected grantees of APAC SSF 1.0 and 2.0 access to the Sustainability Solutions Lab. The Lab will provide technical capacity building support, develop impactful case studies, create opportunities for dialogue and hold roundtable discussions with stakeholders. Its goal is to enhance grantees’ impact, build their capacity, and to create a supportive ecosystem. By increasing the visibility of successful grantees, the Lab will enable them to showcase how advanced technologies tackle key sustainability issues and effectively communicate their solutions to social investors, government, and other key stakeholders, thus facilitating the scaling of their innovations.
Naina Subberwal Batra, CEO of AVPN, shared, “At AVPN, we recognise capital – financial, human, and intellectual – is crucial for initiating and advancing climate innovations often overlooked by traditional funding mechanisms. Through APAC SSF 2.0, we aim to channel resources into the early stages of the Continuum of Capital to support these grantees. By mobilising these resources, we can support and unlock the potential of their innovations to help the region adapt and respond to climate impacts. Done right, this not only drives the development of transformative solutions, but ensures their expansion and adoption in the regions that need them the most.”
Andrew Ure, Managing Director, Government Affairs and Public Policy, Southeast Asia at Google, said, “The Asia-Pacific region faces significant vulnerabilities due to climate change. However, amidst this challenge lies tremendous opportunity. Organisations, social investors, and researchers across the region are uniting to develop innovative solutions, leveraging technologies like AI to address this critical issue. We are proud to support social impact organisations like AVPN in the region to foster scalable solutions and accelerate collaborative efforts. Together, we can build a more sustainable and resilient future for the region.”
Stephanie King-Chung Hung, Chief Information Officer and Director General, Information Technology Department at Asia Development Bank said, “Advanced  digital solutions are pivotal in boosting resilience and adaptive capacities in the face of climate challenges. Our support for the Fund underscores the importance of targeted financing in promoting these innovations. We are committed to helping communities, especially those most vulnerable, thrive amidst environmental pressures by facilitating the development and broader implementation of vital climate solutions.”
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