GAIL (India) Limited And Petronet LNG Limited Host ‘MC² Plus Hyderabad Connect’ To Accelerate Innovation And Entrepreneurship In The Energy Sector.

Hyderabad, Telangana, 7th of September, 2026 : GAIL (India) Limited, India’s integrated energy major, Petronet LNG Limited, and MC² Foundation, in association with iTIC Incubator of IIT Hyderabad organised ‘MC² Plus IGNITE Hyderabad Connect’ at IIT Hyderabad. Dr. Anil K Khandelwal, former CMD, Bank of Baroda, delivered the keynote address. The event was graced by Shri Deepak Gupta, Chairman & Managing Director, GAIL (India) Limited, Shri Akshay Kumar Singh, MD & CEO, Petronet LNG Limited, Prof. B. S. Murty, Director, IIT Hyderabad and Shri Ayush Gupta, Director (HR), GAIL.

Speaking on the occasion keynote speaker Dr. Anil K. Khandelwal, former CMD, Bank of Baroda and Keynote Speaker, said that Innovation dies quietly in fearful organisations. True transformation is never driven by a single initiative; it is built through a culture of customer-centricity, technology, experimentation and continuous learning. Resources may be limited, but when honest intent meets collective intelligence and a relentless pursuit of excellence, breakthrough performance becomes possible.

Addressing the gathering at MC² IGNITE event, Shri Deepak Gupta, CMD, GAIL said that India is at a “remarkable inflection point”, with rapidly growing energy requirements alongside its ambition to become a developed economy, ensure affordable and reliable energy, build globally competitive industries and meet its climate commitments. He highlighted the need for transformational thinking to address the emerging energy paradox of meeting rising demand while transitioning towards cleaner energy, enhancing energy security, building smarter and more resilient infrastructure, and reducing dependence on imported technologies and critical systems.

Underscoring the significance of MC² IGNITE, he said that the initiative seeks to bring together startups, academia, research institutions and the Oil & Gas industry on a common platform, enabling ideas to move from the laboratory to prototype, pilot, deployment and scale. He emphasised that innovation must ultimately be measured by successful implementation and real-world impact.

Speaking on the focus on Digital Asset Management, he highlighted the need to transform conventional infrastructure into “intelligent assets” through artificial intelligence, machine learning, advanced analytics, sensors, robotics, drones and digital twins. He said the industry must progress from preventive and predictive maintenance towards prescriptive maintenance, where technology can not only anticipate failures but also recommend appropriate interventions.

CMD, GAIL further emphasised five key imperatives for the energy sector—efficiency, technology self-reliance, net-zero, self-sustaining energy systems and technological self-reliance. He called for “Make in India” and “Invent in India” and ultimately to “Innovate in India, deploy in India and Export from India”, stressing that India’s energy future must be efficient, resilient, sustainable and technologically sovereign.

Speaking on the occasion, Shri Akshay Kumar Singh, MD & CEO, Petronet LNG Limited, said, “MC²+ Ignite in connecting India’s energy industry with the startup and innovation ecosystem, with a focus on leveraging digital technologies such as AI, advanced sensors, robotics and digital twins to make LNG infrastructure smarter, safer, more reliable and efficient. It underscores the vast opportunities for innovation across the LNG value chain and called for industry–startup collaboration to translate promising ideas and technologies into practical, scalable solutions addressing real-world energy challenges.”

He also emphasized taking an anecdote from LNG industry wherein cold energy waste generated from regasification process have immense potential for its commercialisation for use in sectors like data centres, cold storage and air separation units. Further, there also lies vast potential in CBG yield improvements and its value added byproducts optimisation leading to substantial import substitution.

Speaking in the Program, Prof. B. S. Murty, Director, IIT Hyderabad shared, “IIT Hyderabad has always placed innovation at the forefront of its academic and research ecosystem, with a strong focus on translating ideas into solutions that create meaningful impact for society and the nation. The MC² Plus initiative brings together industry, academia and the startup ecosystem around some of the most important challenges facing India’s energy sector. We are pleased to collaborate with MC² Foundation and contribute our faculty expertise, research capabilities and infrastructure to help promising innovations move closer to real-world deployment. Such partnerships strengthen our shared commitment to building an innovation ecosystem that is not only globally competitive but also contributes to India’s technological self-reliance and national development.”

Addressing students and start-ups, Shri Ayush Gupta, Director (HR), GAIL, said, “MC²+ Ignite would not only fund innovative ideas but would empower innovators to shape India’s energy future. With experienced mentors, the platform would help transform real-life challenges into smarter, simpler solutions, supporting India’s transition towards affordable, sustainable and energy-secure growth. He urged students and start-up founders to articulate their ideas and challenge the status quo to drive solutions.

The event also featured an engaging panel discussion on innovation and the startup ecosystem, moderated by Shri Murali Talasila, Groundgame.health with participation from Shri Vaibhav Kaushik, Nawgati, Shri G. Prasad Babu, GCRS, Shri Milesh Dongre, EyeROV, Shri Varun Kumar, Detect Technologies, Shri Bhuvanesh Kumar Sharma, VDT Pipeline Integrity Solutions Pvt. Ltd. and Shri Vishwas Chandra Khan, Vasitars. Bringing together perspectives from diverse startups, the discussion highlighted emerging technologies, entrepreneurial opportunities and the role of innovation in addressing industry challenges.

Speaking at the event, Shri Sandeep Maheshwari, CEO, MC² Foundation, said that MC² Plus is India’s flagship energy innovation accelerator, envisioned by the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas (MoPNG) in collaboration with leading energy-sector organisations. The programme focuses on seven priority themes: Digital Asset Management; AI-Driven Subsurface Intelligence; Next-Generation Drilling & Well Completion; Refinery Process Intensification & Catalysis; Bio-Energy with a focus on Compressed Biogas (CBG); Hydrogen & Mobility; and other energy-sector innovations.

The Connect provides start-ups and innovators an opportunity to engage with industry leaders and explore the MC² Plus accelerator. Selected start-ups will be eligible for convertible funding of up to ₹50 lakh and milestone-based funding of up to ₹1.5 crore. The programme aims to support 30 high-potential early-stage start-ups through mentorship, technical expertise, pilot opportunities, funding and industry networks. The Hyderabad Connect witnessed enthusiastic participation from students, entrepreneurs, start-ups, industry professionals and other stakeholders.

The Hyderabad edition of MC² Plus Ignite focusses on Digital Asset Management, highlighting the transformative potential of digital technologies, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and data-driven decision-making in enhancing asset performance, operational efficiency, reliability and sustainability across the energy value chain. The event brought together industry leaders, academia, start-ups, entrepreneurs and technology experts to explore innovative solutions and emerging opportunities shaping the future of India’s energy sector.

The event also featured an insightful session by IIT Hyderabad on valuable perspectives on fostering innovation, entrepreneurship and translating ideas into impactful solutions and a presentation by Federation of Indian Petroleum Industry (FIPI) on Avinya’27, Energy Start-up challenge and India Energy Week 2027.