Climate tech is maturing, but still unevenly spread

Vietnam planted its climate tech ecosystem barely a decade ago, and in 2026, the trees are finally bearing fruit.

- By Thao Tran

In May, rooftop-solar financing platform Stride closed a $15 million Series B — co-led by Lightrock and TRIREC, with existing backers Clime Capital and UOB Venture Management returning barely a year after its Series A.

Yet the momentum has not been Stride’s alone. In the same month, the Australian government committed up to $10 million to Do Ventures’ climate-focused Fund II, deepening the pool of local capital for energy-transition startups.

On the support side, the Ministry of Finance, Korea International Cooperation Agency and Global Green Growth Institute launched the Climate Tech Catalyst in April — its 2026 cohort, run with Vietnam Silicon Valley Capital and MYSC, targeting agriculture and circular-economy ventures — while New Energy Nexus Vietnam’s X-celerate 2026 programme opened to applications in parallel.

These moves build on a breakout 2025, the year that set the foundation. Two of last year’s most prominent climate deals came from energy transition and mobility. CME Solar secured $20 million in financing from the Emerging Africa & Asia Infrastructure Fund in January to build out its rooftop solar pipeline for commercial and industrial clients.