The winners of Avinya’25 was UrjanovaC Pvt Ltd., Breathe ESG Private Limited, AgriVijay, Apeiro Energy and UGreen Technology. For Vasudha, the winner was Latin Energy Partners Inc., Paraguay and Ultrasound Process Consulting LLC, USA
The Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas, Hardeep Singh Puri has announced the winners of two prestigious startup challenges – Avinya’25 and Vasudha – at a special ceremony held at ONGC headquarters.
The announcement came at the conclusion of “Energize India: Catalyzing Growth Through Startup Innovation”, a high-powered conclave that brought together energy sector veterans, investors, and innovators.
The winners of Avinya’25, India’s premier energy startup competition, was UrjanovaC Pvt Ltd. The runners up were Breathe ESG Private Limited, AgriVijay, Apeiro Energy and UGreen Technology. For Vasudha, the global startup challenge in the upstream oil and gas sector, the winner was Latin Energy Partners Inc., Paraguay and the runner up was Ultrasound Process Consulting LLC, USA.
These winning startups emerged from an intensely competitive field – Avinya’25 received 173 applications from across India, while Vasudha attracted global participation in crucial areas including seismic data interpretation, AI applications, and carbon capture technologies.
The winners of the Hackathon were also announced with IIT (ISM), Dhanbad emerging as the winner and IIT, Guwahati as the runner up.
Addressing the occasion, Puri highlighted the pivotal role of PSUs under the Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas in fostering innovation through a Rs. 547.35 crore startup fund. Supporting 303 startups with Rs. 286.36 crore, these efforts propel India’s vibrant ecosystem of over 110 unicorns, creating transformative growth and jobs.
Speaking on the diversification of energy supply sources, Puri noted that India had already embarked on this path.
“Earlier, we used to import from 27 countries; now we are sourcing from 39, with discussions underway with a few more,” added Puri.
He emphasized that diversification provides strategic advantages by ensuring a broader geographical spread.
“Our imports are guided by fundamental, self-evident principles: we will source energy from wherever it is available at the right price,” added Puri.
Regarding the target of achieving 20% ethanol blending, Puri highlighted that India has already reached 19% blending. Expressing confidence in surpassing the target ahead of schedule, he revealed that discussions have begun on developing a roadmap beyond 20 percent blending.
The day-long “Energize India” conclave featured thought-provoking panel discussions on identifying opportunities in the energy sector, leveraging emerging technologies, and accessing capital for energy startups. Industry leaders shared insights on how startups can contribute to India’s energy transition while maintaining the delicate balance between security, accessibility, affordability, and sustainability.
Speaking at a panel discussion, Pankaj Jain, Secretary, Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas said, “Fossil fuel is not going anywhere in India for the next 25 years. We have several terabytes of seismic data on our open waters earmarked for exploration. I urge our bright sparks to think about developing solutions to mine through the data and contribute to hydrocarbon exploration efforts.”
S. C. L. Das, Secretary, Ministry of Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises said, “We are trying to develop a system whereby we assess the maturity level of different startups so that the Ministry can cater to their needs in terms of regulatory compliance or access to capital, in collaboration with other central ministries, state governments and local governments.”
The winning startups will receive prominent exposure at India Energy Week 2025, where they will showcase their innovations to over 70,000 energy professionals from 120 countries. The winners will join fourteen public sector undertaking (PSU) startups in a special startup pavilion at IEW 2025, demonstrating the breadth of innovation in India’s energy sector.
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