Ep87 Surviving the Two Valleys of Death in APAC Cleantech with Summer Bae, Cleantech Group

The Asia Climate Finance Podcast

The Asia Climate Finance Podcast
Ep87 Surviving the Two Valleys of Death in APAC Cleantech with Summer Bae, Cleantech Group
Jun 22, 2026 Episode 87
Joseph Jacobelli

Comments/ideas: ACFpod@outlook.com

Summer Bae from Cleantech Group joins us to reveal how the Asia Pacific cleantech market is finally moving from hype to solid business proof. We dive into the "two valleys of death" for hardware startups and the urgent need for catalytic capital to bridge the regional funding gap. We explore how AI accelerates hardware breakthroughs and why the global focus has shifted from net-zero targets to energy security and resilience. Professionals in climate finance and business will gain vital insights into navigating institutional roadblocks and scaling frontier innovation across APAC.

Ref.: Cleantech Group, Global Cleantech 100 Report, APAC Cleantech 25 Report

ABOUT SUMMER. Summer Bae is the Managing Director, APAC at Cleantech Group and is based in Singapore. Prior to Cleantech Group, Summer spent over 10 years at BloombergNEF, where she built partnerships with financial institutions, governments, and corporations to advance sustainable finance and clean technology adoption across the region. She focused on developing strategic relationships with C-suite leaders, particularly in Korea, Japan, and ASEAN. Earlier in her career, Summer held regional sales and planning roles at Datum Alloys, covering markets across Asia, Europe, and the Americas. She began her career at Sumitomo Chemical, where she managed chemical production line operations and was involved in business planning. Summer holds a Bachelor's degree in Asia-Pacific Sociology from Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University in Japan and earned the Sustainable Investing Certificate from the CFA Institute in 2025.

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Company list: #Bloomberg Finance L.P. (BloombergNEF), #Cleantech Group LLC, #Fervo Energy, Inc., #Halcyon (Halcyon Group Holdings LLC), #Sumitomo Chemical Co., Ltd.

HOST, PRODUCTION, ARTWORK: Joseph Jacobelli  |  MUSIC: Ep76 onward excerpts from Vivaldi’s La Follia, played by Luca Jacobelli.

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