The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade has entered into separate partnerships with PhonePe and Shell India to enhance support for India's startup ecosystem. According to the latest reports from PTI, these Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) were signed on August 19, 2026 and are designed to help startups move beyond funding and gain access to technology, digital infrastructure, mentorship, market opportunities and industry networks. The partnerships aim to strengthen market linkages, industry access, mentorship and investment opportunities for startups while supporting India's technology-led economic growth and contributing to the country's clean energy transition. As reported by Moneycontrol, these agreements are aimed at improving startups' access to technology, digital infrastructure, mentorship, market opportunities and industry networks, with the broader objective of helping innovative businesses scale sustainably.
The PhonePe partnership focuses on helping startups build and scale their businesses through its digital ecosystem. As reported by the official release, eligible DPIIT-recognised startups will receive transaction credits through PhonePe's Payment Gateway, along with access to the Indus AppStore and dedicated onboarding and support. The company will conduct regular masterclasses and webinars covering fintech, sales, go-to-market strategies and business scaling to provide practical support for founders as they develop and expand their businesses. Under the collaboration with DPIIT, PhonePe will provide DPIIT-recognised startups with a range of benefits, including transaction credits through its payment gateway, access to the Indus AppStore, dedicated onboarding and support services, and opportunities for enhanced brand visibility. The initiative is intended to help startups strengthen their capabilities and accelerate growth, with the partnership providing practical support for founders as they develop and expand their businesses through the company's digital ecosystem.
The Shell India partnership takes a more sector-specific approach, focusing on startups in the energy and climate-tech space. According to the official release, Shell India will offer mentorship, strategic guidance and connections with investors and incubators to participating startups. The partnership will also provide opportunities for startups to participate in the Shell E4 Smart Energy Track, which is expected to provide a route for innovative businesses to access expertise and explore opportunities to scale their solutions. Through this collaboration, Shell India will provide mentorship, strategic guidance, investor and incubator connect, and opportunities to participate in the Shell E4 Smart Energy Track. The initiative will also support knowledge-sharing across the sector through success stories, white papers, policy briefs, industry landscape reports and case studies covering emerging innovations and best practices in the energy and climate-tech ecosystem. The partnership is expected to help startups access growth opportunities, scale innovative solutions and contribute to India's clean energy transition.
For DPIIT-recognised startups, these two agreements could open different routes to growth, as reported by the official release. PhonePe brings access to digital payments and business-building capabilities, while Shell offers sector expertise and potential investor and incubator connections. The government emphasized that these partnerships will strengthen startups' access to digital infrastructure, industry expertise, mentorship, market linkages and investment opportunities, helping them scale sustainably, drive innovation and contribute to India's economic growth and technological advancement. These initiatives come as India continues to build an ecosystem aimed at helping startups scale, develop innovative solutions and contribute to economic growth and technological advancement. The partnerships are expected to strengthen market linkages, industry access, mentorship and investment opportunities for startups, with the initiatives supporting India's technology-led economic growth and contributing to the country's clean energy transition.
