New Zealand Cleantech competing on the world stage
New Zealand Cleantech companies are in the limelight in Singapore and will be highlighted in two international events in May. New Zealand-developed technologies have the potential to turn into world-leading companies that help transition the world to a greener economy.
The APAC Cleantech 25 list recognises OpenStar Technologies, Kwetta, and Allegro Energy as leading private companies in the Asia-Pacific region making significant strides in cleantech innovation and sustainability.
The APAC Cleantech 25 recognises forward-thinking companies that are developing and deploying breakthrough solutions from fusion to near-term energy efficiency savings, from battery swapping to battery materials, from improving crop yields to generating valuable products from waste. These companies are at the forefront of addressing the world’s most pressing environmental challenges while driving economic growth and technological advancement in the region.
“Asia-Pacific is playing a crucial role in global cleantech innovation, with pioneering companies advancing transformative solutions across industries,” said Anthony DeOrsey, Research Manager at Cleantech Group. “The 2025 APAC Cleantech 25showcases businesses that are not only creating environmental impact but also demonstrating strong commercial potential and attracting investment interest.”
Company backgrounds
"In recent history, Aotearoa has built a reputation for building creative technologies that support a greener future. We’ve seen that in companies like Lanzatech, and it’s unsurprising a new crop of Kiwi startups feature so strongly on this list. In our field of fusion, Kiwis were here at the start with Rutherford, and they will be here at the end with OpenStar" - Ratu Mataira, Founder & CEO, OpenStar Technologies
Kwetta is a hardware manufacturer based in Napier, New Zealand, home to some of the world’s leading power electronics engineers. The company develops ultra-fast, mega-watt-scale EV chargers specifically designed to solve global challenges around electrifying heavy transport without costly grid upgrades or battery storage.
Engineered by power-grid specialists, Kwetta's hardware takes a fundamentally different approach from traditional charger manufacturers, designed from first principles with a "grid-first" mindset. Kwetta’s Prime Grid Gateway unlocks up to 10 times more charging capacity, actively supporting grid stability—even when chargers aren’t in use.
Kwetta’s technology also directly addresses barriers for heavy transport operators. It offers a practical way to electrify at scale with simplified infrastructure and minimal downtime, keeping reliability on par with diesel operations. This approach makes fleet electrification economically viable, built on tangible operational benefits rather than environmental claims alone.
After proven deployments in New Zealand, Kwetta has expanded into Australia and Europe and secured Series A investment from notable investors Blackbird and Virescent.
Allegro Energy is an Australian clean tech company revolutionising energy storage with its proprietary water-based micro emulsion electrolyte, used in redox flow batteries and supercapacitors. Safer, non-flammable, and fully recyclable, Allegro's technology avoids scarce materials and complex supply chains, making it both cost-effective and scalable. This advancement in Long Duration Energy Storage (LDES) positions them as a key player in enabling a more resilient and sustainable energy infrastructure globally.
Allegro Energy spun out of research at the Victoria University of Wellington and MacDiarmid Institute in 2021 and has grown rapidly since. Researchers at The MacDiarmid Institute continue to develop numerous Cleantech solutions across clean energy, novel computing systems and sustainable resource use.
The Liveability Challenge, Asia’s largest sustainability Challenge, sponsored by Temasek and numerous other high impact organisations has named Cetogenix as a global finalist.
From over 1,200 submissions, spanning over 100 countries, eight disruptive innovators have been unveiled as our 2025 grand finalists and will be pitching their groundbreaking climate solutions live on stage — all vying for more than S$2 million in funding and investment opportunities.
Now in its eighth year, The Liveability Challenge continues its mission to uncover bold, scalable innovations that tackle the most urgent challenges of our era. This year the focus is on: Decarbonisation and Cool Earth.
Cetogenix is a pioneer in the Waste-to-X sector, utilizing its Ceto-Boost™ technology to convert complex organic waste into low-carbon biomethane, green ammonia, and biogenic carbon dioxide. By molecularly deconstructing waste, they produce renewable resources, significantly reducing carbon footprints and driving sustainable waste management.
The Importance of Cleantech to the future New Zealand economy
The recent Boston Consulting Group identified “Green Tech” as an essential component of the future economy for New Zealand, with many components of a successful ecosystem present locally, including Universities, startups and incubators and private investors.
These companies will be travelling with three other companies and a venture capital firm on a “Cleantech Trek” to Singapore to The Liveability Challenge and the Cleantech Forum Asia in early May. The visit aims to seek international capital and develop partnerships with multinational companies that can incorporate their technologies into global supply chains and energy infrastructure.
The Cleantech Trek series of offshore company visits to major Cleantech events is run by the New Zealand Cleantech Mission, with Ara Ake and The MacDiarmid Institute as foundational sponsors taking over from the Callaghan support that initiated this ecosystem support work.