Six Indian women-led energy startups to receive $10,000 seed fund each from Powered Accelerator

Powered Accelerator unveiled its first cohort of women-led startups who showcased their technology innovations across diverse areas

Powered Accelerator, an entrepreneurship programme focusing on women-led businesses in the energy value chain globally has announced a seed funding of $10,000 each for the six shortlisted startups in India from its first cohort of 10 startups.

The six startups selected for the seed fund are: Cellerite Systems, Loans4SME, HoneyComb Inventions, Kumudini Enterprises, Upcycler’s Lab and Taru Naturals.

Powered Accelerator is a joint initiative of Shell Foundation (a UK based charity), the UK Government’s Department for International Development (DFID), Government of India’s Department for Science and Technology (DST), and is managed by Zone Startups India.

On September 6, it showcased these startups and their technology solutions to an audience of investors, corporates, multi-laterals, government representatives, and CSR heads in New Delhi. The cohort included a diverse set of 10 startups with technology applications addressing issues across mobility, energy access, energy finance, sustainability awareness, healthcare, and food security.

Jan Thompson, British Deputy High Commissioner of DFID believes that the provision of affordable and reliable modern energy products and services to women provides a huge opportunity to unlock potential to improve the lives of their families for generations.

The objective of this programme is to help selected ventures expand their innovative and consumer-responsive services, products and financing by taking them through an accelerator programme that includes validation, peer network, mentorship, industry connects, and access to investors. HDFC Bank, Microsoft Corporation and L&T Public Charitable Trust are its partners, and are supporting the cohort by providing infrastructure and mentoring support, and are exploring suitable synergies with them.

Powered Accelerator is now accepting applications for its second accelerator cohort, and the one-week residential boot camp that is meant for idea stage solutions.