IIITH's social incubator, AIC-IIITH onboards startups for EPAM Social Impact Innovation Program

• AIC-IIITH has selected 7 startups for the EPAM Social Impact Innovation Program from the cleantech, environment tech and waste management space who are using innovation and entrepreneurship to solve pressing social challenges in a sustainable manner.
• As part of EPAM Systems' ESG commitment to make a sustainable social impact in communities worldwide, the program will provide an equity-free grant of up to INR 5,00,000 and other non-financial support to the selected startups.
• IIITH's social incubator, AIC-IIITH till date has supported 38+ startups, created 300+ jobs and facilitated INR 2+ Cr of funding.

HYDERABAD, India, Dec. 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Popular consensus is that building a green recovery stimulus, which includes green public investment and the adoption of clean technology or "cleantech" is needed to ensure sustainable and inclusive growth and help India achieve UN Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs). Significantly, green start-ups also have been included in the sunrise industry landscape.

In keeping with this, AIC-IIITH Foundation and EPAM Systems, Inc., a leading digital transformation services and product engineering company, have selected seven startups for the EPAM Social Impact Innovation Program, which aims to support these green startups with an equity-free grant of up to INR 5,00,000 and Incubation Support.

The startups were selected through a rigorous process ending in a pitching session in front of esteemed experts like Naresh Sutravey, Senior Business Analysis Manager and Pramila Kasirajan, Director of Project Management at EPAM India, Sanjay Jesrani CEO and Founder of GO North Ventures, Sreyashee Das, Incubation manager, AIC-Sangam Innovation Foundation, Rennis Joseph, CEO and Founder of Ignis Careers Pvt. Ltd. and Raj Janagam, CEO, AIC-IIITH.

Last year EPAM provided a COVID bridge grant to social startups through AIC-IIITH and helped organizations like Jivoule Biofuels (clean energy), myUDAAN (accessibility tech) and Intech Harness (agritech) with resources needed to survive the pandemic.

Emphasizing the significance and timely nature of the program, Prof. Ramesh Loganathan, Director of AIC-IIITH said, "Supporting the Green Tech revolution is essential to help India secure a foothold in the Fourth Industrial Revolution and help us fight the climate crisis. We at AIC-IIITH are proud to be contributing to the same." Till date AIC-IIITH has run 5 cohorts and supported 38+ startups with incubation support and INR 2+ Cr of funding. AIC-IIITH's startups are solving pressing challenges in sectors like agriculture, education, accessibility, waste management and created 300+ jobs.

The key highlights of this year's program include milestone-based grant support of up to INR 5 lakhs, incubation support, business coaching and access to IIIT-Hyderabad's technology expertise. Startups will also be able to leverage expertise and resources of Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CIE), IIITH's Deep-tech incubator. CIE is one of the oldest TBI in the country and has supported over 200+ startups with incubation support and INR 6+ Cr of funding.

"We are delighted to support this initiative again to help bring about positive social change and provide unique opportunities for start-up communities to contribute towards sustainability and drive climate action," said Shamilka Samarasinha, Global Head of Corporate Social Responsibility at EPAM Systems, Inc. "Thank you to all of the amazing startups who submitted an entry as well as the seven chosen organizations. Together, we are making a difference to help India achieve their UN Sustainable Development Goals 2030."

The selected startups are working to help India combat various environmental challenges through tech innovations and entrepreneurial risk-taking. These startups are:

1. MedCuore Medical Solutions Pvt. Ltd is developing a patent-pending green-indoor air purifier (completely recyclable) integrated with a smart monitor controlled by an AI-IOT app to give specific data that are much more relevant.
2. Green Trek Research and Development Pvt. Ltd is helping reduce CO₂ emissions and gasses by recycling steel waste.  
3. Greenovate Solutions Pvt. Ltd is developing carbon capture & utilization technology to help the chemical & petroleum industries meet their carbon emission reduction targets and become net-zero.                  
4. MuddleArt Pvt. Ltd provides customized pre-consumer textile waste management solutions aimed to bridge gaps in the supply chain and integrate informal waste workers into the workforce and facilitate a circular economy.
5. Zodhya Technologies Pvt. Ltd offers a device that reduces energy costs with ZERO operational changes using an AI-based algorithm. 
6. Envoprotect LLP provides technology to harness waste to energy by recycling plastic waste generated from paper mills to build a healthier and low carbon footprint circular economy.                                                                
7. Panjurli Labs Pvt. Ltd is a manufacturer of commercial and residential air purifying equipment, dust collectors and a wide range of other products.

About AIC-IIITH Foundation is an Atal Incubation Center set up exclusively for incubating and supporting tech-based social enterprises. It seeks to deploy entrepreneurial energy and technological innovation for social impact to help India achieve the SDGs. Supported by the Atal Innovation Mission, NITI Aayog, Government of India, AIC-IIITH FOUNDATION also seeks to nurture the social enterprise ecosystem by acting as a platform for sharing ideas and insights. With over 10,000 sq. ft space consisting of co-working spaces, conference room, meeting space and other facilities, AIC-IIITH FOUNDATION aims to provide collaborative space to entrepreneurs. These benefits are further enhanced by the multiplying effect of agglomeration effects and network effects of being situated in the Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CIE), IIIT-Hyderabad, which is a cluster of incubation centers, research labs and resources.

For further information, please contact at: [email protected] or For details visit our Website - https://aic.iiit.ac.in/  and for update follows us Facebook- www.facebook.com/AICIIITH Twitter- @IiithAic and LinkedIn- linkedin.com/in/aic-iiith-foundation-12ab541a1/

ABOUT EPAM SYSTEMS

Since 1993, EPAM Systems, Inc. (NYSE: EPAM) has leveraged its advanced software engineering heritage to become the foremost global digital transformation services provider – leading the industry in digital and physical product development and digital platform engineering services. Through its innovative strategy; integrated advisory, consulting, and design capabilities; and unique 'Engineering DNA,' EPAM's globally deployed hybrid teams help make the future real for clients and communities around the world by powering better enterprise, education and health platforms that connect people, optimize experiences, and improve people's lives.

In 2021, EPAM was added to the S&P 500 and included among the list of Forbes Global 2000 companies.

Selected by Newsweek as a 2021 and 2022 Most Loved Workplace, EPAM's global multi-disciplinary teams serve customers in more than 50 countries across six continents. As a recognized leader, EPAM is listed among the top 15 companies in Information Technology Services on the Fortune 1000 and ranked four times as the top IT services company on Fortune's 100 Fastest Growing Companies list. EPAM is also listed among Ad Age's top 25 World's Largest Agency Companies for three consecutive years, and Consulting Magazine named EPAM Continuum a top 20 Fastest Growing Firm.

Learn more at www.epam.com and follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn.

About IIIT Hyderabad: The International Institute of Information Technology Hyderabad (IIITH) is an autonomous research university founded in 1998 that focuses on the core areas of Information Technology, such as Computer Science, Electronics and Communications, and their applications in other domains through inter-disciplinary research that has a greater social impact. Some of its research domains include Visual Information Technologies, Human Language Technologies, Data Engineering, VLSI and Embedded Systems, Computer Architecture, Wireless Communications, Algorithms and Information Security, Robotics, Building Science, Earthquake Engineering, Cognitive Science, Computational Natural Sciences and Bioinformatics, Education Technologies, Power Systems, IT in Agriculture and e-Governance.

Website: www.iiit.ac.in

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