Bridging the gap between the idea and the prototype is the hardest part that an energy startup faces in India. Realising such challenges that startups face in the energy space, Shell India has launched its accelerator programme to support them. This programme is called Shell E4, where the four Es stand for ‘Energising and Enabling Energy Entrepreneurs’. For this programme, Shell has been scouting for entrepreneurs, startups with innovative business models, technology ideas and products.
To these startups, they will give access to infrastructure, expertise, capital and customers, which they believe will help them accelerate their business growth.
After evaluating, the selected startups will be part of the first cohort and will be incubated for six months at their campus in Bangalore.
As part of the incubation, the cohort will gain an opportunity to pitch their ideas to other potential investors, get access to its capability in technology development and product commercialisation, along with mentorship and a fixed sum investment. This investment will be up to $20,000 per startup.
The programme will be located at the Shell Technology Centre Bengaluru (STCB). Shell has mentioned its indicative list of themes that are to be followed, and these include Conventional Oil and Gas, Distribution in Energy Storage, Digitalisation, Mobility Solution, Waste Management, Environment, Renewable Energy and Energy Access. This, however, is not an exhaustive list. The company is open to working with different themes.
Registrations for the first cohort opened on October 9 and will go on until November 17. The first cohort will commence from December 4, 2017, till May 2018.
