Technologies unveiled at ETS Asia 2026 in Malaysia

Five teams present artificial coral, soil restoration and hydrogen production

One-on-one meetings held with local VCs and companies

Foundation targets 15-plus climate-tech firms by 2030

Research teams and officials from the Hyundai Motor Chung Mong-koo Foundation's Green Society program pose for a photo at the climate-tech pitching session held Tuesday at the Asia Energy & Climate Technology Summit 2026 (ETS Asia) in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. [Hyundai Motor Chung Mong-koo Foundation]
Research teams and officials from the Hyundai Motor Chung Mong-koo Foundation's Green Society program pose for a photo at the climate-tech pitching session held Tuesday at the Asia Energy & Climate Technology Summit 2026 (ETS Asia) in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. [Hyundai Motor Chung Mong-koo Foundation]

Climate technologies developed in Korean laboratories are being put to the test in the Asian market. From artificial coral that captures carbon in the ocean to moss-based soil restoration and high-purity hydrogen production, Korean research teams met directly with investors and companies in Malaysia this week.

The Hyundai Motor Chung Mong-koo Foundation said Wednesday it held a "Green Society Climate-Tech Pitching Session" in Kuala Lumpur on Tuesday, alongside US climate-technology support organization RMI and startup accelerator D3.

The session was part of the Asia Energy & Climate Technology Summit 2026 (ETS Asia), held Tuesday and Wednesday. The summit marked the first time the energy and climate technology conference — which has run in Europe for seven years — was held in Asia.

Five CMK Green Society research teams and five ITAP startups presented their technologies and business models at the session. Following the presentations, one-on-one business meetings were held with local venture capital firms, accelerators and corporate representatives in Malaysia.

Among the Green Society participants, Bluecarbon introduced a technology that uses artificial coral polymers to capture carbon from the sea. Code of Nature presented a soil restoration technique using moss.

Korea Gridforming unveiled a series-type grid-forming solar inverter technology, while Korea Institute of Energy Research's CernShift showcased a hollow-fiber membrane technology for high-purity hydrogen production. Huject introduced its "Energy Tree," a system that converts otherwise wasted kinetic energy back into usable power.

The teams focused their pitches not only on explaining their technologies but also on the problems they aim to solve locally, their business models, demonstration plans and strategies for expanding into broader markets.

Ahead of the event, the teams received preparatory consulting from RMI and D3 on how to present their technologies to overseas investors. During the local meetings, discussions covered how each technology could be applied in the Malaysian market, securing demonstration partners, attracting investment and the potential for broader expansion across Asia.

The program is a follow-up to the Asia Climate-Tech Startup Global Partnership, launched in August last year. Rather than simply introducing technologies at an overseas event, the initiative focuses on building connections that lead to local demonstration projects, demand generation and investment.

After the summit, the foundation plans to hold a joint workshop with Malaysian government officials and visit local technology commercialization agencies. It will also support follow-up meetings between the investors and companies met at the event and the research teams.

The CMK Green Society program supports the commercialization of research technologies under the banner "Lab to Society." The foundation works with partners including the National Research Council of Science & Technology, the National Institute of Green Technology and the Department of Advanced Technology Business at Korea University.

The foundation aims to nurture more than 15 climate-tech companies by 2030, committing 18 billion won ($13.2 million) across 18 research projects.

"This pitching session connected the Green Society research teams' technologies to global markets and investment networks, building on the global partnership launched last year," said Jeong Mu-seong, chairman of the Hyundai Motor Chung Mong-koo Foundation. "We will continue to expand our ties with global partners so that climate technologies can be validated in overseas markets and lead to investment and business cooperation."


kwater@heraldcorp.com