BANGKOK, 22 April 2026 — The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), supported by Microsoft and in partnership with Youth Co:Lab (co-led by UNDP and the Citi Foundation), YECAP with support from Sweden, and the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) today launched the Climate Catalysts Programme 2026 a regional initiative to empower the next generation of youth climate entrepreneurs across Singapore and the broader Asia-Pacific region.  

An initiative under the UNDP Youth Moonshot, the programme supports early-stage, youth-led ventures developing practical solutions for clean air, food security, renewable energy, water, and the circular economy, with a focus on helping founders translate innovation into scalable, investable impact. The programme attracted more than 380 applications from across the region. Following a thorough selection process, over 70 youth-led climate initiatives spanning 12 Asia-Pacific countries have been selected to join the 2026 capacity-building cohort. Women lead or co-lead nearly 40% of selected teams, and the cohort covers a wide range of thematic areas, including food security and sustainable agriculture, clean water solutions, circular economy and waste reduction, clean energy and climate technology, marine and biodiversity conservation, carbon measurement, and climate education. 

The programme aims to empower young founders contributing to Climate Action through capacity building and ecosystem support; provide a regional community for youth founders across Singapore and Asia-Pacific to access knowledge, networks, and global opportunities; bridge resources with ecosystem partners, enabling knowledge sharing and collaboration; and showcase youth-led regenerative solutions and best practices to accelerate a regenerative future. 

During the Welcome Session, there was a panel on Corporate Climate Action featuring Crispian Cuss (Citi), Amanda Toh (Schneider Electric Energy Access Asia), and Anu Joshi Shrestha (ICIMOD), moderated by Yaqi Chu (UNDP), which explored how organizations translate climate commitments into action, offering founders insights on credible communication, impact metrics, and systems-level thinking to navigate partnerships and scale impact. 

The programme will run until early June, concluding with a Virtual Demo Day aligned with World Environment Day. Top teams from the Demo Day will be invited to present at the UNDP Regional Event, the Youth Co:Lab Summit co-led by UNDP and Citi Foundation, taking place in Bangkok, Thailand, on 29–30 June 2026.  

The launch of the Climate Catalysts on International Earth Day reflects a shared conviction that restoring our planet and building a sustainable future requires everyone to play a part. By investing in young innovators who are already developing solutions to the most pressing environmental challenges of our time, UNDP and its partners are turning the spirit of Earth Day into action for people and the planet for the generations to come.