The Future Industries Partnership
Catalysing innovation for the industrial transition
The Future Industries Partnership
The Future Industries Partnership is a three-year philanthropic programme supported by HSBC and delivered by Third Derivative and Founders Factory. Our mission is to help accelerate the deployment of innovative climate technologies needed to decarbonise heavy industries such as steel, cement, and chemicals across Asia and the Middle East.
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Our Vision
The Future Industries Partnerships seeks to help climate tech startups address the barriers to investment and unlock the opportunities for deploying promising technologies at scale in industrial sectors across Asia and the Middle East.
Climate tech startups will be provided with technical and commercial support to enhance their efforts to secure financing and gain access to an ecosystem of investors and corporations seeking investment opportunities to accelerate the net zero transition in emerging markets.
For entrepreneurs and innovators
This partnership is built for climate tech startups tackling challenges in hard-to-abate sectors. Whether based in Asia and the Middle East or looking to enter those markets, we provide tailored support, strategic connections, and the insights you need to scale faster and smarter.
For visionary collaborators
Looking to drive decarbonization? This is your chance to connect with top climate innovators. Work alongside promising startups, develop impactful solutions, and help shape the future of sustainable industries in Asia and the Middle East.
Program Offerings
Startups will apply to participate in an 18-month accelerator journey, including the following modes of support:
1-on-1 support
1-on-1 support
Access to 1-on-1 support from technical and industry experts from Third Derivative, RMI, and Founders Factory, in addition to external mentors.
Matchmaking
Matchmaking
The partners will also facilitate touchpoints and engagements between startups and potential investors and corporate partners.
Virtual Programming
Virtual Programming
Developmental workshops (on topics such as fundraising, pitching, building a team, and understanding tech policy), facilitated Chief Experience Office peer-to-peer conversations across the cohort, and curated training sessions hosted by external experts.
Innovation Showcases
Innovation Showcases
We aim to host one in person and several virtual showcases a year. During each showcase, 3-6 startups will have the opportunity to pitch corporates, investors, and financial institutions.
Online Resources Library
Online Resources Library
A self-service library of curated service providers and other resources. It currently includes 20 providers offering discount or pro-bono products and services (including Microsoft Office subscriptions, engineering consultations, discounted lab space, international hiring support, and more), and we will be building out offerings specifically for the cohort as well.
Eligible Startups
Priority Technologies
We focus on technologies that tackle decarbonization across a wide range of critical sectors, including:
- Iron & Steel: Innovations in low-carbon steel production and recycling processes.
- Building Operations & Cooling: Energy-efficient cooling and operational systems.
- Construction & Building Materials: Sustainable and low-emission construction materials.
- Plastics & High-Value Chemicals: Innovations in production and recycling.
- Ammonia, Methanol, and e-Fuels: Low-carbon fuels and chemical processes.
- Technologies that further enable decarbonization of heavy industry such as:
- Power: Advanced technologies in long-duration energy storage (LDES), grid-enhancing technologies (GETs), clean firm power and innovative transmission solutions.
- Other Cross-Cutting Solutions: Industrial heat, carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS), and hydrogen solutions supporting multiple sectors.
Priority Geographies
Our geographic focus targets high-impact regions across Asia and the Middle East:
- Southeast Asia (focus on Singapore and Indonesia)
- India
- The Middle East
Driving Impact Where It’s Needed Most
The Problem
New technologies require significant upfront capital and specialised skills to support development and deployment, and face greater commercial and regulatory uncertainty. These challenges are particularly acute in heavy industry. Much of the technology needed to decarbonise heavy industry has yet to reach market adoption.
Heavy industry companies often face the biggest challenges when it comes to the transition including high energy demand, infrastructure and supply chain constraints, long asset lifecycles, slow technological maturity, large capital requirements, financial risk, global competition and more.
The Opportunity
The Future Industries Partnerships seeks to help climate tech startups address the barriers and unlock the opportunities for deploying promising technologies at scale in industrial sectors across Asia and the Middle East.
These markets have high emissions growth rates, coupled with the highest opportunity for industrial decarbonisation.
Climate tech startups will be provided with technical and commercial support to enhance their efforts to secure financing and gain access to an ecosystem of investors and corporations seeking investment opportunities to accelerate the net zero transition in emerging markets.
PRESS RELEASE
New climate tech partnership to help accelerate industrial transformation in Asia
A new initiative to fast-track the deployment of innovative climate technologies has launched today, with a mission to help decarbonise heavy industries such as iron, steel, cement and chemicals across Asia and the Middle East.
LEARN MORE HERE