The Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH) region, known as the “Third Pole,” sustains life for over 240 million people in the mountains and 1.65 billion downstream. With its rich biodiversity and vital ecosystems, the region is home to the world’s largest ice reserves outside of the polar regions and supports Asia’s major food-producing river systems. However, the region faces severe challenges, including climate change, ecosystem degradation, and water scarcity, which threaten its agricultural systems, tourism, and overall resilience. There is a significant gap in climate finance to address these issues, and local entrepreneurs lack the resources needed to drive green and resilient innovations.

In response to these challenges, ICIMOD and GRP  have come together to launch the Hindu Kush Himalaya Innovation Challenge for Entrepreneurs (HKH-ICE). This initiative is designed to mobilise local innovation and entrepreneurship, driving scalable solutions that address ecological, market, and value chain challenges across the region. HKH-ICE is an initiative of ICIMOD’s Himalayan Resilience Enabling Action Programme (HI-REAP), supported by United Kingdom International Development through its flagship Climate Action for a Resilient Asia (CARA) programme.