Meet the under-35 pioneers driving the climate tech revolution

Meta description: MIT Technology Review's 2026 35 Innovators Under 35 list features nine climate and energy honorees whose work reveals where climate tech is heading next.

Tags: climate tech, MIT Technology Review, 35 innovators under 35, clean energy, AI

Featured image: abstract technology style illustration

MIT Technology Review has unveiled the newest edition of its annual 35 Innovators Under 35 list, and nine of this year's honorees work in the climate and energy space. Taken as a group, these young researchers and founders offer a snapshot of where climate technology stands today and where the field is likely headed next.

AI Runs Through Everything

This year's nominees were sorted into four categories: biotech, climate and energy, computing and robotics, and AI. Unsurprisingly, AI shows up in the work of honorees across the board.

Jae-Won Chung built software designed to make AI more energy-efficient. By measuring how much power open-source models consume, he hopes the industry can get a clearer picture of—and better respond to—AI's environmental footprint. His work was previously featured in the publication's investigation into AI's energy demands.

Other climate honorees are turning AI into a tool rather than a problem. Jing Wei applies machine learning to pollution tracking, filling in data gaps between sources like satellites and weather stations. Zhonghua Zheng built AI climate models that perform better in cities, a known weak point for traditional modeling approaches.

The Critical Materials Problem

The shift toward new energy technologies is reshaping which raw materials matter most. Lithium illustrates the point: it forms the backbone of lithium-ion batteries used in both electric vehicles and grid-scale storage, and shortages could arrive as early as this decade. Copper is another mineral to keep an eye on.

Two honorees are attacking the lithium supply question from different angles. Brine is currently the cheapest lithium source, but extracting the metal takes months and can damage local ecosystems. Mohammad Alkhadra, cofounder and CEO of Lithios, is developing a faster, more efficient way to pull lithium from brines. Meanwhile, Benjamin Mowbray, cofounder and CTO of Rock Zero, is focused on hardrock ore—the most common lithium source, though a pricier one.

Unexpected Corners of Decarbonization

Reaching net-zero emissions means more than transforming the grid and transportation. Some less visible problems may matter just as much.

Steel is a striking example: heavy industry, including steelmaking, accounts for roughly 7% of global greenhouse gas emissions. Laureen Meroueh is developing a new furnace type that simplifies the chemistry of steel production, making the metal cleaner and cheaper.

Plastics, typically derived from fossil fuels, present another challenge. Joseph Nguthiru has created a bioplastic packaging alternative made from an invasive weed. Diana Orembe is likewise putting unconventional materials to work, producing aquaculture fish feed from food waste.

Refrigerants, often potent greenhouse gases, are the target of Jinyoung Seo, who is developing solid refrigerants that remove leakage concerns entirely. Equipment built with these materials could use 20% less energy than conventional systems.

What Comes Next

Climate challenges keep surfacing in surprising places, and so do the ideas aimed at solving them. The full 2026 list profiles all 35 honorees, and the climate and energy cohort in particular signals that the next wave of decarbonization will reach far beyond solar panels and EVs—into materials science, industrial chemistry, and even aquaculture feed.