The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), Government of India, has officially unveiled the Innovative Projects Start-Up Challenge focusing on Rooftop Solar (RTS) and Distributed Renewable Energy (DRE) technologies. The launch took place during the National Conference on Skill Development for the Renewable Energy Workforce, held at Atal Akshay Urja Bhawan in New Delhi.
This pan-India innovation initiative is designed to discover and nurture pioneering solutions that can transform India’s rooftop solar and distributed energy landscape. The challenge is being organized by MNRE with the support of the National Institute of Solar Energy (NISE) and in partnership with StartUp India under the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT).
Focus Areas of the Challenge
The challenge is open to Indian startups and innovators working in renewable energy and allied sectors. It focuses on four key themes aimed at accelerating adoption and addressing existing challenges in the sector:
Affordability: Developing cost-effective solar solutions for low- and middle-income households through new financing models, modular designs, and circular economy approaches.
Resilience: Strengthening the climate resilience, grid reliability, and cybersecurity of solar infrastructure, particularly in remote and climate-vulnerable areas.
Inclusivity: Widening access to clean energy in underserved regions via tools like community solar projects, virtual net metering, and inclusive financial frameworks.
Environmental Sustainability: Encouraging innovations in eco-friendly practices such as recycling of solar panels, deploying land-neutral solar solutions, and integrating hybrid renewable technologies.
Startups working in areas such as green technology, IoT, artificial intelligence, blockchain, energy hardware, construction tech, fintech, and waste management are especially encouraged to apply.
Incentives and Support
The selected innovators will compete for a total prize pool of ₹2.3 crore, including ₹1 crore for 1st Prize, ₹50 lakh for 2nd Prize, ₹30 lakh for 3rd Prize, and 10 Consolation Prizes of ₹5 lakh each. Winners will also gain incubation support, pilot implementation opportunities, and mentorship from domain experts and investors, facilitated by MNRE and NISE.
Challenge Timeline:
Last Date for Applications: 20th August 2025
Result Announcement: 10th September 2025
Applications can be submitted through Startup India’s Website: https://www.startupindia.gov.in/content/sih/en/ams-application/challenge.html?applicationId=680b3ebbe4b0611108b201e5
