CB BureauThe United States-India Science & Technology Endowment Fund (USISTEF), in partnership with Social Alpha, has announced the Ignition Grants – titled ‘Technology-based Energy Solutions: Innovations for Net Zero’ – to select and support new technologies that address climate change and clean energy challenges.
The programme addresses the pressing need for solutions that leverage cutting-edge, disruptive clean energy technologies to accelerate progress toward net zero. It aligns with the goals of the US-India Strategic Clean Energy Partnership and will be administered by the bi-national Indo-U.S. Science and Technology Forum (IUSSTF).
The objective of the Ignition Grants programme is to identify and support ‘technology showstoppers’ – promising joint US-India S&T-based entrepreneurial initiatives that address the development and implementation of new technologies, tools and systems that tackle climate and clean energy challenges in the areas of next-generation clean and renewable energy, energy storage and carbon sequestration.
The programme was formally launched by the USISTEF Co-Chairs Sanjeev Varshney, Adviser & Head, International Bilateral Cooperation, Department of Science & Technology, Government of India, and John Speaks, Minister Counsellor for Energy, Environment, Science and Technology (Acting), US Embassy, New Delhi.
Highlighting the spirit of entrepreneurship, Varshney said: ‘The role of collaboration in science and technology to deliver innovative solutions to address a global challenge is appreciable. A good demonstrable technology innovation to address a specific challenge in the focus areas having a commercial viability is expected under the partnership of IUSSTF with Social Alpha.’
Dr Nandini Kannan, Executive Secretary USISTEF, and Executive Director, IUSSTF, said: ‘Achieving the ambitious climate and clean energy goals laid out in the US-India 2030 Partnership requires the creation of an ecosystem that fosters and supports S&T-based innovation, and encourages partnerships. “Technology-based Energy Solutions: Innovations for Net Zero†is a call to action, urging the entrepreneur and research communities in India and the United States to come together and develop transformative solutions to tackle critical climate and sustainability challenges.’
The launch of the US-India Climate and Clean Energy Agenda 2030 partnership in April 2021 reiterated the commitment of both nations to work together to achieve their ambitious climate and clean energy targets and to strengthen bilateral collaborations.
More information about the Ignition Grants can be accessed at www.iusstf.org.