Mumbai: Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL), a Fortune Global 500 company and a Maharatna PSU, has been recognised by the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) and Mind the Bridge as one of the Top 100 Corporate Startup Stars (CSS) worldwide. BPCL is the only Indian organisation featured in this prestigious global list of CSS, which is a celebration of the world’s most exemplary corporate champions of startup collaboration.
The announcement was made at a ceremony held at the International Chamber of Commerce headquarters in Paris. The Corporate Startup Stars Awards 2025 recognized 100 top companies from the Forbes Global 2000 and Fortune Global 500 that demonstrate outstanding commitment to open innovation, startup engagement, and ecosystem development.
Commenting on the recognition, Shri Sanjay Khanna, Chairman and Managing Director, BPCL, said, “We are honoured to be recognised among the 2025 Top 100 Corporate Startup Stars. This global accolade is a testament to Bharat Petroleum’s commitment to building an open innovation ecosystem that fosters entrepreneurship in the country. Through our startup initiative ‘Ankur’, we are catalysing breakthrough solutions that will make energy cleaner, smarter, and more sustainable. As BPCL marks its 50th year of shaping the future of energy, we remain committed to partnering with startups to advance technologies that will accelerate India’s energy transition and strengthen BPCL’s position as an integrated energy company of the future.”
Since its launch in 2016, ‘Ankur’ has supported 30 startups offering innovative solutions in Robotics, Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Asset Integrity, Industrial IoT, Inspection, Predictive Maintenance, Safety Technologies and other emerging domains. The ‘BPCL Ankur Fund’ has been established to invest in promising early-stage startups aligned with BPCL’s strategic priorities and future roadmap.
Congratulating the winners, John W H Denton AO, Secretary General, ICC, said, “Innovation remains the cornerstone of global economic growth. ICC is proud to support businesses that drive meaningful impact through collaboration from emerging startups to established corporations working together to shape the future of global commerce.”
Alberto Onetti, Chairman, Mind the Bridge, added, “BPCL is a strong case of how a large corporation can strategically drive innovation by partnering with startups and investing in them. Through Project Ankur, BPCL has developed a platform that accelerates the adoption of new technologies, while nurturing early-stage entrepreneurs in India’s evolving energy sector through initial grants. To further this goal, BPCL launched the BPCL Ankur Fund, which enables strategic investments in startups by providing equity funding. This approach allows startups to scale their solutions within the BPCL ecosystem.”
