MUMBAI, India, Nov. 25, 2025 -- Mumbai Climate Week (MCW), India's inaugural global climate action and solutions platform scheduled for February 2026, announced the launch of the Climate Innovation Challenge last Friday – a first-of-its-kind multi-stage program aimed at accelerating breakthrough climate innovations that can be deployed at scale across India and the Global South. Mumbai Climate Week is an initiative of Project Mumbai in partnership with the Government of Maharashtra and BMC, and aims to bring together climate action leaders from across the world, hoping to showcase solutions across platforms through a festival of conversations led by innovators, youth, civil society, students and businesses and philanthropies at the Jio World Convention Centre from 17–19 February 2026. 

The Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi has been invited to inaugurate the Mumbai Climate Week. The MCW Innovation Challenge will be led by the National Stock Exchange of India (NSE) as Innovation Challenge Partner and is designed to spotlight and propel solutions in mitigation, adaptation and resilience. The Challenge invites startups, students, researchers, NGOs, CSOs, innovators and climate entrepreneurs from across India and participating nations to test, refine and showcase high-impact ideas with the final showcase taking place live at Mumbai Climate Week 2026. With invitations extended to several countries across the Global South, the Innovation Challenge will strengthen MCW's position as one of India's most influential climate solution platforms on the global stage.

Government of Maharashtra, Majhi Vasundhara, Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC),Monitor Deloitte, HT Parekh Foundation, India Climate Collaborative (ICC), Shakti Foundation, WRI India UNICEF, Rainmatter Foundation, Mahindra Group, Climate Group, NGMA and some of the world's leading knowledge institutions, climate networks, policy bodies, funders and Indian organisations who have joined hands with Project Mumbai led MCW, making the platform a unique convergence of global and local climate leadership. MCW is being structured as a citizen-led initiative, with a convergence of actionable solutions across Mumbai, from discussing the Mumbai Climate Action plan to building conversations on cinema and climate, Food and climate, sports, art and even healthcare and climate as part of the experientials. Colleges, through NSS volunteers will be part of the action plan too.

Shishir Joshi, Founder & CEO, Project Mumbai, said, "Mumbai Climate Week is committed to building platforms that turn ideas into action. This partnership with NSE strengthens our ability to identify and propel solutions that can help cities and communities adapt, innovate and build climate resilience at scale. By bringing together innovators, investors, grassroots practitioners, community voices, technical experts and policymakers under one umbrella, we aim to unlock meaningful pathways for climate impact not just for Mumbai, but for the entire region."

Ashishkumar Chauhan, MD & CEO, NSE, said, "India's very own Mumbai Climate Week, to be held in February 2026, comes at a defining moment in our nation's journey toward Net Zero by 2070. Achieving this vision will require over USD 10 trillion till 2070 in climate finance across our NDC, Viksit Bharat and Net Zero phases, driving investments in clean energy, green mobility and resilient infrastructure. As India's leading market infrastructure institution, NSE is enabling this transition through market-driven climate finance instruments, from Monthly Electricity Futures to GSS+ and Transition Bonds, and the upcoming Green Equity Pathway, CFD and Carbon Market products. Through its partnership with Mumbai Climate Week, NSE reaffirms its commitment to making sustainable finance accessible, transparent and impactful, strengthening Bharat's position as a global leader in green innovation and responsible growth."

MCW is envisioned as India's citizen-led climate movement, where policy connects with people and innovation is transformed into real-world application. The Innovation Challenge is central to this mission, creating a strong pipeline of deployable, India-rooted and globally relevant climate solutions for cities, communities and climate-vulnerable regions. The multi-stage program equips participants through capacity-building sessions, masterclasses, technical mentoring, structured jury evaluations and a high-energy 'Investor Speed-Seeding Forum' on Day 3 of MCW, enabling direct one-on-one engagement with capital providers. Finalists will further gain visibility at the MCW Solutions Exhibition Arena, presenting their innovations to policymakers, funders, industry leaders, philanthropies and global climate networks, along with opportunities for pilots, partnerships and MoUs through MCW ecosystem partners. This integrated structure ensures that promising innovations move beyond ideation and are placed on a credible pathway toward deployment and scale.

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About Mumbai Climate Week

Scheduled from February 17 to 19, 2026, at the Jio World Convention Centre, Mumbai Climate Week will be more than a three-day event. Its impact will be extended through preparatory activities before and synthesis efforts after the main conference, including workshops, case studies, films, testimonials, and follow-up reports. By mobilizing India's vibrant network of climate-focused organizations and movements, it will highlight the nation's pioneering efforts in climate action while charting a bold path forward. Conceptualised & initiated by Project Mumbai, a citizen-driven non-profit founded in 2018, and, in partnership with Government of Maharashtra's Department of Environment and Climate Change, and supported by Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, MCW reflects the vision of a dynamic megacity from the Global South stepping into a role of global climate leadership

About Project Mumbai

Project Mumbai, founded in 2018 by a former renowned journalist and social entrepreneur Shishir Joshi, is a pioneering not-for-profit initiative that works as a trusted bridge between citizens, government, and private institutions to co-create solutions for the city's most pressing challenges. With a focus on participatory governance, community engagement, and public service, Project Mumbai has consistently mobilized people and partnerships to deliver impact at scale—from mental health initiatives and waste management drives to urban mobility solutions and disaster relief. Its citizen-centric model has earned recognition nationally and internationally as an example of collaborative problem-solving rooted in transparency, trust, and accountability.

About National Stock Exchange of India Limited (NSE):

National Stock Exchange of India (NSE) was the first exchange in India to implement electronic or screen-based trading. It began operations in 1994 and is ranked as the largest stock exchange in India in terms of total and average daily turnover for equity shares every year since 1995, based on SEBI data. NSE has a fully integrated business model comprising exchange listings, trading services, clearing and settlement services, indices, market data feeds, technology solutions and financial education offerings. NSE also oversees compliance by trading, clearing members and listed companies with the rules and regulations of SEBI and the exchange. NSE is a pioneer in technology and ensures the reliability and performance of its systems through a culture of innovation and investment in technology. NSE is the world's largest derivatives exchange by trading volume (contracts) as per the statistics maintained by Futures Industry Association (FIA) for calendar year 2024. NSE is ranked 2nd in the world in equity segment by number of trades (electronic order book) in 2024, as per the statistics maintained by World Federation of Exchanges (WFE).

For more information, please visit: www.nseindia.com 

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