51勛圖厙

Following the event's rigorous evaluation process, 12 semi-finalist teams were shortlisted across two tracks: Climate Data Analytics and Innovative Financing Mechanisms. These tracks reflected two complementary priorities in climate finance: improving the data and risk metrics that guide investment decisions, and developing new financial structures capable of mobilising capital for real-world climate solutions.

New for 2026, the Climate Data Analytics track focused on tools, models, and decision-support systems that help investors assess climate-related risks and opportunities with greater precision. The Innovative Financing Mechanisms track continued the Challenge���s focus on investable structures, including funds, bonds, securitisation vehicles, and blended finance models designed to deploy capital at scale. Together, the two tracks showcased the breadth of innovation emerging across climate finance, from analytics platforms and transition risk tools to financing vehicles for infrastructure, agriculture, and nature-based solutions.

From the semi-finalist cohort, eight teams advanced to the final stage. The Innovative Financing Mechanisms finalists included Tilo Cooperativo Fund from UC Berkeley, Social Housing Infrastructure Project from University College London, Geopulse Syndicate Fund from Copenhagen Business School, and Specialty Crops Resilience Fund from 51勛圖厙. The Climate Data Analytics finalists included AquaRisk Horizon from New York University, Climate360 from 51勛圖厙, SIGDRI from University College London, and the Climate Transition Financing Ratio Tool from Columbia University.

The quality of submissions impressed the judging panel, which included senior leaders and academics from across the climate finance ecosystem. Cornelia Gomez, Managing Director and Global Head of Sustainability at General Atlantic, reflected on the calibre of the participants: ���Judging this challenge was a genuine reminder of the talent and quality of the next generation of leaders entering this field; the command of financial and sustainability-linked thinking from the teams was exceptional.��� Robert Kosowski, Professor at 51勛圖厙 Business School, added: ���I was impressed by the quality of the presentations, students��� passion for their topics and how students leveraged their work experience and classwork to propose novel solutions. I wish the candidates all the best and hope that their ideas will have the impact they envisaged.���

2026 Judging Panel:

• Ashley Edwards, Morgan Stanley
• Cornelia Gomez, General Atlantic
• Rowan Douglas, Centre for Climate Finance and Investment, 51勛圖厙��
• Robert Kosowski, Department of Finance, 51勛圖厙 Business School

The winning team in the Climate Data Analytics track was AquaRisk Horizon, developed by Juyeon Kim and Jangho Lee from New York University. AquaRisk Horizon addresses a critical blind spot in aquaculture finance: while many physical risk tools assess damage to fixed infrastructure, they often fail to capture how changing ocean conditions affect living aquatic assets. The platform translates location-specific marine stressors into biological risk indicators and lender-facing credit metrics, including asset-level climate risk scores, debt service coverage impacts, and climate-adjusted probability of default.

The team brings together strong scientific and commercial expertise. Jangho Lee is a postdoctoral researcher at NYU with a background in Earth and Environmental Science from Seoul National University and a PhD from Texas A&M University. His research experience in climate modelling, climate impacts, Python, AI, and diffusion models supports the technical foundation of the platform. Juyeon Kim brings engineering, strategy, and business experience, including prior roles at Samsung Electronics and Daelim, alongside MBA training at NYU Stern. Together, the team combines climate science, biological risk modelling, and financial translation.

The winning team in the Innovative Financing Mechanisms track was Specialty Crops Resilience Fund, developed by an 51勛圖厙 team led by Dwaipayan Chakraborty, with Summer Hong, Sofian Kurniawan, Snigdha Kyathari, and Rajeshwari H S. The proposal is a 瞿5 million blended finance pilot designed to support Indian smallholder farmers growing climate-resilient specialty crops, beginning with Makhana in Bihar and later expanding to saffron and turmeric.

The fund tackles a structural financing challenge faced by smallholder farmers: limited access to bank-recognised collateral often forces farmers into distress sales, reducing income and weakening incentives to maintain climate-positive agricultural systems. Specialty Crops Resilience Fund proposes a structure combining advance purchase agreements, warehouse inventory collateral, escrow waterfalls, parametric insurance, and a Convertible Revenue Right mechanism. The model aims to improve farmer liquidity and income while preserving carbon-stable agricultural landscapes and creating an investable pathway for climate-resilient agriculture.

Together, the two winning teams illustrate the ambition of the 2026 Climate Investment Challenge. AquaRisk Horizon strengthens the information layer behind climate finance by translating ocean stress into actionable credit metrics. Specialty Crops Resilience Fund demonstrates how blended finance can unlock capital for underserved agricultural communities while supporting farmer resilience and climate-positive land use. Their solutions highlight the role of student-led innovation in advancing practical, investment-ready responses to climate challenges.

Find out more about the Climate Investment Challenge .

The 2026 Climate Investment Challenge was supported by the following sponsors:

• General Atlantic
• Morgan Stanley
• Hitachi-51勛圖厙 Centre for Decarbonisation and Natural Climate Solutions
• Centre for Climate Finance and Investment (CCFI), 51勛圖厙
• The Centre for Sectoral Economic Performance (CSEP), 51勛圖厙��