ADB and Japan Launch $10 Million Water Security Fund and Startup Initiative for Southeast Asia

亚行与日本设立1000万美元水安全基金并推出东南亚创业扶持计划

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Government of Japan announced two major initiatives in late July 2026, signaling expanded infrastructure and innovation cooperation across Asia and the Pacific. On July 21, the two parties established the Water Initiative for Security, Efficiency and Resilience (WISER) Fund, with Japan making an initial $10 million contribution. On July 22, ADB Ventures, in partnership with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), launched the Southeast Asia Emerging Entrepreneurs Kickstart (SEEK) program.

亚洲开发银行（ADB）与日本政府于2026年7月下旬宣布两项重大计划，标志着亚太地区基础设施与创新合作进一步扩大。7月21日，双方设立水安全、效率与韧性倡议（WISER）基金，日本首期出资1000万美元。7月22日，亚行风投（ADB Ventures）与日本国际协力机构（JICA）合作推出东南亚新兴创业者启动（SEEK）计划。

ADB President Masato Kanda emphasized the urgency of water security investment: "There is nothing more basic to life, or more decisive for development, than water. When water systems fail, crops dry out, businesses slow, children miss school." According to ADB data, about 220 million people in the region still lack basic water supply, and about 520 million lack basic sanitation. Asia and the Pacific is the world's most affected region for floods, storms, and droughts, with more than four in 10 global flood events occurring in Asia.

亚行行长Masato Kanda 强调了水安全投资的紧迫性："没有什么比水更基本，也没有什么比水对发展更具决定性。当水系统失灵，作物枯死、商业放缓、儿童失学。"根据亚行数据，该地区仍有约2.2亿人缺乏基本供水，约5.2亿人缺乏基本卫生设施。亚太地区是全球受洪水、风暴和干旱影响最严重的地区，全球超过四成的洪水事件发生在亚洲。

Japan's Finance Minister Satsuki Katayama noted that Japan has extensive experience in reducing water leakage, operating water supply systems efficiently, and responding to water-related disasters. From 2021 to 2025, ADB committed $12.7 billion to the water sector, benefiting approximately 63 million people. The WISER Fund will support project preparation, policy reform, technical training, knowledge sharing, and stronger water governance — areas where Chinese engineering and construction firms with extensive experience in water infrastructure across BRI countries could find partnership opportunities.

日本财务大臣Satsuki Katayama指出，日本在减少漏水、高效运营供水系统以及应对水相关灾害方面拥有丰富经验。2021至2025年，亚行向水务领域承诺投入127亿美元，惠及约6300万人。WISER基金将支持项目准备、政策改革、技术培训、知识共享和水治理强化——在这些领域，在"一带一路"沿线国家拥有丰富水基建经验的中国工程建筑企业可能找到合作机会。

The SEEK program targets early-stage startups developing solutions in clean energy, sustainable industry, smart mobility, logistics, sustainable agriculture, circular economy, inclusive finance, digital economy, and resilient communities. Eligible companies will be considered for seed funding of up to $400,000, with additional market-entry support, connections to potential customers and investors, and expert guidance. The program is supported by the High-Level Technology Fund (HLTF), an ADB trust fund financed by Japan.

SEEK计划面向在清洁能源、可持续工业、智慧出行、物流、可持续农业、循环经济、普惠金融、数字经济和韧性社区等领域开发解决方案的早期创业公司。符合条件的公司可获最高40万美元种子资金，以及市场进入支持、潜在客户和投资者对接及专家指导。该计划由日本资助的亚行信托基金高级技术基金（HLTF）提供支持。

ADB Director General for Private Sector Operations Isabel Chatterton said early-stage companies developing solutions to pressing development challenges "often struggle to find capital, especially in emerging markets." The initiative will initially target Japanese startups, then expand to connect innovation with market needs across Southeast Asia and the Pacific. Chinese tech companies and venture capital firms with presence in Southeast Asia may find SEEK a useful platform for identifying partnership and co-investment opportunities in sectors such as digital economy and smart mobility.

亚行私营部门业务总干事Isabel Chatterton表示，开发方案应对紧迫发展挑战的早期公司"往往难以获得资金，尤其是在新兴市场"。该计划初期将面向日本初创企业，随后扩展到东南亚和太平洋地区。在东南亚已有布局的中国科技公司和风投机构，可能通过SEEK平台在数字经济和智慧出行等领域发掘合作和共同投资机会。

For Chinese investors in Southeast Asia, these initiatives present two strategic angles. First, water infrastructure projects jointly funded by ADB and Japan create a multilateral procurement environment where Chinese contractors with competitive pricing and proven BRI track records can participate. Second, the startup ecosystem building through SEEK signals growing institutional support for innovation in the region — a trend that could benefit Chinese tech firms seeking local partnerships in markets like Indonesia, Vietnam, and the Philippines.

对在东南亚的中国投资者而言，这些计划提供了两个战略视角。第一，亚行与日本联合资助的水基础设施项目创造了多边采购环境，具有价格竞争力和"一带一路"项目经验的中国承包商可以参与其中。第二，通过SEEK进行的创业生态建设表明该地区创新领域的制度支持正在加强——这一趋势有利于在印尼、越南和菲律宾等市场寻求本地合作的中国科技公司。