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Jakarta, 13 June 2025 — The ASEAN Sparks: Ignite programme has successfully concluded its inaugural phase, held from 11 to 13 June 2025. Supported by the Japan-ASEAN Integration Fund (JAIF) and implemented by the ASEAN Centre for Energy (ACE) in collaboration with the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and strategic partnership with Innovation Factory and BLOCK71 Indonesia, the programme aims to accelerate early-stage clean energy startups contributing to ASEAN’s energy transition and climate action goals.
Over the three-day online boot camp, 40 promising startups from eight ASEAN Member States — Indonesia, Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore, Cambodia, and Myanmar — participated in intensive workshops, mentoring sessions, and expert consultations designed to refine their business models and energy solutions. Notably, the cohort featured a strong gender balance, with 54% of the startups having female co-founding teams and 46% male, reflecting the region’s growing diversity and inclusivity in energy innovation leadership.
The programme opened with welcoming remarks from Mr. Norazrin Rupadi (Energy Commission of Malaysia) and Ms. Mizuki Saito (Japan Mission to ASEAN), the Chair and Co-Chair of the Project Steering Committee.
Mr. Norazrin Rupadi emphasised that ASEAN Sparks is more than a pitching platform. It’s a space for founders to test their ideas, embrace feedback, and grow. “This programme encourages startups to listen, pivot, fail fast, and build again, shaping a new generation of cleantech leaders who will carry ASEAN’s energy transition forward,” he stated. He also highlighted the importance of founder-led innovation in a sector often driven by policy, adding that the participating startups are architects of a sustainable ASEAN.
Ms. Mizuki Saito, stressed the need for more clean technologies and renewable energy solutions to ensure energy security in line with global net-zero goals. She highlighted the agility of startups in adapting to shifting energy challenges and noted that ASEAN Sparks also offers an opportunity for founders to discover their strengths and explore future collaborations, particularly with Japanese companies committed to sustainability and innovation.
Throughout the Ignite phase, 14 regional and international experts from across sectors contributed their insights and directly mentored founders on topics ranging from market validation and product development to impact strategy.
On the first day of the bootcamp (10/06), startups joined two workshops presented by Ms. Atika Benedikta, Executive Director of Indonesia Impact Alliance and Ms. Thu Minh Tran, Senior Energy Advisor, SNV Netherlands Development Organisation – Vietnam.
Ms. Atika Benedikta presented Landscape of Clean Energy and Climate Tech in ASEAN as she emphasised how the region’s energy demand is booming, but so are the solutions. As our region faces growing energy needs and climate risks, the path forward is collaboration—between innovators, investors, communities, and governments. With insights on key tech areas, market barriers, and startup enablers, Atika inspired founders to explore sustainable models that are not only fundable—but scalable and accessible. But innovation doesn’t stop at energy—Atika spotlighted solutions across circular economy, sustainable agri, CCUS, and more. From energy to nature-based solutions, it’s clear: the future needs more bold ideas, built for real-world impact.
Followed by a presentation from Ms. Thu Minh Tran on Problem-Solution Fit (with Design Thinking) explaining the key point of understanding real customer problems leads to meaningful innovation. The session emphasized customer discovery, value propositions, and understanding the difference between customers and consumers. Founders were invited to think critically, exploring how to validate their ideas through empathy and strategy, setting a strong foundation to create value-driven, scalable solutions.
The next day (11/06), the bootcamp opened with a workshop session by Dr. Kwanruetai Boonyasana, Lecturer of Department of Finance, Faculty of Business Administration, from Rajamangala University of Technology Phra Nakhon (Thailand). She walked founders through the Business Model Canvas showing how to map, prioritize, and scale innovations with a lens on sustainability. This session explored how to build climate tech ventures that are financially viable and socially impactful. With practical examples and tailored advice, she reminded us all, “startups like yours are the light shaping ASEAN’s energy future.”
For the last workshop on the third day (12/06), Mr. Irfan Sidik, Head of Investment of New Energy Nexus, shared valuable insights on How to Build an Effective Pitch, to prepare the startup founder for the pitching session. He broke down what makes a pitch truly stand out, using the AIDA model—Attention, Interest, Desire, Action. Irfan shared real-life examples, the power of storytelling through the “hero-villain-solution-transformation” arc, and how founders can build impactful pitches through slide design tips & delivery presence. From building that emotional hook to answering tough Q&As, it’s not just about the deck—it’s about how you tell your story. And for climate tech innovators in ASEAN, that story matters more than ever.
One of the programme’s highlights was the Golden Ticket Pitching Session that happened on the last day of, where the Top 10 most improved startups were selected to receive a fast-track entry into the programme’s next phase, ASEAN Sparks: Catalyse. The selected startups are:
Following the successful completion of Ignite, the journey continues with ASEAN Sparks: Catalyse, a more advanced three-month accelerator phase offering focused mentorship, strategic workshops, and regional exposure. Participating startups will also have the opportunity to pitch at the ASEAN Energy Business Forum (AEBF) 2025 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Startups working in clean and sustainable energy are encouraged to apply before 20 July 2025. More information and application details are available at: go.aseanenergy.org/ApplySPARKS.
About the Company
Japan-ASEAN Integrated Fund (JAIF) is a trust fund established by the Government of Japan to support ASEAN integration. JAIF holds a key role to bridge the gap in ASEAN and enhance its competitiveness. JAIF has supported projects in a variety of areas, including health, counter-terrorism, environment, outreach, disaster management, and economic integration. Learn more about JAIF on jaif.asean.org.
United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations dedicated to promoting and accelerating inclusive and sustainable industrial development in developing countries. Its mandate is to help countries achieve poverty reduction, inclusive globalization, and environmental sustainability through industrial development. Learn more about UNIDO on unido.org.
ASEAN Centre for Energy (ACE) is an intergovernmental organisation within the Association of Southeast Asian Nations’ (ASEAN) structure that represents the 10 ASEAN Member States’ (AMS) interests in the energy sector. ACE focuses on accelerating energy integration and promoting energy security and sustainability within the region. Learn more about ACE on aseanenergy.org.
Innovation Factory is a technology and innovation hub in Indonesia as a platform for innovation initiatives, where we enable key actors in the tech startup ecosystem to meet, collaborate and grow together. As Strategic Partners of the ASEAN Sparks, Innovation Factory and BLOCK71 are instrumental in delivering the full ASEAN Sparks experience: connecting stakeholders, enabling collaborations, and ensuring a seamless, impactful programme execution. Learn more about Innovation Factory & BLOCK71 Indonesia on innofactory.co and block71.co.
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Annex
Big appreciation for all the experts involved in the ASEAN Sparks: Ignite, including:
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Corporate Affairs Department
ASEAN Centre for Energy (ACE) is an intergovernmental organisation within ASEAN structure that represents the 10 ASEAN Member States’ (AMS) interests in the energy sector.