Individual entrepreneurs, public institutions, development finance institutions, the private sector, and civil society organizations (including NGOs, think tanks, and academics) are all welcome to submit ideas. Successful past proponents have included large institutions from the public and private sectors, as well as start-ups, entrepreneurs, boutique fund managers, insurers, and NGOs. The Lab’s call for ideas is open to all innovators in the sustainable finance space. 

The Lab typically seeks relatively well-defined concepts that are in a pre-pilot or early pilot stage, and which could benefit from vehicle design and technical support. Successful ideas typically have some evidence of the likelihood of success in practice, but the maturity of the vehicle structure, pathway to market, and financial modeling varies. 

The idea must be a financial vehicle (described below) that targets climate-relevant sectors in developing countries and does not require legislative or regulatory changes to be implemented. Additionally, applicants should demonstrate that the idea meets the Lab’s four criteria: innovation, actionability, catalytic potential, and financial sustainability. For more on these criteria, see the Lab Guidelines HERE or on the Lab’s site HERE. 

In the context of the Lab, a financial vehicle is a tool, structure, or approach to investment that has the potential to mobilize private capital. The Lab does not support ideas for individual projects or the deployment of new technologies (unless there is an innovative financial product associated with these projects or technologies). Vehicles selected by the Lab include debt and equity funds, bonds, insurance products, guarantees, pay-per-service models, and securitization structures, among others. To get an idea of what we are looking for, take a look at some of the past vehicles HERE. 

In 2026, the idea selection will be guided by the Lab’s priority regions: Brazil, East and Southern Africa, India, Latin America and the Caribbean, and the Philippines. Ideas will be selected for one of eight streams:  

• Africa – Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems 
• Africa – Mitigation 
• Asia-Pacific – Mitigation 
• Brazil – Adaptation and/or Mitigation 
• India – Adaptation and/or Mitigation 
• Latin America and the Caribbean – Adaptation 
• Latin America and the Caribbean – Mitigation 
• The Philippines – Adaptation 

 Globally focused ideas are invited to apply to the stream that best matches the initial target geography of implementation.

Submissions should provide a short description of the idea, its purpose, and how it works. It should be clear what the vehicle invests in, how financing will be deployed, and how the vehicle can be expected to generate returns. They should also show that the idea fits the Lab’s criteria, outline the main financial barriers it addresses, and the potential climate impact. If any aspects of the vehicle design are not yet fully defined, this is understandable considering the Lab works with early-stage vehicles; however, kindly indicate such uncertainties in your response. For example, while it is helpful to have a sense of the types of finance needed for idea implementation, part of the Lab process is further developing and defining the finance needed for implementation. 

Past proponent teams have typically dedicated at least 2-3 days per week to the Lab process, in a period of over seven months (from March to September). This time is often split across multiple team members from the proponent side. We suggest that successful proponents dedicate one or two individuals to work as Lab focal points throughout the process. CPI dedicates two staff members from our team to each vehicle, at roughly ~60% full-time, and we expect that our proponents apply a similar level of prioritization during the core Lab cycle. Moreover, following the conclusion of the Lab cycle, it is the responsibility of the proponent to launch and implement the idea. Successful applicants, therefore, must demonstrate a degree of long-term commitment to the idea that extends beyond the Lab process. 

After being selected at the Global Selection Meeting in early March, successful proponents will work for seven months to advance the vehicle and identify its implementation pathway. After this time, the vehicle will receive light-touch assistance over a 12-month period, including bespoke launch support to get the idea off the ground. Details on the bespoke technical assistance provided are included in the Lab Guidelines. 

Yes, you can submit more than one idea. We do suggest, though, that you confirm that the ideas meet the Lab’s eligibility criteria to make sure your ideas are a right fit for the Lab before filling out the questionnaire.  

Typically, 2-way NDAs are signed between selected proponents and CPI at the beginning of the Lab process to ensure that proprietary and/or commercially sensitive information remains confidential. However, a critical output of the Lab process is the dissemination of our research outcomes to the broader climate finance community. Therefore, proponents should be comfortable with key learnings from the Lab process, including the vehicle design, implementation pathway, and potential for impact being made publicly available at the conclusion of the Lab process.  

The idea must be targeted at one (or more) developing (ODA-eligible) countries (you can find a list of these countries here. While the concept must be targeted at ODA-eligible countries, the proponents and sources of capital can be based in any country.  

As the 2026 Call for Ideas does not include global streams, pilot countries must not only be ODA-eligible, but also fall within the priority regions and themes outlined in the call for ideas.

The Lab does not offer funding or seed capital as part of the program. While the Lab itself does not guarantee funding for the implementation of the vehicles, the Lab Secretariat will facilitate bilateral discussions between Idea Proponents and funders. Proponents may be invited to apply to the Lab Pre-Seed Capital Facility, which offers conditional grants to a subset of endorsed vehicles. See the Lab Guidelines for more information on the Pre-Seed Facility.  

Ideas that integrate gender considerations are strongly encouraged. We recommend selecting the regional stream that best matches the target geography and primary climate sector of your idea. During the full application, proponents will be requested to describe the gender-sensitive approaches and gender equality impacts of their vehicles (if available). Gender strategies and related components can be further developed during the Lab cycle for selected ideas. 

Yes. We are looking for climate adaptation submissions that identify one or a set of physical climate risks that applicants are seeking to address via investment (i.e., flood, drought, storm surge, extreme heat, etc.).  

Examples include Climate Resilience and Adaptation Finance & Technology Transfer Facility (CRAFT) (details HERE), Climate Adaptation Notes (details HERE), and Climate Insurance Linked Resilient Infrastructure Financing details HERE). 

• Past successful instruments
• Lab Guidelines for the 2025 Cycle
• 2025 Preliminary Application Form – For reference only
• 2025 Full Application Form – For reference only
• 2025 Call for Ideas Webinar – Global Program
• 2024 Call for Ideas Webinar – Brazil Program
• 2024 Call for Ideas Webinar – Regional Programs
• 2024 Call for Ideas Webinar – Latin America and The Caribbean Program