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Where do you start when planning a First-of-a-Kind (FOAK) project? Which investors might be interested, when is the right time to approach them, and how should you tell your story? And perhaps most importantly, is the FOAK model as we know it beginning to change?

On September 22, 2026, during New York Climate Week, we hosted Road to FOAK at KPMG's offices in Manhattan, in collaboration with KPMG, Herzog, and Node Climate.

Building on the joint report The Road to FOAK, the event brought together investors, climate-tech entrepreneurs, corporate representatives, legal experts, and industry leaders to explore the challenges and opportunities involved in bringing first-of-a-kind climate technologies from development to commercial deployment.

At the heart of the discussion was a key question: How do we bridge the gap between promising technology and its first commercial-scale project?

Our conversations explored FOAK financing models, the right timing for engaging investors, the critical role of industrial partners and early customers, and strategies for navigating the technological, commercial, and legal risks associated with these projects. By bringing together perspectives from across the ecosystem, the event offered a valuable opportunity to examine the challenges of financing, developing, and deploying breakthrough climate technologies.

A big thank you to all our speakers for sharing their experience, insights, and perspectives:

Special thanks to Hadas Mashli Netzer and the US–Israel Corridor at KPMG for their support in making this event possible.

The conversation doesn't end here. The next challenge is finding ways to help more FOAK projects become commercially viable, scalable climate solutions with real-world impact.