• Rs 88 crore allocated to support 30+ startups in energy, healthcare, agriculture, and AI.
• Initiative aimed at fostering innovation and job creation under the Atmanirbhar Bharat vision.
• HPCL invested Rs 27 crore in 28 startups; Oil India supports 15 startups with a Rs 50 crore fund.

On Monday, Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas Hardeep Singh Puri declared that Bharat Petroleum Corp Ltd (BPCL) has made an investment of Rs 88 crore to fund over 30 startups in different domains like energy, healthcare, agriculture, and artificial intelligence.

In a tweet on X social media site, Minister Puri highlighted that BPCL is empowering young people to be job creators and future leaders. "India's startup ecosystem is thriving, driving growth and innovation in various sectors," he said.

He underscored how BPCL's 'Project Ankur' is spearheading this advancement in accordance with the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi for an Atmanirbhar Bharat. "With Rs 88 crore invested to promote more than 30 startups in energy, healthcare, agriculture, and AI," the minister further added.

Puri also stated that BPCL is enabling path-breaking innovations, including fuel-flexible turbines and carbon dioxide-to-methanol conversion. "Together, we are creating a world-class India with a thrust on innovation and opportunity," he added.

The Union Minister had earlier mentioned that Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd (HPCL) will also be supporting the Indian startups, as it has already invested Rs 27 crore to enable 28 startups so far. HPCL's 'Udgam' program has also raised Rs 35 crore to assist startups related to clean and green energy.

"India's energy future is being defined by innovation. HPCL's 'Udgam' program is supporting startups in green hydrogen and ethanol, intelligent LPG cylinders, emission control, IoT solutions, cashless technologies, and waste-to-energy and carbon capture," Puri posted on X.

He credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Startup India initiative for continuing to drive innovation across the country. Additionally, Oil India Limited is supporting 15 startups in various fields, including the design of hydrogen fuel cell-based e-buses and wireless robots for oil well inspection, with a startup fund of Rs 50 crore, the Union Minister informed.