The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade signed two agreements on August 19, 2026. The partners are PhonePe and Shell India. Both deals aim to help startups that DPIIT already recognises.
DPIIT is the startup arm of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry. It runs the Startup India programme. The two MoUs cover fintech and clean energy, two very different sectors.
Under the PhonePe deal, recognised startups get transaction credits through the PhonePe Payment Gateway. They also get access to the Indus AppStore, PhonePe’s Android app store. Dedicated onboarding and support come with it.
PhonePe will also run masterclasses and webinars for founders. The sessions cover fintech, sales, go-to-market strategy and business scaling. The aim is to help startups grow faster.
The Shell India deal targets a narrower group. It supports startups in energy and climate technology. Shell India will give mentorship, strategic guidance, and introductions to investors and incubators.
Selected startups also get a route into the Shell E4 Smart Energy Track. Shell E4 is Shell’s startup accelerator in India. The track focuses on new-energy and low-carbon ideas.
The Shell India partnership goes past mentoring. Both sides will publish white papers, policy briefs and industry reports. They will also share case studies on energy and climate-tech startups.
DPIIT said the two deals improve access to digital infrastructure, mentorship, market links and investment. The department wants startups to scale in a steady way. It framed both as support for a self-reliant startup base.
Neither MoU carries a rupee figure. DPIIT did not name a funding amount, a startup target or a timeline. These agreements set a framework, not a cheque.
What this means for you: apply early if you run a DPIIT-recognised fintech or energy startup. Named slots for PhonePe credits and the Shell E4 track usually fill fast.
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