ABU DHABI: ICAO’s Finvest Hub drives sustainable aviation investment

Launched by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) in 2024, the hub facilitates funding and investment for innovative aviation projects, in areas such as infrastructure, sustainability, digitalisation, and emerging technologies.

A key priority of the Finvest Hub is supporting ICAO’s sustainability goals, including financing green airport projects, sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) and carbon reduction initiatives. It also promotes the adoption of cutting-edge solutions, such as AI-driven air traffic management, urban air mobility and next-generation aircraft technologies.

“By bridging the gap between aviation projects and global investors, the Finvest Hub will help drive financial resilience and long-term innovation across the industry,” said Juan Carlos Salazar, ICAO’s secretary general, during this year’s Global Implementation Support Symposium.

At the end of last year, ICAO signed an MoU with the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) to enable the exploration of pathways to operationalise the Finvest Hub by facilitating the identification of financial resources for scaling up SAF, lower carbon aviation fuels (LCAF) and other clean energy solutions.

“Blended finance, combining public and private investments is crucial,” said Salazar, as he emphasised the role of multilateral and regional development banks in supporting sustainable projects. He also referenced platforms such as the Best Hub for investment matchmaking and the debut of the Global Sustainable Aviation Marketplace (GSAM) at this year’s GISS. “This is the kind of initiative that seeks to create opportunities for different markets and the alignment of policies and encourages collaboration so we can deliver on our aviation goals,” said Salazar.

Salazar also emphasised that the Finvest Hub seeks to support developing countries, aligning with ICAO's long-term strategic plan to double aviation by 2050, particularly in underserved regions.