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Applications for the 7th Edition of the Sustainability Open Innovation Challenge are now closed. Applicants will be notified of their submission results after Monday, 9 March.
In the meantime, if you have any questions about this programme, please write to info@padang.co. Thank you.
Welcome to the Sustainability Open Innovation Challenge 7th Edition!
The global momentum for sustainability continues to grow, bringing new opportunities for innovation and collaboration.
Now in its seventh year, the Sustainability Open Innovation Challenge (SOIC) by Enterprise Singapore invites startups and innovators from around the world to partner with leading corporates in developing practical, scalable solutions for a more sustainable future.
This year’s challenge explores key themes including Renewable Energy, Offshore Wind, Greener Industries, Sustainable Agrifood, and Sustainable Materials. Each theme reflects pressing industry priorities and presents opportunities for innovators to pilot and scale transformative solutions in collaboration with leading corporate partners. Each challenge statement also highlights the potential sustainability impact that can be achieved through a successful solution.
With over S$3 million in pilot funding and support, including S$100,000 from Hexagon Group, SOIC 7th Edition offers a unique platform for solution providers to gain access to industry networks, mentorship, and opportunities to validate their ideas in real-world environments.
Join us
to collaborate with forward-thinking organisations,
accelerate sustainable transformation, and create tangible impact for our planet.
featuring Challenge Statements by:
Incentives & Opportunities
Over S$3 million in pilot commitment and funding support available!
Prizes for winning innovators include:
- Access to paid pilots and funding support with corporate partners to test and validate your solution in real-world settings
- Opportunities for co-innovation with industry partners, drawing on their extensive expertise and resources
- Mentorship and industry networking to sharpen your value proposition and open doors for collaborations
- Additional exposure to SOIC partner programmes (please refer to the Discovery Track for more information)
Our corporate sponsor,
Hexagon Group
will award
S$100,000
in prize money to one selected innovator in the
Discovery Track
(see below).
Making Your Application
Before you make an application, you will need to register for an account on our platform. You will receive a confirmation email upon registration.
Once done, you may proceed to submit your application with your credentials. You can also save your application as a draft if needed.
Applications close on Friday, 30 January 2026 at 11.59pm (GMT+8).
Early SubmissionAs an added bonus, participants who submit their entries on or before Monday, 15 January 2026 will get a chance to:
- Receive exclusive feedback on their entry ahead of the final submission deadline; and
- Be evaluated by our VC partners for potential investment opportunities.
Challenge Statements
Main Track
The Main Track features challenge statements from participating corporate partners, each outlining specific sustainability challenges and offering attractive opportunities such as pilot funding and in-kind support for successful innovators.
Discovery Track
The Discovery Track features challenge statements from corporates interested to uncover novel technologies. Participating innovators can benefit from in-kind support, market access, and the opportunity to co-develop solutions with potential long-term business impact.
Applications received under this track will be channelled to SOIC’s partner programmes, and be eligible to be considered for the
S$100,000
prize offered by
Hexagon Group.
*If your solution does not apply directly to any challenge statement listed under the Main Track or Discovery Track, you may still make a submission by selecting “Open Submission” under the Challenge Statement selection dropdown on our submission form.
Making Your Application
Before you make an application, you will need to register for an account on our platform. You will receive a confirmation email upon registration. Once done, you may proceed to submit your application with your credentials. You can also save your application as a draft if needed.
Applications close on
Friday, 30 January 2026 at 11.59pm (GMT+8).
As an added bonus, participants who submit their entries early will get a chance to:
- Receive exclusive feedback on their entry ahead of the final submission deadline; and
- Be evaluated by our VC partners for potential investment opportunities.
If your solution does not apply directly to any challenge statement listed under the Main Track or Discovery Track, you may still make a submission by selecting
“Open Submission”
under the Challenge Statement selection dropdown on our submission form.
Please refer to the Terms & Conditions and FAQ section for further details.
Please refer to the Terms & Conditions and FAQ section for further details.
Partner Programmes
All submissions are also eligible for consideration for SOIC’s partner programmes. To indicate your interest for consideration, simply check the relevant checkbox when filling out our submission form.
The Liveability Challenge (TLC)TLC is an annual global initiative that seeks innovative solutions to address urban challenges in the tropics. It crowdsources the world for the best sustainability solutions and provides both the funding and ecosystem support required to take these ideas from laboratory to market.
Presented by Temasek Foundation and organised by Eco-Business, TLC was established in 2018 and has since grown to become Asia’s largest sustainability solutions platform with a global reach and a reputation for helping companies - whose innovations are disrupting industries to create significant positive impact for society and planet - achieve success.
Catalytic Capital for Climate and Health (C3H)
Catalytic Capital for Climate and Health (C3H) is a catalytic vehicle by Temasek Trust that provides capital to innovative, early-stage companies in Climate, Health, and their intersection. C3H focuses on companies that deliver tangible impact through bold, scalable solutions. Its activities are anchored by Temasek Trust’s impact areas of Planet, People, Peace, and Progress.
Amplifier Mentorship Programme
The Amplifier Mentorship Programme by Temasek Trust aims to accelerate impact businesses to scale in Asia and beyond.
Applications received under the Discovery Track will be channelled to these three partner programmes, and be eligible to be considered for the S$100,000 prize offered by Hexagon Group.
OPEN CATEGORY
This year’s Open Category welcomes sustainability-focused solutions that will be channelled to The Liveability Challenge 2023.
The Liveability Challenge (TLC) is a global platform that hunts for and accelerates the launch of innovative solutions to urban challenges of the 21st century in cities in the tropics. Established in 2018, TLC has grown to become Asia's largest sustainability solutions platform with a global reach and a reputation for helping companies whose innovative technologies are disrupting industries, to create a significant positive impact on society and the planet.
TLC is looking to build on its efforts in enabling solutions that remove carbon emissions at scale, including:
TLC is looking to build on its efforts in enabling solutions that remove carbon emissions at scale, including:
- Revolutionary technology-based carbon capture, utilisation and storage solutions that effectively capture, and convert carbon emissions into useful products, for example, building materials, reclamation sand or synthetic fuels;
- Low-carbon solutions for energy, urban infrastructure, transport and logistics that generate cost-effective energy from renewable sources, for example, hydrogen, wind and tidal energy;
- Solutions that significantly reduce the carbon emissions produced by industries and buildings, for example, cooling systems;
- Solutions that drastically reduce the negative impact of climate change, for example, mitigating extreme heat, and urban heat island effect.
Your solution should be:
- Carbon negative in the overall lifecycle and have zero or minimal externalities;
- Technology-based (physical or chemical);
- Commercially viable and scalable; and
- Feasible to conduct a pilot in Singapore.
Note:
To have your solution considered for the Open Category, please remember to check the relevant checkbox on our application form, and answer the additional questions.
Learn more at our virtual Info Sessions!
Info Session 1: Greener Industries, Offshore Wind and Renewable Energy
Explore opportunities in greener industries and renewable energy. Learn what our challenge statement owners are seeking from innovators and get your questions answered to prepare strong submissions.
Featured Challenge Statement Owners:
ACWA Power, Alsco Uniforms, COFCO International, Cyan Renewables, EDP Renewables, Gardens by the Bay, JERA Nex bp, Philips, Seatrium, ST Engineering, ST Telemedia Global Data Centres, and Vopak.
ACWA Power, Alsco Uniforms, COFCO International, Cyan Renewables, EDP Renewables, Gardens by the Bay, JERA Nex bp, Philips, Seatrium, ST Engineering, ST Telemedia Global Data Centres, and Vopak.
Programme Highlights
- Challenge introduction and process
- Challenge statement presentations and Q&A
Date:
Tuesday, 25 November 2025
Time:
4-5pm (GMT+8)
Register now
Info Session 2: Sustainable Agrifood and Sustainable Materials
Hear from challenge statement owners about opportunities in sustainable agrifood and materials. Discover how your solutions can fit their priorities and have your questions addressed before submitting.
Featured Challenge Statement Owners:
ECOM, Electrolux Group, GCB, Golden Agri-Resources, Louis Dreyfus Company, Musim Mas, OCP Singapore, Saint-Gobain, Samsonite, Sucafina, Sumifru, and Thai Wah.
ECOM, Electrolux Group, GCB, Golden Agri-Resources, Louis Dreyfus Company, Musim Mas, OCP Singapore, Saint-Gobain, Samsonite, Sucafina, Sumifru, and Thai Wah.
Programme Highlights
- Challenge introduction and process
- Challenge statement presentations and Q&A
Date:
Wednesday, 26 November 2025
Time:
4-5pm (GMT+8)
Register now
Timeline
29 October 2025
APPLICATIONs
OPENWeek of 24
November 2025Virtual INFO SESSION
30 January 2026
APPLICATION DEADLINE
9 March 2026
SHORTLIST ANNOUnCEMENT
March-April 2026
EVALUATION
PHASE
Info Session Recordings
Our corporate challenge statement owners discussed their respective challenge statements at our Info Sessions. Check out the recordings below to review the discussions!
Submission Requirements and Evaluation Criteria
Please make sure the following elements are adequately addressed in your proposal.
Please write to info@padang.co with any questions.
Technical Feasibility
& Novelty
- Does the solution demonstrate innovative use of technology, showcasing technical expertise and creativity?
- Is there a clear explanation of how the technical aspects of the solution address the sustainability challenge, emphasising uniqueness and novelty?
Business
Feasibility
- Is the business model scalable, demonstrating the solution's potential for market acceptance and growth?
Team Capacity
& Expertise
- Does the team have varied skills, relevant expertise, and a history of successful collaborations, demonstrating their ability to deliver innovative sustainability solutions?
Details of
POC / MVP
- Does the POC / Pilot proposal cover considerations relating to implementation, timeline, and cost?
ORGANISED BY
CORPORATE SPONSOR
STRATEGIC PARTNERS
In Partnership with
POWERED BY
CORPORATE SPONSORS
Hexagon Trading AG
is the operational entity responsible for overseeing all trading and marketing activities associated with the Hexagon brand, with the exception of domestic sulfuric acid business operations in Chile. Hexagon Trading AG primarily engages in the trading and marketing of fertilisers, fertiliser-related raw materials, and soluble fertilisers.
Their primary focus in the fertiliser sector centres on Europe and Mediterranean countries, including North Africa. Key raw materials in their portfolio comprise sulfuric acid, sulphur, phosphoric acid, and ammonia. While they conduct global trading of sulfuric acid, their other raw materials are primarily traded within the Mediterranean and Black Sea regions. Their trading and marketing of soluble fertilisers occur worldwide and are facilitated through container shipments.
Hexagon values corporate responsibility, fairness, and sustainability. They support communities through profit donations and promote responsible production with green technology. Their Hexagon Green Fund addresses global environmental challenges, and they are committed to charitable initiatives in Education, Children, and Clean Water.
Their primary focus in the fertiliser sector centres on Europe and Mediterranean countries, including North Africa. Key raw materials in their portfolio comprise sulfuric acid, sulphur, phosphoric acid, and ammonia. While they conduct global trading of sulfuric acid, their other raw materials are primarily traded within the Mediterranean and Black Sea regions. Their trading and marketing of soluble fertilisers occur worldwide and are facilitated through container shipments.
Hexagon values corporate responsibility, fairness, and sustainability. They support communities through profit donations and promote responsible production with green technology. Their Hexagon Green Fund addresses global environmental challenges, and they are committed to charitable initiatives in Education, Children, and Clean Water.
strategic partners
We will be supported this year by strategic partners who will be sourcing specific sustainability solutions that revolve around the challenge themes. Click on them to learn more.
