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SFi April 2026 Newsletter
- 7 days ago
- 6 min read
Hello Impact Community,
April has been a month of candid conversations, bold ideas, and growing momentum across our community – and the energy heading into June is palpable.
We were honoured to co-host a roundtable on wealth, purpose, and stewardship alongside LGT Private Banking, with candid perspectives shared by H.S.H. Prince Max von und zu Liechtenstein (LGT Group), and Li Tan (Audacy) – exploring how families across Asia Pacific are redefining legacy and moving beyond wealth preservation towards purposeful, values-driven stewardship. We also published a new SFi Insights piece on AI and ocean health, examining how data intelligence is transforming the blue economy – from early warning systems for coastal communities to de-risking blue investments at scale.
Our CEO Katy Yung also spoke on a panel exploring Financing Green Transition Through Collaboration across Asia Pacific. The message is clear: the infrastructure for transition capital in Asia is already here – what's needed now is conviction, coordination, and clarity.
As we count down to SFi Impact Summit 2026 on 3 June, we are energised by the depth of dialogue across our community – and the collective determination to move capital from intention to impact.
From Wealth to Purpose & Stewardship | Roundtable Recap
Last month, SFi and LGT Private Banking co-hosted a roundtable on how families across Asia Pacific and globally are redefining wealth, purpose, and legacy.
Several key insights emerged:
Families are evolving from pure wealth preservation towards purposeful stewardship, deploying capital to address challenges such as climate risk and inequality whilst maintaining competitive returns.
NextGen family members are emerging as catalysts for change, developing independent track records (intentionally stepping outside their comfort zones – new geographies, sectors, even unconventional ideas like whiskey funds), introducing fresh impact approaches into family enterprises.
Values-based governance and open intergenerational dialogue are transforming potential tensions into sources of unity, innovation, and growth.
Climate and energy transition have become central to business resilience, with families pioneering practical solutions like waste to energy, biochar, and carbon capture. As one participant emphasised, "Climate tech is not an industry. It is the future of every industry."
Many families are starting to view impact as a third dimension, alongside risk and return, blending investment and philanthropy under a shared family purpose.
A special thank you to H.S.H. Prince Max von und zu Liechtenstein (Chairman and CEO LGT Group), and Li Tan (Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Audacy) for their candid perspectives. We look forward to continuing this conversation with our community in the lead up to the SFi Impact Summit.
Beneath the Surface: AI and the Future of Blue Finance
The ocean isn't a backdrop to the climate story – it is the story. In our latest SFi Insights piece, co-authored with the Fondation Prince Albert II de Monaco, we explore how AI is quietly transforming ocean science – from predicting chlorophyll levels and blue carbon dynamics to forecasting harmful algal blooms – and what this means for investors, policymakers, and innovators building the blue economy.
Bridging the Gap – Katy Yung on Transition Finance in Asia Pacific
This month, our CEO Katy Yung joined an expert panel – Financing Green Transition Through Collaboration – co-organised by the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA), Hong Kong Academy of Finance (AoF), Hong Kong Institute for Monetary and Financial Research (HKIMR), and the Centre for Economic Policy Research (CEPR), alongside leaders from BlackRock, IFC, and CFA Institute.
Key takeaways from the conversation:
VC/PE funds remain the top entry point for transition capital, whilst private debt and credit strategies – including climate-smart landscape funds and real asset credit – have seen the largest increase in allocation amongst SFi's community
Blended finance is growing fast, with the global market reaching USD 18 billion across 123 transactions in 2024, over 60% in climate, with climate accounting for the majority of flows, according to Convergence's State of Blended Finance 2025. RS Group's USD 3 million grant to Convergence and the Southeast Asia Clean Energy Facility (SEACEF) are compelling examples of catalytic capital unlocking transition finance at scale across Asia. What made these examples work: philanthropic players as active co-designers of financing instruments – not passive funders; consortium models that pooled risk and built credibility; and deliberate coordination across regulators, development banks, and capital stack providers
Family offices and private asset owners are uniquely positioned, operating across three capital pools – philanthropic foundations, investment capital, and operating businesses – each deploying strategically. Patient capital, longer horizons, and values-driven mandates remove constraints that institutional investors typically face
Philanthropic capital plays three critical functions: additionality (especially as government funding contracts), first-loss de-risking (bridging the gap for projects too early for VC or too risky for commercial debt), and proof-of-concept support through technical assistance and feasibility funding
Translating transition themes into investable products that meet return expectations and ticket-size requirements remains the biggest gap in the ecosystem
Hong Kong's ambition to become an Impact and Transition Capital Hub – convening public–private–philanthropic capital, incubating transition instruments, and showcasing homegrown innovation in climate resilience, nature-based solutions, and beyond – underscored that Asia's ecosystem is maturing fast, and private capital has a central role to play.
SFi Impact Summit 2026: Exciting Line-up for 3 June 2026
When did you last have a conversation that changed how you think about deploying capital?
SFi Impact Summit 2026 takes place on 3 June in Hong Kong – and here is your exclusive look at what awaits you on the day. This year's programme cuts through the noise – built not around polished answers, but around the questions impact practitioners are genuinely wrestling with right now:
Inside the mind of an Impact CIO – candid perspectives on how leading allocators are positioning their capital today
Capital in motion – real deployment stories across climate resilience, the blue economy, and faith-driven investing
North Asian impact ecosystems – collaboration, locally governed vehicles, and cross-border scaling
NextGen & blended finance – the structures, operators, and collective action models already moving capital
All this and more, with the community that shares your conviction – family offices, asset owners, private investors, and ecosystem partners – all in one room where purposeful capital finds its momentum.
Stay up-to-date with the latest agenda and speakers at sfiimpactsummit.com
Secure your place before passes sell out.
Our events are exclusive to SFi members unless stated otherwise. If you’re not yet part of our community and would like to join our events – along with gaining access to other member benefits – get in touch to learn more about becoming an SFi member.
Singapore-based Circulate Capital has raised USD 220 million in the first close of its second climate fund, Circulate Capital Asia II – surpassing 70% of its USD 300 million target – to scale circular supply chains and recycling businesses across South and Southeast Asia.
Singapore-based modular and prefabricated data centre infrastructure provider EPG raised USD 100 million in Series B funding from Decarbonisation Partners, Alibaba Cloud, and other investors.
India-based renewable energy solutions provider for C&I customers Vibrant Energy was acquired by Inox Clean Energy at an implied valuation of USD 539 million.
India-based commercial EV manufacturer Euler Motors raised USD 47 million in Growth funding from Lightrock, Blume Ventures, and Hero MotoCorp.
ING's latest Sustainable Finance Pulse report identifies Asia Pacific as a standout performer in global sustainable finance, with record 2025 volumes and a forecast rebound in transition bond issuance ahead.
UNDP and Convergence have released a Strategic Framework for Blended Finance, offering a six-pillar playbook to help governments and private investors turn one-off blended deals into scalable, repeatable market solutions.
ISO has released ISO 14001:2026, a major update to the world's most widely used environmental management standard, now with stronger alignment to climate, biodiversity, and natural capital priorities.
Rolls-Royce SMR has signed a contract with Great British Energy–Nuclear to deliver the UK's first SMR fleet at Wylfa, Wales, backed by GBP 2.5 billion in government funding.
Click the links below to register or find out more about upcoming events
** denotes events where SFi are speakers
30 April – 2 May: FBN NxG International Summit 2026 (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia)
May 18 – 20: Philanthropy Asia Summit 2026 (Singapore)
May 18 – 21: Ecosperity Week (Singapore)
For members, please add events@sustainablefinance.hk to your contacts and kindly confirm your attendance via the calendar invitation for all SFi-related events.
We welcome Family Office Principals, Private Investors managing endowments or foundations, and NextGen Investors to connect with us and explore the benefits of joining the Sustainable Finance Initiative community. Become part of a network of like-minded changemakers driving impact across Asia Pacific and beyond – and gain access to members-only opportunities designed to support your sustainable investment journey.
