Building Climate Innovation Fund in Bangladesh
Why this is important
The Climate Innovation Fund (CIF) was created to identify and support innovative solutions to Bangladesh’s climate crisis and help build a more climate-resilient future. The fund focuses on early-stage enterprises developing practical solutions to climate challenges, recognizing that innovation needs both the right capital and the right support to move from an idea to meaningful impact.
Project partners: Prime Bank PLC & Sajida Foundation
Duration: 2023 - 2026
Project goals
CIF is designed to meet enterprises where they are in their journey. For businesses with established product-market fit and readiness to scale, CIF provides performance-based grant capital to help catalyse their impact across larger communities. For enterprises still validating their solutions and preparing for market rollout, CIF combines smaller performance-based grants with sustained, hands-on mentorship. This enables them to pilot and test their innovations while building sustainable business models from the outset—creating a stronger foundation for long-term growth and impact.
In 2024, CIF expanded its focus through a dedicated agriculture track in partnership with Prime Bank PLC, supporting enterprises developing solutions designed to directly improve the lives and livelihoods of more than 10,000 farmers.
What we are doing
Through three Catalytic Funding calls and one Venture Building cohort, CIF has supported 12 enterprises across 32 districts of Bangladesh, providing BDT 28.2 million in impact-linked grants and reaching more than 12,000 farmers. The portfolio has delivered yield increases of up to 23%, income gains of up to 25%, average annual household savings of approximately USD 300, and more than 5,600 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions abated to date.
These results demonstrate that a strong pipeline of climate enterprises can be builtdeliberately, enterprise by enterprise—and that pairing patient capital with structured support can generate meaningful results across an entire portfolio, not just through a single standout case.
Key activities of the project include:
The Climate Innovation Fund has demonstrated how the right combination of capital, mentorship, and innovation can turn promising climate solutions into measurable impact. The next opportunity is to take these solutions further supporting more enterprises, reaching more farmers, and mobilizing greater investment for climate innovation.
By bringing together investors, businesses, financial institutions, and development partners, we can scale what works and builds a more climate-resilient and sustainable future for Bangladesh.
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News & events
British Asian Trust and SAJIDA Foundation launch Climate Innovation Fund in Bangladesh
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