MC² Foundation Launches MC²+ Ignite to Accelerate Energy Innovation and Startup Adoption

MC²+ has partnered with institutions including IIT Madras, IIT Kanpur, IIT Kharagpur, C-CAMP and Venture Center, Pune, giving startups access to infrastructure, laboratories and mentoring capabilities across India.

The objective is to create a direct interface between industry problem statements, scientific research, startup innovation and commercial deployment—reducing the distance between a technology being developed in a laboratory and its adoption in the energy sector.

Speaking at the launch of MC²+ Ignite at IIT Madras, Dr. Neeraj Mittal, Secretary, Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas and Chairman, MC² Foundation, said the platform was created to address duplication and fragmentation in energy-sector R&D and establish stronger links between industry requirements, research institutions and startups.

Dr. Mittal stated, “Several of our companies can be working on the very same catalyst at the same time. That is duplication of work, of investment and of bureaucracy and it comes with no direct interface to the institutions where the research is actually happening. We will be with you through the entire cycle - mentorship that is both technical and managerial, help with funds, and the visibility that a PSU will procure your product when it is ready. You should not have to worry about whether a market exists.”

Dr. Mittal also emphasised the need for Indian energy technologies to be developed with global markets in mind. He added, “We cannot become a Viksit Bharat by focusing on the Indian market alone. We have to produce at a global scale - that is how costs come down.”

For startups participating in the programme, MC² Foundation intends to support the technology journey beyond funding, including technical and managerial mentorship, access to capital and a pathway towards industry adoption.

Applications for the inaugural MC²+ Ignite cohort opened on August 5, 2026 and will close on 31 August 2026. Approximately 30 selected startups will be announced on September  15, 2026.