Jakarta, 8 September 2025 – The ASEAN Centre for Energy (ACE), in collaboration with the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and strategic partners Innovation Factory (IF) and BLOCK71 Indonesia, with support from the Japan-ASEAN Integration Fund (JAIF), has officially entered the second phase of its Accelerator Programme, Catalyse.  The programme opened with remarks from Zulkiflee Umar, Deputy Director of Energy Efficiency & Conservation at the Energy Commission of Malaysia and Chair of the Project Steering Committee, who underscored the weight MSMEs carry as both the backbone of ASEAN’s economies and as key drivers of innovation. He drew attention to the persistent barriers they face in finance, technology, and knowledge access, while noting the remarkable participation of women-led enterprises in clean energy and climate innovation, signalling the region’s growing commitment to inclusive progress. His remarks were followed by Saito Mizuki, First Secretary of the Japan Mission to ASEAN and Co-Chair of the Project Steering Committee, who encouraged the startups to seize this moment to sharpen their solutions, extend their networks, and deepen their contribution to ASEAN’s clean energy and climate ambitions. 

Photo 1. Opening Remarks by Zulkiflee Umar, Deputy Director of Energy Efficiency & Conservation at the Energy Commission of Malaysia and Chair of the Project Steering Committee 

Photo 2. Opening Remarks by Saito Mizuki, First Secretary of the Japan Mission to ASEAN and Co-Chair of the Project Steering Committee 

The Catalyse stage brings together 30 selected startups for an intensive accelerator programme running from August to October. It is built around a structured workshop syllabus that walks startups through the essentials of strengthening an early venture, from shaping strategy and validating ideas to navigating markets, finance, partnerships, sustainability considerations, intellectual property, and communication.  The first mentoring session, led by Fajar Sastrowijoyo, Co-founder and CEO of Syntek Otomasi Indonesia, set the tone by grounding participants in the discipline of building a sustainable business model. The session pushed founders to examine how innovation is validated in the real world, how true product–market fit is tested in the clean energy space, and how tools like the Business Model Canvas can help sharpen long-term strategic direction. 

Photo 3. Business Strategy & Validation by Fajar Sastrowijoyo, Co-founder and CEO of Syntek Otomasi Indonesia 

The second mentoring session, delivered by Fathom Saulina, Director of SAKA Total Energy Management, moved the discussion toward market expansion. The session helped startups understand how to study and prioritise potential markets across and beyond ASEAN, navigate regulatory nuances, and map the cultural and sectoral realities that influence market entry. It encouraged practical discovery techniques to refine assumptions and prepare for regional or global scaling. 

 Photo 4. Market Expansion & Entry by Fathom Saulina, Director of SAKA Total Energy Management 

 The third mentoring session, with Rebecca Chai, Venture Associate of Plug and Play Japan, shifted the conversation to funding and investment. This session gave startups a clear view of how financial management underpins early-stage growth, how different investor profiles think, and what it means to position a clean energy venture for angel, venture capital, or alternative funding mechanisms. The session also allowed founders to refine how they communicate their value when seeking investment. 

Photo 5. Funding and Investment by Rebecca Chai, Venture Associate of Plug and Play Japan 

 The fourth mentoring session, led by Renard Siew Yung Jhien, Group Head of Corporate Sustainability of Yinson and President of Malaysia Carbon Market Association, anchored the conversation in sustainability and impact. It guided startups through the fundamentals of integrating sustainability practices into operations, measuring and quantifying environmental and social impact, and translating impact into value creation. The session encouraged founders to think about sustainability not as a reporting exercise but as a strategic asset. 

 Photo 6. Sustainability & Impact by Renard Siew Yung Jhien, Group Head of Corporate Sustainability of Yinson and President of Malaysia Carbon Market Association 

The fifth mentoring session, led by Ahmad Zulfikri Taning, Patent Engineer of Spruson & Ferguson, confronted the realities of intellectual property (IP) strategy. Startups examined what IP protection means for clean energy innovation, the different forms of IP and where they matter, and the common pitfalls early companies face in the ASEAN landscape. Through case discussions, founders learned how to use IP not only as protection but as a lever for competitive advantage. 

Photo 7. IP & Strategy by Ahmad Zulfikri Taning, Patent Engineer of Spruson & Ferguson 

The sixth mentoring session, with Architrandi Priambodo, Senior Energy Specialist of Asian Development Bank, took founders into consideration of partnerships and governance. Startups explored how to work with government institutions, how to navigate public funding environments, and how to build governance structures through strong core teams and advisory support. A practical stakeholder mapping exercise enabled participants to identify potential corporate partners and understand how to approach them.  

Photo 8.  Partnerships & Governance by Architrandi Priambodo, Senior Energy Specialist of Asian Development Bank 

The seventh and final mentoring session, led by Mada Ayu Habsari, Chairwoman of Asosiasi Energi Surya Indonesia brought the focus to pitching and communication. Startups worked on refining their executive summaries, crafting investor-ready presentations, and strengthening their verbal delivery for various pitch formats. Through mock sessions and peer feedback, founders trained themselves to articulate their value propositions sharply and confidently. 

Photo 9. Pitching & Communication by Mada Ayu Habsari, Chairwoman of Asosiasi Energi Surya Indonesia 

By the end of this phase, the combination of seven thematic workshops and personalised guidance from mentors equips each startup to sharpen its model, strengthen its solutions, and refine its market strategy. Together, these sessions prepare founders to turn their ideas into scalable, investment-ready solutions. The top 20 startups will move on to the Final Pitching Event at the 25th ASEAN Energy Business Forum (AEBF-25) in Malaysia, where they will present solutions they have strengthened throughout this Catalyse journey.