Deadline: January 30, 2026
Applications are open for the Sustainability Open Innovation Challenge 2026. 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 in pilot funding and support, including 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.
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.
Benefits
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)
The corporate sponsor, Hexagon Group will award S$100,000 in prize money to one selected innovator in the Discovery Track
Eligibility
- Open to applicants worldwide. Startups, SMEs, and solution providers from any country are welcome to apply.
- Your solution will have a local and regional focus before being scaled globally.
Evaluation Criteria
- 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 relate to implementation, timeline, and cost?
Application
Applications close on Friday, 30 January 2026 at 11.59pm (GMT+8).
For more information, visit Sustainability Open Innovation Challenge.
