Archive · 4 Sep 2026
IndianOil Co-hosts Pune Energy Innovation Accelerator at CSIR-NCL
IndianOil and research organisations held an event in Pune to support new energy ideas.
The programme is called MC²+ IGNITE.
It helps deep-tech start-ups develop solutions for cleaner and more advanced energy systems.
Up to 30 start-ups will be chosen.
They can receive funding, mentoring and access to testing facilities.
IndianOil said its infrastructure can help founders test ideas beyond the laboratory.
IndianOil and CSIR-NCL will work especially on hydrogen and mobility.
The event also created a formal partnership between the MC² Foundation and Venture Center.
IndianOil, Venture Center and CSIR-NCL co-hosted the Pune outreach of MC²+ IGNITE.
The accelerator will select up to 30 deep-tech start-ups across seven energy-transition themes.
Selected ventures can receive up to ₹50 lakh in convertible funding and potentially ₹1.5 crore more at Demo Day.
IndianOil and CSIR-NCL will focus their collaboration on hydrogen and mobility.
The event concluded with an MoU formalising Venture Center as an on-ground MC² node.
- Who
- Indian Oil Corporation Limited, the Venture Center, CSIR–National Chemical Laboratory, the MC² Foundation and participating energy, research and start-up communities.
- What
- They co-hosted the Pune outreach of MC²+ IGNITE, an energy innovation accelerator, and formalised Venture Center as an MC² node.
- When
- The report says the event took place “today,” but gives no calendar date.
- Where
- The NCL Main Auditorium at CSIR–National Chemical Laboratory in Pune, India.
- Why
- To support and scale deep-tech energy innovations, including work in hydrogen, mobility and other energy-transition areas.
- Programme
- MC²+ IGNITE, described as India’s flagship energy innovation accelerator
- Hosts
- IndianOil, the Venture Center and CSIR–National Chemical Laboratory
- Start-ups selected
- Up to 30 deep-tech ventures
- Funding
- Up to ₹50 lakh in convertible funding, with an additional ₹1.5 crore possible for the strongest ventures at Demo Day
- Focus themes
- Seven themes including hydrogen and mobility, AI-driven subsurface intelligence, next-generation drilling, bioenergy, refinery process intensification and digital asset management
- Implementation
- The programme is implemented by IIT Madras, with incubation nodes including IIT Kanpur, Venture Center, C-CAMP and IIMA Ventures
- Partnership
- An MoU formalised Venture Center as an on-ground MC² node