The Financial Occasions (ET): Shell E4 has been round for practically a decade. What impressed its creation, and the way has the programme developed since its inception in 2017?
Debasis Goswami (DG): Launched in 2017, Shell E4 was designed to bridge a crucial hole in India’s vitality innovation panorama. Whereas most accelerator fashions on the time have been tech-focused, they lacked the energy-specific experience and business integration wanted to assist startups on this capital- and infrastructure-intensive sector. Shell E4 modified that by making a platform that connects startups with Shell’s world sources, technical know-how, and networks—enabling them to speed up the event of sustainable vitality options.Since then, E4 has labored with over 40 startups, a lot of which are actually scaling efficiently. The programme has developed into a strong innovation engine with devoted tracks tailor-made to startups at numerous levels—from early ideation to growth-ready ventures. What units E4 aside is its deep collaboration with Shell Ventures, Shell’s enterprise models, providing startups not simply mentorship however actual alternatives to obtain investments, co-create and pilot options—making it a novel and high-impact platform within the vitality innovation area.
ET: How does Shell E4 differentiate itself from conventional accelerators within the vitality and climate-tech area?
DG: Shell E4 shouldn’t be a traditional accelerator—it’s a deep business platform constructed round actual deployment potential. Startups achieve entry to Shell’s world community of business leaders, researchers, and R&D infrastructure labs on the Shell Know-how Centre in Bengaluru. That, coupled with sustained post-programme engagement, real-world pilots, and funding readiness, positions Shell E4 as a long-term companion in a startup’s progress, not simply as a brief enabler.
ET: Shell E4 has elevated its preliminary cheque dimension for taking part startups. What prompted this transfer, and the way do you envision it enhancing startup affect?
DG: The 2025 version of Shell E4 displays a rise in funding for this 12 months’s cohort. Startups can now obtain $100K to $500K from Shell Ventures within the type of a convertible mortgage, topic to assembly Shell’s analysis standards and due diligence. It is a vital step up in our E4 funding dedication, from the sooner $20k cheque dimension. A number of the key choice standards contains being a growth-stage startup with validated merchandise or options already deployed at buyer websites, demonstrable income progress, robust group, and strong expertise differentiation.
The refreshed method ensures that high-impact vitality and climate-tech startups have the required backing to check, iterate, and scale in a dynamic market setting. Extra than simply capital, the improved funding alerts Shell’s confidence in Indian entrepreneurs to ship globally related innovation in areas resembling clear tech, industrial decarbonization, vitality entry, and digital transformation
ET: Past funding, what are a few of the most dear types of non-dilutive assist Shell E4 affords its cohorts?
DG: Our most dear providing is entry. Startups get one-on-one mentorship from Shell specialists, R&D infrastructure on the Shell Know-how Centre Bangalore (STCB) for testing and improvement, and assist throughout enterprise technique, compliance, and investor readiness. In addition they profit from Shell’s community of pilot companions and world ecosystem gamers. Many startups proceed to work with Shell or keep related by means of alumni engagements properly past the cohort, which gives long-term worth.
As well as, Shell E4 affords a complete startup improvement journey that features assist for product-market match, constructing scalable go-to-market methods, and tailor-made product clinics. Area mentorship is paired with investor readiness teaching and Shell deployment alternatives, creating a strong basis for enterprise progress and long-term success.
ET: How does Shell E4 facilitate pilot initiatives and real-world deployments for startups? May you share any success tales on this regard?
DG: Actual-world deployment has at all times been a core pillar of the Shell E4 expertise, and the 2025 programme builds additional on this. Startups work intently with Shell’s companies and world companions to validate and implement their options in stay environments—benefiting from infrastructure, operational entry, and actual buyer suggestions.
Through the years, a number of startups have efficiently piloted with Shell. Energos applied AI-driven instruments to spice up vitality effectivity throughout Shell’s retail websites. Ossus Bio piloted its clever bioreactor for inexperienced hydrogen era utilizing Shell’s lab infrastructure. Detect Applied sciences introduced their asset integrity and security AI instruments into Shell’s industrial operations, whereas Logistics Now explored logistics integration alternatives by means of its digital freight market.
These collaborations display how E4 startups transfer past incubation—into scalable, real-world affect.
ET: This 12 months marks the onboarding of a brand new strategic companion. What does this partnership convey to the desk, and the way will it amplify this system’s attain and affect?
DG: The 2025 version of Shell E4 is being delivered in collaboration with NASSCOM’s Centre of Excellence for IoT & AI, marking a strategic step towards deeper ecosystem engagement. NASSCOM brings entry to a robust community of deep-tech startups, analysis establishments, and company companions—making them an excellent supply companion to assist the revamped supply and construction of this version. As well as, Shell E4 continues to be supported by key enablers like Startup India, Kerala Startup Mission, and the IIT Madras Incubator. This multi-stakeholder mannequin ensures that startups not solely obtain Shell’s core sources but additionally profit from broader nationwide and regional innovation assist programs.
ET: Inform us concerning the newest Shell E4 cohort. What sorts of applied sciences or options are these startups engaged on?
DG: The Shell E4 Begin-up Hub helps promising ventures throughout the economic, mobility, and vitality sectors. Applications are tailor-made to swimsuit startups at totally different levels of maturity, providing world-class acceleration and entry to Shell’s analysis and improvement services on the Shell Know-how Centre in Bengaluru. The newest cohort as a part of the upcoming Power Transition Observe will proceed to construct on Shell E4’s mission of accelerating India’s vitality transition by working with startups which are growing impactful applied sciences and scalable enterprise fashions to handle crucial challenges within the vitality ecosystem. The functions to the Power Transition Observe are at the moment open.
ET: How do the Power Transition Observe differ in method, and what particular outcomes are you focusing on?
DG: The Power Transition Observe helps deployment- prepared, growth-stage startups and focuses on making ready them for scale—technically, operationally, and commercially. The 2025 version will assist 4 to six startups working in digitalisation, mobility, industrial decarbonisation, and vitality entry, offering them with substantial funding, together with pilot alternatives and mentorship from Shell and its companions. The Power Transition Observe is powered by Shell Ventures, which gives funding assist to chose startups. It aligns intently with Shell’s broader objectives for vitality transition and open innovation.
ET: How does Shell E4 align with India’s broader objectives resembling Atmanirbhar Bharat and the push for vitality independence and net-zero targets?
DG: Shell E4 is catalysing India’s vitality and setting startup ecosystem by providing a robust mix of mentorship, funding, and deployment. This system helps startups engaged on transformative options in areas like vitality entry, mobility, and industrial decarbonisation—every crucial to advancing India’s net-zero ambitions and vitality independence objectives. By enabling regional innovation, particularly from Tier 2 and three cities, and fostering scale-up alternatives for market-ready applied sciences, Shell E4 continues to play an important position in strengthening India’s clear vitality economic system.
ET: How do you see Shell E4 contributing to the expansion of India’s climate-tech and clear vitality startup ecosystem over the following 5 years?
DG: The newest evolution of the programme offers us a transparent glimpse into the long run. With enhanced investments, stronger ecosystem partnerships, and a sharper thematic focus, Shell E4 is positioned to speed up a brand new era of climate-forward startups. We count on the approaching years to see deeper engagements, shorter innovation cycles, and extra high-quality startups transferring rapidly from lab to market. By offering real-world pilots, world networks, and long-term assist, Shell E4 goals to be the launchpad for India’s most impactful clear vitality improvements.
