Blog

The startup ecosystem in India has developed rapidly in the past decade, fast becoming the champions of India Inc’s growth story. The country is the third largest startup ecosystem in the world after the US and China. To ensure that the growth trajectory remains consistent, it is essential for industry leaders to guide and support startups.

One such leader is Shell. For years, Shell E4 has been helping startups reach the next stage in their growth journey. Through Shell E4, the team has been building a unique network of industry leaders, experts, and resources to mobilise the startup ecosystem by sourcing, defining, and executing impactful projects. Their Startup Hub, located at the Shell Technology Centre in Bengaluru, offers world-class accelerator programs like Growth Track, Smart Energy Track, Scale Track, and Digital Track that support startups in the field of industrial, mobility and energy verticals, enabling them to scale. Digital Track is their latest E4 accelerator program, which is gearing up for its seventh edition.

A sneak peek at Digital Track

Shell E4 Digital Track is a comprehensive and tailor-made program for digital and energy transition startups seeking to gain traction in the energy and manufacturing sector. Through the program, Shell aims to help startups with domain insights, and subject matter expertise including product market fit, infrastructure support and potential opportunities with Shell businesses, and also give them access to their global network of partners and suppliers.

The six-month long program is designed for digital startups which have a deployable product with at least some paying customers. The goal is to help businesses achieve maturation and product acceleration for industry adoption. Even after the program is concluded, startups will continue to get support from the team through Shell’s alumni program.

Why should you participate?

Startups will get an array of benefits from the program, such as:

• Insights into trends: From knowing about critical digital and technological trends to understanding how they can align with them, startups will get guidance at each level.
• Mentorship: The selected startups can access an established support ecosystem consisting of eminent advisors and subject matter experts from Shell and Partners. They get customised planning and focused assistance to help accelerate business maturation.
• Potential pilot and deployment opportunities: E4 enables start-ups to uncover possible pilot and deployment opportunities within Shell and Partner networks.
• Access to lab and infrastructure: Startups will get access to Shell’s state-of-the-art lab and digital infrastructure to conduct product development and testing activities.
• Access to Shell’s network: Startups can have the opportunity to work with identified Shell businesses and relevant partners to help co-create products and solutions. They also get access to Shell’s partners and suppliers for potential business opportunities.
• Investor connects: Startups will get access to qualified investors seeking to invest in startups in this domain, leading to potential funding opportunities. This also includes possible opportunities from Shell Ventures.

Demo Day: The cohort startups will have the opportunity to showcase and pitch to top investors and organizations from India and abroad as well as meet with an array of decision-makers from the energy ecosystem on Demo Day (recognised as India’s biggest energy entrepreneurship conference).

Apart from this, startups will also get visibility and media coverage in relevant target markets, along with the option to join the E4 alumni network to participate in additional Shell sponsored forums and events for continued market visibility.

Who should participate?

If you are a digital or energy technology startup with a vision to impact the way the energy industry works or working in the field of advanced energy transition technologies such as hydrogen, low carbon fuels, then you are a fit for E4.

A few of the core areas of Digital Track are efficiency and carbon footprint, renewable asset operation, AI/ML for novel materials, mobility, optimised industrial process design, carbon markets, energy forecasting, environment monitoring, hydrogen value chain, and advanced digital and energy transition technologies. So startups making a difference in these areas can apply.

The Shell E4 Digital Track is most relevant for startups which have:

1. A scalable business model and exponential growth capability
2. MVP or in Post POC stage or have demonstrated pilots
3. Value proposition based on trend-setting technology such as Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Industry 4.0, Machine Vision, IoT, Mixed realities (AR/VR), Analytics, Robotics, Blockchain, Cloud/ Edge computing, Optimisation, Digital twin.
4. Disruptive technologies in the energy transition space such as hydrogen, low carbon fuels 

The last date to apply is September 15, 2022: