DPIIT partners with GEAPP to support Indian climatetech startups

In a significant move to boost India’s clean energy innovation ecosystem, the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet (GEAPP) to accelerate innovation, sustainability, and entrepreneurship in India’s clean energy and manufacturing sectors.

The two-year partnership is aimed squarely at strengthening India’s early-stage climatetech landscape. It promises to unlock access to funding, pilot opportunities, mentorship and market linkages for startups developing solutions aligned with the country’s net-zero goals.

Launch of $500,000 energy transition innovation challenge

As part of the agreement, GEAPP will launch the Energy Transitions Innovation Challenge (ENTICE)—a competitive platform that will offer up to $500,000 in total rewards to high-impact startups and innovators working on clean energy technologies.

Selected startups will also receive investment support through GEAPP’s ecosystem partners, including Spectrum Impact and Avana Capital.

DPIIT will connect the program to the Startup India network and anchor outreach through major government schemes. The collaboration is structured to build a pipeline of scalable, investable, and high-potential climate-tech ventures in India’s fast-evolving clean energy economy.

Institutional support and strategic network access

DPIIT, which anchors the Startup India initiative, will leverage its expansive startup and policy network to connect entrepreneurs to this programme. It will also support national outreach efforts, integrating ENTICE into flagship government platforms and schemes that foster innovation and manufacturing.

Sanjiv, Joint Secretary at DPIIT, said in an official release that India’s climate leadership depends on a strong entrepreneurial base and that the new partnership will create substantial opportunities for clean-energy startups to scale technologies critical to the nation’s long-term net-zero objectives.

Enabling systemic change through global-local collaboration

Saurabh Kumar, Vice President – India, GEAPP, described the MoU as a pivotal move to foster systemic change through collaboration between industry, government, and innovators. He said GEAPP’s global experience, combined with Startup India’s network and DPIIT’s institutional support, would unlock new opportunities for clean energy entrepreneurship.

The MoU was formally signed by Dr. Sumeet Jarangal, Director at DPIIT, and Saurabh Kumar in the presence of senior representatives from both organisations.

A step towards climate goals and inclusive growth

The DPIIT-GEAPP initiative comes at a time when India is deepening its efforts to decarbonize key sectors while ensuring inclusive growth. Startups and MSMEs are increasingly viewed as critical enablers in this transformation, especially in areas like renewable energy, sustainable mobility, battery storage, and industrial decarbonisation.

With global capital looking to fund climate-positive ventures and the Indian government committing to net-zero emissions by 2070, this public-private collaboration underscores the growing importance of entrepreneur-led climate solutions in the country’s policy and investment priorities.