IEW 2026 Concludes with Awards Honouring Innovation and Leadership Across the Energy Sector

India Energy Week (IEW) 2026 concluded on a celebratory note in Goa on January 30, recognising innovators, startups and industry leaders shaping India’s evolving energy landscape. Held from January 27–30, the flagship global conclave showcased India’s growing influence in the world energy ecosystem, bringing together policymakers, business leaders, technologists and investors to advance pragmatic pathways towards a secure, sustainable and affordable energy future.

AVINYA – The Energy Startup Challenge

The AVINYA platform highlighted Indian startups delivering technology-led solutions for the energy sector:

• Winner: Minimines Cleantech Solutions — Mr. Hardhik and Mr. Anupam Kumar, recognised for their proprietary HHM process enabling low-carbon recovery of high-value materials from end-of-life lithium-ion batteries, with planned expansion into solar panels, catalytic converters and permanent magnets.
• 1st Runner-Up: Ossus Biorenewables — Dr. Suruchi Rao and Mr. Kamar Suhail Basha, for a biochemical process converting industrial wastewater into green hydrogen.
• 2nd Runner-Up: Tranzmeo IT Solutions — Mr. Safil Sunny and Mr. Rakaesh Mishra, for AI-driven fibre-sensing applications enabling precise monitoring of pipelines, vents and CCUS processes.
• 3rd Runner-Up: Rezlytix Technologies — Mr. Dipshankar Nanda and Mr. Vinay Bhardwaj, for an AI-powered deep information maximisation engine transforming oil and gas exploration.
• 4th Runner-Up: Petrobot Technologies — Mr. Sahab Gurjar and Mr. Shashi Fagna, for robotic inspection solutions for hydrocarbon plants and vessels.

VASUDHA – Overseas Upstream Startup Challenge

The international VASUDHA challenge recognised breakthrough upstream technologies:

• Winner: SENERGETICS, The Netherlands — Mr. Franciscus Johanna Jacobs and Ms. Anitha, for AI-enabled corrosion monitoring supporting safer and more sustainable operations.
• Runner-Up: Resermine Inc., USA — Mr. Anton Malkov and Mr. Amit Kumar, for their Hawkeye hybrid model engine optimising reservoir engineering workflows.

Hackathon Challenge

Seven premier institutes participated, showcasing next-generation problem-solving in energy technology:

• Winner: IIT Bombay — Soutik Bhakta and Prof. Kumar Hemant Singh, for “Aura”, an AI-driven unified reservoir analysis platform using a semi-supervised CNN transformer framework.
• Runner-Up: IIT Delhi — Swagat Sabyasachi Sahoo, Akshit Agarwal, Manogya Sunil Chordia, Debarun Banerjee and Prof. Vikrant, for a circular economy solution leveraging bi-basic solvent CO₂ capture and mineralisation using steel industry slag.

FIPI / IIP Annual Industry Awards

The Federation of Indian Petroleum Industry (FIPI) honoured companies and professionals for excellence across exploration, production, refining, innovation and gas distribution:

• Exploration Company of the Year: Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Limited (ONGC)
• Oil & Gas Production Company of the Year (Over 1 MTOE): Oil India Limited
• Oil & Gas Production Company of the Year (Under 1 MTOE): Sun Petrochemicals Pvt. Ltd.
• Refinery of the Year: Reliance Industries Ltd., SEZ Refinery, Jamnagar

Innovator of the Year (Joint Winners):

• R&D Division, Indian Oil Corporation Limited — for indigenous ZOMAX CAP light-naphtha isomerisation technology
• Innovation Center, Mangalore Refinery & Petrochemicals Ltd. — for introducing orderless process technology
• Best Managed Project of the Year: Shell India (PMG Joint Venture) — for India’s first offshore decommissioning project at Kaki
• City Gas Distribution Company of the Year: Indraprastha Gas Limited
• Pipeline Transportation Company of the Year: Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited
• Oil Marketing Company of the Year: Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited

Young Achiever of the Year:

• Female: Ms. Vanashree Mahatre, Pipeline Infrastructure Limited
• Male: Mr. Karthik R., Mangalore Refinery & Petrochemicals Limited

India Energy Week 2026 closed by celebrating these achievements, reinforcing India’s expanding leadership in energy, its commitment to sustainability, and its growing role in shaping the future of the global energy ecosystem.