EVangelise ’23: Over 2,700 entries from across 20 States & UTs
12 Winners and promising innovators receive Rs. 42 lakhs in cash prizes
Industry and Thought leaders in the EV ecosystem converge at the iCreate campus
Giving EV sub-assembly manufacturing an impetus towards the Atma Nirbhar Bharat vision
iCreate (International Centre for Entrepreneurship and Technology), Indias leading tech-innovation-based start-up incubator, announced the winners of the EVangelise ’23, the third edition of India’s largest EV innovation challenge. Top positions were awarded to innovators based on technical evaluation, market relevance, and implementation strategies. Winners in the below TRL 5 categories received total cash prizes of Rs. 15 lakhs, and those in the TRL 5 & above category received cash prizes of Rs. 25 lakhs.
iCreate Team
With over 2,700 entries from every corner of India, EVangelise ’23 received about 138% more applications than the previous year’s contest-from students, individual innovators, researchers, and start-ups in the areas of battery safety and EV infrastructure. This is a testament to the growing EV technology community and iCreate EVangelise’s role in accelerating innovation.
The aim of EVangelise ’23 has been to help towards India’s 2030 vision of EVs representing 80% of all two- and three-wheeler sales. EVangelise’23 is not just about identifying groundbreaking innovations in EV technology from all corners of India but also connecting them with industry partners, providing incubation support, and access to capital. At EVangelise 23 Finale, iCreate also revealed the winners of the inaugural RISC-V challenge, honouring outstanding applications tailored for EVs from 41 impressive entries. This contest highlighted participants dedication to harnessing RISC-V architecture for innovative EV solutions. iCreate is committed to leading innovation in RISC-V and semiconductor technology, given their crucial role in shaping the future of electric vehicles.
Congratulating the EVangelise ’23 winners, Avinash Punekar, CEO of iCreate, said, “After two successful editions, EVangelise ’23 has evolved into the most awaited largest EV innovation challenge in India, with over 2,700 entries. Many of these innovators will play a key role in accelerating the growth of India’s EV industry. The overwhelming support for EVangelise ’23 from industry stalwarts underscores the capability of Indian innovators to address the urgent issues faced by the global EV industry. At iCreate, we take immense pride in assisting the innovators with their journey and aiding India’s rise as a powerhouse in the EV domain. I extend my hearty congratulations to the winners of EVangelise ’23 and look forward to providing them with every support needed to make them market leaders.”
In the TRL 5 & above category, the first-place holder, Vijigi Energy Private Limited, a Gujarat-based startup an Integrated Electrical and Controls Platform for ZEV, Vehicle Control Module, Thermal Management Module, Energy Storage Control Module, Body Control Module, and a Central Gateway. Auklr Technologies Private Limited, a Bangalore-based startup, won second place for their solution specialising in Android-based EV instrument clusters and transforming analog dashboards into feature-rich centres for enhanced safety. Real-time data includes speed, battery levels, navigation, and crash detection, optimising driver awareness. The third place was taken by Blaer Motors, a Chennai-based startup, for developing a smart 500W Motor Controller Unit and a 500W Brushed DC Motor Controller Unit for E-bikes and mopeds.
Winners of iCreate EVangelise 23
EVangelise ’23 finale saw distinguished speakers and industry leaders share insights and learnings with the innovators. Amongst these were Mr. Manish Manek, Chief VLE, MG Motors India; Mr. Christian Appel, Head of Vehicle Platform, Nikola Motor Company; Dr. Preeti Banzal, Scientist G at the Office of the Principal Scientific Advisor to the Government of India; Mr. Sudhir Naik, Founder e-infochips; Mr. Sriram Lakshminarayanan, President & Chief Technology Officer, Tata Technologies; George Paul, Director Corporate Strategy and Government Relations, Sahasra Group; Dr. UK Choudhury, former ED R&D, BHEL; Mr. Shailesh Unnithan, GM, SBI; Mr. Mihir Joshi, President & CEO, GVFL and Dr. Rafal Lukasik, Director, Department of International Cooperation, Lukasiewicz Research Network, Poland. Mr. Rajeev Chandrasekhar, Honble Union Minister of State for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship and Electronics and Information Technology, was the Guest of Honour.
Commenting on the achievement, Meet Kalola, Founder of Vijigi Energy Private Limited and the winner of EVangelise ’23 said, “We are overwhelmed to be chosen as the Winner of EVangelise ’23. EVangelise ’23 gave us a platform where we were able to showcase our innovation and this recognition motivates us to continue pioneering innovation solutions in the EV industry. Our Integrated Electrical and Controls Platform, designed for Zero Emission Vehicles (ZEV), along with advanced modules represents our dedication to forge groundbreaking paths in this landscape.”
Ashok Babu S, Founder of Auklr Technologies Private Limited, the second-place winner of EVangelise ’23 stated,“We are honoured to clinch the second-place in EVangelise ’23, Indias largest EV innovation challenge. We at Auklr Technologies are driving a change in the automotive industry with our digital instrument cluster, set to revolutionise the electric vehicle experience. This recognition fuels our commitment to shaping a dynamic future for EVs, where innovation meets excellence on the road ahead.”
EVangelise ’23 took place over six months, during which startups and EV innovators from 20 states and UTs showcased their novel solutions for real-life challenges in the EV industry under three themes, Traction, Energy & Telematics, Intelligence and Connectivity (TIC).
About iCreate
Winner of the National Award for Technology Business Incubator 2020, iCreate (International Centre for Entrepreneurship and Technology) is an autonomous centre of excellence of the Government of Gujarat and is India’s largest institution for transforming start-ups based on tech innovation into successful businesses. Located in a state-of-the-art 40-acre campus at Dev Dholera in Ahmedabad, it has supported over 587 innovations and 50 patents with a ‘high-touch, entrepreneur-first model’, connecting them with mentors, markets, and money. Embedded systems and IoT are a focus area for iCreate in domains like electric vehicles, agritech, smart cities, health tech, industrial automation, and renewable energy, among others. iCreate has partnerships with leading institutions in the US, Israel, and other countries. It has a strategic partnership with CSIR, Indias apex organisation for science and technology, and with leading institutions worldwide.
