EVangelise '23 - India's Biggest Electric Vehicle Innovation Challenge | iCreate

About:

At iCreate, we believe that the Indian EV industry can achieve disruptive growth through increased adoption in the domestic market, and by becoming a global manufacturing hub. The route to this would be identifying the best EV startups with solutions and technologies that are advanced, scalable, and indigenously developed in India. And then, facilitating partnerships between these startups and EV manufacturers and investors.

The 2023 edition of EVangelise focuses on taking the game to a new level by widening the scope to many different classes of vehicles, and adopting a twofold approach:

1. Scouting for the best early-stage startups by tapping into colleges and incubators, and offering them incubation support
2. Facilitating manufacturing partnerships for industry-ready startups, and providing VC connects to startups already in contact with the industry, to give them a boost in their entrepreneurial journey

About the Themes:

• Traction Theme: It invites entrepreneurs and startups to create innovative technologies for motors, motor controllers, gearboxes, axles, and more, shaping the future of electric vehicle propulsion systems. Traction Theme aims to enhance the performance, efficiency, and sustainability of electric vehicles by developing novel solutions which include but are not limited to:
  • Improve motor topology.
  • Motors with new magnetic materials (that do not use rare earth elements).
  • Shape Memory Alloy for various applications such as actuators, positioning, and control, overload protection, vibration damping, electrical contact, etc. for motors.
  • Modular power electronics and embedded systems enable variable power delivery through the same embedded hardware.
  • Optimizing motor controller performance.
  • Motor control systems for more compact, lightweight, and high-performance motors.
  • Gearbox and axle technologies by utilizing torque convertors or newly developed materials.
  • Solutions to manage thermal properties of motor.
  • Other alternate technologies to reduce costs and supply chain problems.
• Energy Theme: It invites visionary startups to create technologies that optimize energy storage, enhance charging capabilities, and reimagine how we store and harness energy for electric vehicles and the possibilities of sustainable transportation. The theme aims to enhance the performance, efficiency, and sustainability of electric vehicles by developing novel solutions which include but are not limited to:
  • High-performance batteries with higher energy density.
  • Batteries with improved safety, extended range, and faster charging capabilities.
  • Fuel cell technologies for clean and efficient power generation.
  • Explore alternate chemistries (Sodium-ion battery, Solid state battery) to enhance battery performance.
  • Novel architectures to reduce costs for battery management systems (BMS) and developing BMS for alternate technologies to AFE
  • Hybrid Energy Storage System (HESS) - Supercapacitor + Battery
  • Active/passive cooling solutions for the battery pack.
  • Detection/Prevention of dendrites (Software-based AI/ML)- Early detection/prediction of dendrite formation by ML.
  • Revolutionize charging infrastructure with wireless and overhead charging solutions (pantograph).
  • Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) technology for vehicles to connect to the power grid and supply electricity back to the grid when required.
• Telematics, Intelligence & Connectivity (TIC) Theme: This theme presents an exciting opportunity for startups to accelerate the development of seamless connectivity, intelligent decision-making, and enhanced user experiences in electric vehicles by leveraging Artificial Intelligence (AI). The theme aims to enhance the performance, efficiency, and sustainability of electric vehicles by developing novel solutions which include but are not limited to:
  • Startups can create intelligent systems that optimize energy consumption.
  • Enhance vehicle performance.
  • Monitor and analyze personalized user driving behavior.
  • Accident detection and prevention
  • The development of cloud computing enabled scalable and secure platforms for real-time analytics, data management, and remote vehicle monitoring.
  • Autonomous Driver Assistance Systems and sensors that enable features like adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping assist, and autonomous parking.
  • Vehicle-to-Vehicle (V2V) and Vehicle-to-Cloud (V2C) communication for safer, more efficient, and cooperative driving experiences.
• Open Theme: The Open Theme invites startups to pioneer innovative technologies in electric vehicle accessories and components. The theme aims to enhance the performance, efficiency, and sustainability of electric vehicles by developing novel solutions which include but are not limited to:
  • Advanced wire harness designs for efficient and reliable electrical connectivity in vehicles.
  • Braking systems for improved responsiveness and energy regeneration
  • Steering mechanisms for enhanced maneuverability and precision.
  • Sustainable and recyclable materials in electric vehicle manufacturing.
  • Incorporating eco-friendly materials for interiors.
  • Lightweight composite materials for improved energy efficiency.
  • Recycling process for battery materials.