Loading…

Initiatives

01 Technology gap identification

1.1 Formation of expert panel

  • Professionals from Industry
  • Subject Experts from Academia
  • Experts from Department of Science and Technology
  • Experts from Technology Information Forecasting and Assessment Council (TIFAC)

1.2 Identification of Technology gap areas having scope for energy savings

Panel of Experts deliberate on the existing technology gaps that require solution, and take into account the innovations selected and validated under the project. Based on this the problem-statement or the Terms of Reference (ToR) are finalized, selection criteria is defined and “Innovation Challenge” is held.The Panel of Expert review the applications that are responsive to the ToR and shortlist those that fulfil the selection criterion.
01

02 Mentoring early-stage innovation

2.1 Accelerator Program

To strengthen the support to Clean technology based startups and entrepreneurs and innovation in technical institutes, FLCTD project commenced an “Accelerator” program in November 2019 which is being implemented by Sangam Capital Advisors.
The accelerator program was developed predicated on the cognition from the 2018 innovation challenge round in which it was found that many applicants with good innovations could not be shortlisted to the final round of the challenge as their application lacked understanding of the market, in terms of where the innovation would integrate value.
It was observed that following three categories of applicants who brought promising technologies to the innovation challenge, but were not selected to the final round of the innovation challenge:
  • Entrepreneurs who already have an established presence in the market, but have not been able to make a dent in the cleantech/climate technology markets;
  • Startups and entrepreneurs without prior business experiences;
  • Startups and student-entrepreneurs/researchers who have developed atleast a laboratory prototypes;

2.2 Assess scale up opportunities and assist market connect

The accelerator program provides capacity-building support to entrepreneurs/applicants who have promising innovations but were not shortlisted to the final rounds of the innovation challenge or are not ready yet to apply for it. Training is provided to take the innovations from the laboratory to market including the development of a business plan and in turn, build the capacity of entrepreneurs to next round of FLCTD innovation challenge in the subsequent year.
02

03 Grant support for technology

3.1 Selection of innovative technology solutions that address the gap

The project has developed and evolved a mechanism to identify early-stage innovations that address the technology gap, and have the potential for energy savings as well as replication. This is being achieved through a series of annual “Innovation Challenges” an open award competition calling for innovative solutions in six technology verticals.

3.2 Asses scale up opportunities and industry connect

FLCTD provides opportunity to the winners of Innovation Challenge to deploy their technology solution in industry and validate its efficacy. The project provides support in identification of demonstration sites and facilitates industry connect for scale up. The project has partnered with CII-GBC for Identification of industries / firms where the selected winning innovations can be installed to demonstrate energy savings and obtain periodic progress update on implementation.

3.3 Grant support up to $50,000 to validate innovation in field

Each technology vertical has an expert panel that defines the requisites of the Innovation Challenge and selects promising innovations that address the technology gaps and have the potential to abbreviate energy consumption. The project provides financial assistance up to $50,000 to the winners to validate the innovation and demonstrate its efficacy in the field conditions – an obligatory pre-condition for commercialization.
Financial Support covers following
  • Capital expenditure including consumables for the demonstration
  • Intangibles - quality control tests; modelling and simulation; tests in accredited laboratory for validations
  • Operating Expenses for technology demonstration - Manpower cost, staff travel to technology demonstration sites
03

04 Facilitating Commercialization

4.1 Financial mentoring and fund-raising guidance to the innovation challenge winners

FLCTD project envisages that certain winning innovations identified, are commercially scaled up. This requires conducting financial due-diligence and carry out business mentoring of select winners of FLCTD innovation challenge, and identify the needs to make them investment ready,provide linkages with financial institutions Upon completion of technology validation, FLCTD provides support to start-ups for commercialization and fund-raising to clean technology-based start-ups.
The support consists of (i) design and implementation of a framework for financial due diligence, (ii) identification of critical financial gaps across these enterprises, (iii) investment readiness support (including guidance to develop business and marketing plans), and (iv) preparation of a roadmap to facilitate private sector investments in terms of debt, equity, or grants as per the need of each of the start-ups.

4.2 Access Scale up Opportunities and Facilitate investor connect

FLCTD project engaged an Advisory Services firm to provide capacity-building support to the winners who completed technology demonstration and validation, with the project’s financial support, and guide them for fundraising to support the enterprises; and facilitating investment showcases with potential investors post financial due-diligence, for selected enterprises.
04

05 Strengthen technology transfer facilities

5.1 Training and capacity of technology transfer centres to commercialize innovations

  • In 2021, PMU initiated a study to map and assess the low carbon tech transfer activities in select laboratories, public and private academic institutions. It will provide an assessment of international good practices which can be adapted to strengthen the industry – academia interface in the country.
  • The study will be jointly carried out with Department of Science and Technology’s Center for Policy Research, Chandigarh.
  • This study will also serve as a basis for determining the specific technical assistance and training interventions which can be targeted towards key stakeholders to strengthen the overall cleantech and low carbon innovation ecosystem.
05