The Climate Finance Accelerator (CFA), a global technical assistance programme designed to help climate projects become investor-ready, has been launched in Malaysia.
The programme takes entrepreneurs through three to four months of expert-led webinars and personalised coaching addressing specific challenges they face in obtaining investment for their projects.
It is an initiative funded by the United Kingdom government through its International Climate Finance programme under the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero. British High Commissioner to Malaysia Ajay Sharma said at the launch in early February that the programme is part of the ongoing climate-related partnership between Malaysia and the UK.
“The CFA builds on the UK-Malaysia climate partnership and our growing collaboration on energy, nature and sustainable finance, spanning mitigation, adaptation and resilience.
“The CFA adds a practical tool to this work—helping Malaysian businesses become investment‑ready and attract the capital required to deliver solutions at scale. We look forward to deepening our work with Malaysia on climate finance in the years ahead,” he said.
Deputy Finance Minister Liew Chin Tong, who was the guest of honour at the event, said the CFA can encourage innovative climate solutions, enhance business profitability and build a solid foundation for investor engagement.
“To me, this programme is not so much about the money, but the knowledge that we can build out of this. A knowledge base of understanding Malaysia, providing solutions for Malaysia, as well as using Malaysia as an example to provide climate solutions for the region and beyond,” he said.
The current phase of the CFA is implemented in a total of 10 countries. Since 2020, over 200 projects have graduated from the CFA globally, with around US$500mil (RM1.97bil) in investment secured.
One of the CFA graduates, CAS Energy from Vietnam, shared via a video presentation that prior to joining the programme, it was figuring out how to present its work on renewable energy and climate-smart agriculture for an investor audience.
“The CFA programme didn’t use a one-size-fits-all approach. The content was tailored to our business, and that really changed how we position ourselves, not just to investors, but also to partners,” its chief executive officer and co-founder Tu Nguyen said.
Elaborating on the CFA, Sharma said that while climate project ideas can be promising, transforming them into investment-ready propositions is not easy.
“Too often, good projects struggle not because they lack potential, but because proposals aren’t ready for investors. Too often, they lack the presentation that investors can understand and act on.”
“The CFA helps address that gap. It offers practical, tailored support to help entrepreneurs strengthen their business models, articulate impact, and connect with relevant investors,” he said.
The Malaysian chapter of the programme will be delivered by PwC Malaysia.
“This is an exciting time for innovative businesses to participate in shaping the climate resilience landscape in Malaysia. The CFA is a forward-thinking initiative, providing a springboard to bridge the gap between project developers, investors, and public institutions,” said PwC Malaysia managing partner Soo Hoo Khoon Yean.
The CFA’s call for proposals is open until March 6. Applications are welcomed from innovative low-carbon businesses and companies leading in climate transition, which are looking for investment. Businesses should be at least in the pre-feasibility stage and require a minimum of US$5mil (RM19.7mil) in investment.
Up to 15 businesses will be selected from sectors including energy efficiency, renewable energy, green mobility, bioenergy/waste, circular economy, green construction, sustainable fuels, sustainable land use, forestry and ecosystem restoration, carbon markets and measurement, reporting and verification systems.
For more information, visit https://www.climatefinanceaccelerator.com/.
