Mahajan says startup competition was to build motors for pumps locally
Konmos Technology Pvt Ltd from Rajkot, Gujarat, has won the Germany-US listed Infineon Technologies’ Infineon Solar Pump Motor Drive Design Challenge 2021, an initiative aimed at bridging the gap between the real and the digital world by bringing together techies and the business experts on the same platform and build a viable, marketable solution for the Indian solar pump industry.
Luknow-based Sunmint Energy Pvt Ltd secured the first runner-up spot and Bengaluru-headquartered Ather Energy Pvt Ltd secured the second runner-up spot of the challenge launched in January 2021.
The initiative was started in collaboration with Invest India and Avnet India, and several preliminary rounds later, Infineon selected 10 finalists from over 300 start-up applications. Young entrepreneurs from across the country submitted their solutions to a jury whose members included technology experts from Infineon.
The winning team was also offered an opportunity to further build on their solution as part of a pilot project, challenging industry partners, Amber Enterprises and Virtual Forest. They would get funding of up to Rs.5 lakh.
“Solar pump manufacturers rely on overseas suppliers for drives, hampering build-up of local competence and ecosystem. To reverse the effects, it is integral to build energy efficient and cost effective motor drive solutions for pumps locally,” said Vivek Mahajan, Vice President & Division Head for Industrial Power Control, Infineon Technologies Asia Pacific.
“This initiative is aimed at bridging the gap between the real and the digital world, by bringing together techies and the business experts on the same platform and build a viable, marketable solution which will support the Indian solar pump industry,” he said on concluding the challenge on 19 Aug 2021
The challenge sought a viable solution for solar pump motor drives to enable local manufacturers in India to reduce overall dependency on imports, and support domestic solar pump ecosystem. Moreover, this challenge aims to support the Government’s countrywide ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’, ‘Make In India’ & ‘PM-KUSUM’ initiatives, by making life easier and greener with microelectronics from Infineon.
Invest India MD & CEO Deepak Bagla said, “This challenge comes at an opportune time, as India is working at unprecedented speed to accomplish the SDGs, especially in renewable energy and sustainable development. We are committed to fostering a culture of innovation aimed at creating lasting socio-economic impact through Startup India.”
“Avnet has been working closely with local companies to drive solar power solutions that support India in achieving its renewable energy target of 450 gigawatts (GW) by 2030. We are excited to be part of this meaningful partnership, supporting local innovators to develop solutions that provide cleaner, more sustainable and affordable energy in India,” said Kamath Suresh, Managing Director, Avnet India.
Infineon has been actively engaging with the startup and entrepreneur ecosystem in India since 2017. Over the past few years, the company has partnered with the Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) at Niti Aayog and various incubators across India including Electropreneur Park and NSRCEL to foster and nurture promising startups and drive tomorrow‘s solutions addressing some key societal concerns. Most recently, Infineon has been actively funding technology-based healthcare solutions developed by premier institutes to enable India to fight the COVID-19 pandemic.
Infineon Technologies AG is a world leader in semiconductor solutions that make life easier, safer and greener. Microelectronics from Infineon are the key to a better future. Following the acquisition of the US company Cypress Semiconductor Corporation in April 2020, Infineon is now a global top 10 semiconductor company.
Infineon is listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange (ticker symbol: IFX) and in the USA on the over-the-counter market OTCQX International Premier (ticker symbol: IFNNY). #solar #investment #energy #OPEC #technology #manufacturing /fiinews.com
