India, June 13, 2025 – The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) has unveiled CII-ASCEND: Activate Startups in CleanTech to Strategize, Execute, Navigate & Deploy, a national initiative dedicated to advancing clean technology adoption in India’s industrial landscape. The platform will unite key stakeholders—innovators, industry leaders, incubators, accelerators, investors, and policymakers—to collaborate and drive transformative cleantech solutions. The initiative was formally launched at the CII-GreenCo Summit 2025 in Hyderabad by Shri D. Sridhar Babu, Hon’ble Minister for Information Technology, Electronics & Communications; Industries & Commerce, and Legislative Affairs, Government of Telangana.
CII-ASCEND Innovation Challenge: Driving Industrial Sustainability
The first edition of the CII-ASCEND Innovation Challenge, supported by the Sustainability, Equity, and Diversity Fund (SED), offers Indian CleanTech startups, technology providers, research institutions, and MSMEs a unique opportunity to gain national recognition, industry validation, and deployment support for real-world pilots.
Eligible applicants must have solutions at Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 5–7, demonstrating scalability and ensuring no adverse environmental or safety impacts.
Focus Areas for CleanTech Innovation
The challenge is now accepting applications across priority domains, including:
✔ Energy efficiency & decarbonization solutions
✔ Water & waste management
✔ Renewable energy & energy storage
✔ Green hydrogen & electric vehicles
✔ Circular economy & low-carbon materials
✔ IoT solutions for industrial sustainability
Why Participate?
Selected innovators will gain exclusive access to CII’s robust support ecosystem, including:
💰 Financial assistance of up to USD 30,000 for pilot deployment
🌍 Direct market access via CII’s industry network, events, and curated matchmaking
📈 Mentorship from leading experts in technology, business strategy, and sustainability
🔍 Monitoring & verification to validate solution efficacy
🏗 Pilot implementation at one or more industrial sites
🤝 Engagement with investors & policymakers to support long-term growth and commercialization
Key Milestones
📢 Challenge Launch: June 12, 2025
📝 Application Window: June 12 – July 31, 2025
🔎 Shortlisting by Expert Panel: August 2025
🏆 Winner Announcement & Pilot Kick-Off: November 2025
📊 Outcome Showcase: September 2026
Be Part of India’s Clean Industrial Revolution
Applications are now open! Join the movement and help accelerate India’s transition to a low-carbon, resource-efficient, and globally competitive industrial economy.
🔗 Learn more & apply: https://greenbusinesscentre.com/ascend.php
📩 For inquiries, contact: gec@cii.in
