iCreate (International Centre for Entrepreneurship and Technology), India's leading innovation-based start-up incubator has announced the launch of EVangelise '23 - the third edition of India's largest EV innovation challenge, in the presence of Shri Jagdish Vishwakarma, Hon'ble Minister of State, Government of Gujarat. Shri Bhupendrabhai Patel, Hon'ble Chief Minister, Government of Gujarat sent a message emphasising the commitment to supporting advanced EV technologies and breakthrough innovation. EVangelise '23 will be open to innovators and startups from across India.
With the goal of accelerating cutting-edge innovation in the domain of electric vehicles, EVangelise '23 promises to empower startups and entrepreneurs to be an integral part of India's rapidly growing EV ecosystem. This year, the challenge aims to elevate its impact by expanding the scope to encompass various classes of vehicles including heavy electric vehicles, earthmovers and mining trucks. By involving various universities, colleges, and incubators through roadshows, iCreate aims to scout for and help top startups and the brightest innovators forge partnerships with industry-leading brands.
For this edition, iCreate has partnered with esteemed tech innovation hubs such as the TEXMiN Foundation, IIT (ISM) Dhanbad, Lukasiewicz Research Network in Poland and other scientific research organizations in India. These strategic alliances aim to drive advancements in EV subsystems and explore technology partnerships.
iCreate has also announced the RISC-V Challenge, a hardware development contest through which startups, businesses, students, and technology enthusiasts can showcase their skills and expertise in building applications based on the RISC-V architecture. This will be an open-source development platform that will open up multiple technology use cases that solve India-specific challenges in the EV domain. Up to 10 winners will receive a cash prize of Rs. 1 lakh each.
Through a message, the Hon'ble Chief Minister of Gujarat, Shri Bhupendra Patel, said, "As we embark on a journey towards a cleaner and greener future, the rise of electric mobility plays a pivotal role in shaping our civic mobility and infrastructure, towards the realisation of the Atmanirbhar Bharat, as envisioned by our Hon'ble Prime Minister Shri Narendrabhai Modi. I am confident that through collective efforts and challenges such as EVangelise, India will become a global leader in the electric vehicle industry."
A panel discussion titled "Steps to Make India a Global Leader in the EV Sector" was held during the launch event. Esteemed panellists from renowned companies such as Matter, Altigreen Propulsion Labs, and LML Emotion shared their insights and expertise on strategic actions and initiatives that India can take in order to achieve a prominent and leading position in the electric vehicle industry worldwide.
Avinash Punekar, CEO, iCreate commented, "We are in a transformative period for the EV industry in our country, and it is vital that we identify and solve challenges at the sub-component level to accelerate the transition towards sustainable mobility nationwide. EVangelise '23 is a testament to our commitment to actively contribute to India's journey towards developing energy-efficient and sustainable mobility. Following the success of EVangelise '21 and EVangelise '22, which witnessed active participation from over 2,000 applicants, we are excited to build on that momentum and raise the bar even higher with EVangelise '23."
EVangelise '23 will have two categories: The idea Stage and the scale-up Stage. Startups at the ideation stage (TRL 4 or below) will have the opportunity to present their concepts and potentially form strategic partnerships with industrial partners. Meanwhile, startups at the scale-up stage (TRL 5 or above) will have the opportunity to connect with venture capital firms to secure the necessary funding for their growth and expansion.
The challenge will conclude in December with a grand finale, featuring an EV Expo, award ceremony, thematic knowledge sessions, masterclasses, and an R&D track showcasing cutting-edge innovations in collaboration with research organisations in India and partner countries.
EVangelise '21 and EVangelise '22, witnessed an overwhelming response with over 2,000 applicants across 183 cities and towns in India. Forty finalists secured substantial financial support, incubation grants, expert mentoring, rapid prototyping, testing facilities, and invaluable industry connections. Through the assistance provided by iCreate, more than 28 prototypes were developed, and 10 manufacturing collaborations were initiated. EVangelise '23 aims to be bigger, offering holistic opportunities for innovators and greater collaboration to make India a global leader in EV technology.