A landmark moment for clean energy innovation in India — join us as we inaugurate the Centre of Excellence for Clean Energy & Green Hydrogen Innovations, graced by the distinguished presence of Dr. R. A. Mashelkar, FRS (Padma Vibhushan).
A Celebration on Energy Innovations
Formal Inauguration of the Centre of Excellence (CoE) for Clean Energy and Green Hydrogen Innovations
Organized by: CoE for Clean Energy and Green Hydrogen Innovations @ Venture Center
Supported by: Maharashtra State Innovation Society (MSInS), CSIR-National Chemical Laboratory (NCL) & RAFT (Rao Family Trust)
Event Details:
- Date: Thursday, 20th August 2026
- Time: 3.00 PM – 6.30 PM
- Venue: CSIR-NCL, Pashan, Pune
- Mode: In-Person
The event is free and open to all; however, prior registration is mandatory.
The celebration is open to startup founders, innovators, incubation managers, researchers, industry leaders, investors, mentors — and anyone who shares our excitement for the future of clean energy & green hydrogen.
Here’s What’s in Store:
- Inauguration of the CoE & launch of the CoE website
- Launch of the Energy Innovation Talk Series
- Talk 1: The Future of Hydrogen Energy
- Talk 2: The Future of Energy Storage
- CleanTech Startup Showcase — spotlighting the boldest innovators in energy & sustainability
Gracing the Occasion:
Dr. R. A. Mashelkar, FRS (Padma Vibhushan) is one of India’s most celebrated scientists and a former Director General of CSIR. He currently serves as Vice Chairman of the General Body of MSInS and Chairman of the Reliance Innovation Council and the New Energy Council of Reliance. He is among the very few Indian scientists to have been honoured with all three civilian awards — Padma Shri, Padma Bhushan, and Padma Vibhushan — and is a Fellow of the Royal Society (FRS).
Smt. Manisha Verma, IAS — Additional Chief Secretary, Skills, Employment, Entrepreneurship & Innovation Department, Government of Maharashtra — is a 1993-batch IAS officer with over three decades of distinguished public service. She has held key positions including Principal Secretary for Skill Development & Entrepreneurship and Joint Secretary at the Prime Minister’s Office, and holds a Master’s in Public Administration from the Harvard Kennedy School.
Dr. Shrikant Patil — CEO, MSInS — leads MSInS’s mission to build Maharashtra’s innovation ecosystem, with a strong focus on extending it beyond metros into districts and rural communities. He previously served as Chairman (BOG) & Managing Director of CRISP, Government of Madhya Pradesh.
Dr. Ashish Lele — Director, CSIR-NCL — is a chemical engineer and rheologist by training (PhD, University of Delaware) who has led pioneering work on PEM fuel cell technology. He is a recipient of the Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Award and the Infosys Prize, and prior to leading CSIR-NCL, served as Senior Vice President & Head of Advanced Materials and Alternative Energy at Reliance Industries.
About the CoE:
The Centre of Excellence (CoE) for Clean Energy & Green Hydrogen Innovations is a one-stop ecosystem for innovators in this space — combining specialised testing facilities (Fuel Cell & Electrolyzer Testing, Hydrogen Refilling Demonstrator, Advanced Battery Testing), startup incubation, seed funding, and capability-building workshops, all under one roof. Sanctioned with support from MSInS and RAFT, the CoE is designed to help startups and innovators test, validate, and scale technologies across green hydrogen, energy storage, sustainable mobility, and industrial decarbonization — accelerating India’s clean energy transition. More about the CoE
For queries please reach out to:
Soma Chattopadhyay | +91 91722 32211 | managerincubator@venturecenter.co.in
