In a significant push towards decarbonising the tech industry, AIC-Synapses Innovation Foundation and Microsoft have jointly launched the Tech-sector Decarbonisation Challenge 2024 in India. The initiative aims to identify and support scalable innovations that help the tech sector reduce its carbon footprint and achieve net-zero goals.
Startups with a Technology Readiness Level (TRL) of 4 or higher were invited to present ideas across key focus areas, including energy transition, circular economy, energy-efficient AI and machine learning, and carbon markets. The top 12 finalists showcased their cleantech innovations at the Innovation Challenge Awards, each receiving $150,000 in Microsoft Azure credits, specialised training, and incubation support from Synapses to advance their projects.
Ruchira Shukla, Co-founder and Managing Partner of Synapses, emphasised the role of large corporations in driving net-zero innovation. “Corporations play a critical role in piloting innovations and supporting startups with product iterations, reducing their own carbon footprint in the process,” she said. Shukla lauded Microsoft’s leadership in climate action and sustainability, highlighting the partnership’s potential to foster engineering and science breakthroughs in ClimateTech.
Alok Lall, COO of Microsoft India & South Asia, underscored the company’s commitment to tackling climate change. “Through this challenge, we’re empowering startups to create transformative solutions that reshape the tech industry’s environmental footprint,” he said, reaffirming Microsoft’s focus on leveraging technology for sustainability.
The initiative provided participants with a platform to present their innovations to an esteemed panel of experts. The panel included prominent incubators like AIC IIITH and Villgro, corporate leaders from Nasscom, IEEMA, MEHER Group, and Ckers Finance, as well as representatives from consulting organizations like the Pan IIM Consulting Group. Influential think tanks, government bodies, and leading startups such as OMI Foundation, Invest India, and Promethean Energy also contributed insights.
This collaboration marks a step forward in aligning the tech sector with India’s sustainability goals while fostering innovation and corporate partnerships in the climate tech space.
