As climate risks intensify, so too does the urgency for bold, coordinated action. The Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB), TT Foundation Advisors (TTFA), and Co-Axis recently convened a focused roundtable bringing together family offices, climate investors, and ecosystem partners to explore how catalytic capital can unlock scalable, high-integrity climate solutions in Asia.
Forging Partnerships Across the Capital Spectrum
Ms. Dawn Chan, Managing Director, Investments, Temasek Trust Capital (TTC) and CEO, Centre for Impact Investing and Practices (CIIP), speaking at the event.
In her opening remarks, Ms. Dawn Chan, Managing Director, Investments, Temasek Trust Capital and CEO, CIIP, underscored the urgent need for catalytic capital and cross-sector collaboration to address Asia’s climate challenges. She pointed to a US$1.6 trillion annual funding gap for climate adaptation in the region, alongside a significant opportunity — global revenues from climate adaptation solutions are expected to grow to US$4 trillion by 2050.
Ms. Chan also stated that money alone isn’t enough, and that impact measurement must go hand in hand with capital deployment.
“When you think about catalytic or concessionary capital, it's not enough to deploy the capital. We also believe at TT that it's required to be paired with accountability, transparency, and measurement,” she said.
Scaling Nature and Tech-Based Carbon Projects
Ms. Heng Li Lang, Head of Climate and Liveability, Temasek Foundation.
Ms. Heng Li Lang, Head of Climate and Liveability, Temasek Foundation (TF), shared how TF adopts a venture philanthropy approach, providing catalytic support to scale early-stage solutions towards commercial viability. She highlighted a diverse portfolio spanning both nature-based and technology-driven initiatives, from hydrogen transportation and storage to low-carbon rice farming in Vietnam. Notably, every S$1 TF has invested in its deep tech portfolio has unlocked over S$10 in private capital follow-on funding — proof that strategic early support can drive scale and attract long-term investment.
Understanding Carbon Markets in ASEAN
Mr. Bryan McCann of Abatable giving participants a primer on carbon markets.
Mr. Bryan McCann, Head of Carbon Solutions (APAC), Abatable, demystified carbon markets and spotlighted their role as a cost-effective tool for reducing emissions while supporting nature and local communities. He positioned ASEAN as a key region for climate finance and investment, noting that carbon markets in the region could generate an estimated US$65 billion in annual revenues by 2030.
Introducing the DAF: A New Model for Collaborative Climate Finance
From left: Mr. Dickson Lim, Head, TTFA, Mr. Ling Yuan Chun, Vice President and Head, Family Capital & Impact, EDB, and Ms. Tricia Lim, Assistant Vice President, Family Capital & Impact, EDB.
Mr. Dickson Lim of TTFA, along with Mr. Ling Yuan Chun and Ms. Tricia Lim of EDB, introduced a Donor-Advised Fund (DAF) established through TTFA's partnership with EDB. Aimed at advancing carbon markets in Singapore, the DAF enables private capital owners to co-fund high-quality carbon projects, with the option to provide follow-on financing through a project’s life cycle. Designed with flexibility in mind, it allows family offices and foundations to align their capital with shared climate impact goals.
Breakouts: Turning Insights into Action
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Breakout sessions gave participants the chance to dive deeper into the challenges of climate finance, including uneven project credibility, limited access to investible solutions, and regulatory bottlenecks.
Guided by facilitators from Conservation International, ENGIE Factory, Kibo Invest, Mana Impact, Singapore Sustainable Finance Association, The Nature Conservancy, Verra, and World Wildlife Fund, groups surfaced practical, forward-looking solutions: blended finance to de-risk early-stage ventures, coalitions for knowledge sharing and due diligence, targeted capacity building, and a proposed debt fund for tech-based carbon projects.
Platforms Powering Climate Solutions
Mr. Edwin Seah introducing the SCeNe Coalition and its mission to grow the supply of high-quality nature-based solutions in Southeast Asia.
Mr. Edwin Seah of SCeNe Coalition shared their efforts to direct climate finance towards initiatives that deliver “triple benefits” for climate, nature, and local communities. He introduced SCeNe’s open-source climate tech tool, which maps nature-based initiatives across the region and enhances transparency and visibility across the project pipeline.
Ms. Jeanne Lee of Co-Axis sharing how the digital platform connects funders to a curated pipeline of impact opportunities.
Closing the event, Ms. Jeanne Lee, Co-Axis, demonstrated how the digital platform helps funders discover, evaluate, and co-invest in carbon and climate projects across the region. Designed to be a collaborative hub, Co-Axis aims to reduce friction, build trust, and create greater alignment across the funding ecosystem.
Learn more about Co-Axis and discover ~100 impact opportunities working to tackle climate change, and more, at https://www.coaxis.network/.
Looking Ahead
The roundtable affirmed that catalytic capital can play a transformative role in shaping Asia’s climate future — but only if deployed intentionally and with inclusivity.
With family offices, philanthropy, and ecosystem partners stepping up, the opportunity to co-create scalable impact is within reach. Together with like-minded partners, our ecosystem entities are building the infrastructure and networks needed to turn vision into action — and to mobilise climate capital that drives meaningful change in Asia.
Want to learn more or partner with us? Reach out to TTFA at [email protected] or Co-Axis at [email protected].
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