A Privilege and a Purpose
It was a tremendous privilege to have been invited by the esteemed Mr Lim Siong Guan, Chairman of Honour (Singapore) to speak at the Biennial International Symposium in September 2024. It was an honour to have shared the stage with fellow panelists Tsinghua University Distinguished Professor Seeram Ramakrishna, Jessica Cheam and our moderator Abel Ang. The event, which was graced also by the presence of President of the Republic of Singapore, Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam, former Minister Mr George Yeo and Ambassador Tommy Koh was focused on the subject of "Total Sustainability". I shared the following perspectives on the intersection of climate technology, sustainable investment, and the transformative role that Singapore-based platforms can play in bridging the gap between innovation and deployment across emerging Asia.
The Deployment Gap
One of the most critical challenges in climate technology today is not the absence of solutions - it is the gap between proven technologies and their deployment at scale. Brilliant innovations exist in laboratories and pilot projects around the world. The challenge lies in financing, adapting, and deploying them where they can have the greatest impact.
This is particularly acute in Asia, where:
- Rapid industrialisation is driving unprecedented energy demand
- Many economies are still building their infrastructure - creating a unique opportunity to "leapfrog" to cleaner alternatives
- The sheer scale of the region means that even incremental improvements in deployment efficiency translate into enormous climate impact
The Role of Structured Capital
Traditional venture capital and project finance models often fail to address the "missing middle" of climate technology deployment. Technologies that have been de-risked through successful pilots still face significant barriers to commercial-scale deployment.
This is where structured, patient capital - deployed through vehicles like Variable Capital Companies - can play a transformative role. By combining:
- Rigorous technology evaluation to identify commercially viable solutions
- Blended financing structures that de-risk investment for institutional capital
- Local partnerships that ensure cultural and operational fit
- Patient deployment timelines that allow technologies to prove themselves at scale
Looking Ahead
The climate technology landscape is evolving rapidly. New solutions are emerging across energy, materials, agriculture, and industrial processes. The organisations that will make the greatest impact are those that can evaluate, finance, and deploy these technologies efficiently - serving as a bridge between innovation and impact.
This mission is both a tremendous privilege and a profound responsibility. The decisions we make today about which technologies to deploy, where, and how will shape the trajectory of our planet for generations to come.