[Busan = E-Daily Marketin Reporter Soyoung Park ] “It takes at least 10 years for climate tech investments to bear fruit, but that’s not easy in Korea, where 8-year funds are common. Still, investment is currently trending toward sectors that incorporate deep tech.”

This is the current sentiment in the domestic energy and climate tech sectors, as conveyed by the CEO of a Korean impact investment firm. As the proliferation of artificial intelligence (AI) data centers and power shortages become a reality, the focus of climate tech investors is also shifting. Specifically, while carbon reduction and ESG were once the primary investment rationale, the current trend emphasizes whether a technology can actually resolve grid bottlenecks and generate revenue quickly.

Professionals in the energy and climate sectors have made their way to Busan. Their destination is the 2026 International Climate Industry Expo. The expo will be held for three days, from September 16 to 18, at BEXCO in Haeundae-gu, Busan. Approximately 550 domestic and international companies will participate to showcase innovative technologies in the energy and climate sectors.

Dozens of professionals from the energy and climate sectors also gathered at a building in Suyeong-gu, located just over 10 minutes away. The small space was packed with representatives from domestic energy research institutes, investors, and corporate executives. They came together to explore what factors are necessary for energy and climate technologies to translate into real-world industrial and market applications—and ultimately, societal change. They engaged in a lively discussion, listening to the global expansion and proof-of-concept (PoC) plans of startups commercializing innovative energy and climate technologies and proposing alternative solutions.

This is the scene at the “Clima Salon,” an event where domestic energy and climate industry stakeholders gather to network. The event was held as a side event to the International Climate Industry Expo, which took place over two days on the 16th and 17th at BEXCO in Busan.

Clima Salon is a community jointly planned and operated by Bluepoint Partners, the Korea Institute of Energy Technology (KIET), the Korea Energy Technology Evaluation and Planning Institute (KETEP), and NH Investment & Securities to facilitate the sustainable transition of energy and climate-related industries. It provides a platform where startups, corporations, research institutions, and investors can gather and exchange ideas.

The sustainable transition of the energy and climate industries is a multifaceted challenge involving the interplay of technology, markets, and capital, and it drives the transformation of all industries. Cross-sectoral collaboration networks serve as the core foundation for systematically addressing these issues and sustaining long-term implementation. Clima Salon explores diverse perspectives and possibilities for practical collaboration. It also aims to provide a platform for stakeholders in the energy and climate sectors to build a foundation for ongoing exchange.

At the event held on the 17th, industry representatives attended investor presentations (IR) led by startup CEOs specializing in △ energy storage systems (ESS), △ power grids and virtual power plants (VPP), △ energy efficiency, △ distributed generation, and △ next-generation power technologies. The startups presenting that day shared their strategies for attracting investment, including introductions to their technology-based products and business strategies.

Jang Bo-yoon, CEO of Iterten, noted, “Since many people in this industry come from a research and development background, there are aspects where significant assistance is needed to commercialize their ideas,” adding, “Energy technology is a field that has transitioned from public-sector leadership to the private sector in less than 10 years.” In fact, his company is also a spin-off from a research laboratory at the Korea Institute of Energy Research, specializing in next-generation secondary battery technology. CEO Jang Bo-yoon continued, “While significant investment and innovation are still needed, we had high hopes that this event would allow startups to gain diverse advice from investors not only on fundraising but also on commercialization.”

Investors appear to take a selective approach to certain technologies that require large-scale funding and a long commercialization period. However, the perspectives of the venture capital (VC) and corporate venture capital (CVC) representatives who attended the event were generally consistent. An official from Bluepoint Partners, the event organizer, said, “The most critical factor is whether customer needs can be identified quickly,” adding, “Among climate tech startups, investor interest has recently been focused on businesses capable of generating revenue.”