Mumbai, December 04, 2025: Mumbai Climate Week (MCW), India’s first global climate action and solutions platform scheduled for February 17–19, 2026, has announced the launch of the Climate Innovation Challenge, with the National Stock Exchange of India (NSE) joining as the Innovation Challenge Partner. The multi-stage programme aims to identify and advance breakthrough climate innovations that can be deployed across India and the wider Global South.
MCW is an initiative of Project Mumbai, organised in partnership with the Government of Maharashtra and the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). The platform will convene global and local climate leaders, youth, civil society, innovators, students, philanthropies and businesses at the Jio World Convention Centre. Invitations have been extended to several countries across the Global South, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi invited to inaugurate the event.
The Climate Innovation Challenge will invite startups, researchers, students, NGOs, CSOs and climate entrepreneurs to test, refine and present high-impact solutions across mitigation, adaptation and resilience. Finalists will showcase their innovations live during Mumbai Climate Week in February 2026.
A broad coalition of partners—including Majhi Vasundhara, Monitor Deloitte, HT Parekh Foundation, India Climate Collaborative, Shakti Foundation, WRI India, UNICEF, Rainmatter Foundation, Mahindra Group, Climate Group and NGMA—have joined the MCW platform, making it a major convergence point for climate action, policy, finance and community engagement. The week-long initiative will also spotlight themes such as food systems, cinema, sports, art, healthcare and citizen-led climate action.
Shishir Joshi, Founder & CEO, Project Mumbai, said, “Mumbai Climate Week is committed to building platforms that turn ideas into action. This partnership with NSE strengthens our ability to identify and propel solutions that can help cities and communities adapt, innovate and build climate resilience at scale. By bringing together innovators, investors, grassroots practitioners, community voices, technical experts and policymakers under one umbrella, we aim to unlock meaningful pathways for climate impact not just for Mumbai, but for the entire region.”
Ashish Kumar Chauhan, MD & CEO, NSE, said, “India’s very own Mumbai Climate Week, to be held in February 2026, comes at a defining moment in our nation’s journey toward Net Zero by 2070. Achieving this vision will require over USD 10 trillion till 2070 in climate finance across our NDC, Viksit Bharat and Net Zero phases, driving investments in clean energy, green mobility and resilient infrastructure. As India’s leading market infrastructure institution, NSE is enabling this transition through market-driven climate finance instruments… Through its partnership with Mumbai Climate Week, NSE reaffirms its commitment to making sustainable finance accessible, transparent and impactful, strengthening Bharat’s position as a global leader in green innovation and responsible growth.”
The Climate Innovation Challenge is central to MCW’s mission of advancing India-rooted, globally relevant climate solutions. The multi-stage programme will include mentoring, masterclasses, jury evaluations and a dedicated “Investor Speed-Seeding Forum” enabling innovators to engage directly with capital providers. Finalists will also showcase their solutions in the MCW Solutions Exhibition Arena, with opportunities for pilot collaborations, partnerships and MoUs through MCW ecosystem partners.
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