Shell India convened innovators, policymakers, academia, entrepreneurs, and partners at the third edition of ‘Changemakers of Tomorrow 2025’ in Bengaluru, reaffirming its commitment to collaborative innovation in support of India’s net-zero ambitions.
The event was inaugurated by Nivruti Rai, MD & CEO, Invest India; Mansi Madan Tripathy, Chairperson, Shell Group of Companies India & SVP, Shell Lubricants Asia Pacific; Robbert van Rutten, EVP Information & Digital Technology & Shell CIO; Selda Gunsel, CTO & EVP Technology, Shell; Ajay Mehta, VP Research & Innovation, Technology, Shell and Pratibha Priyadarshini, VP HR, Shell India. Together, they spotlighted bold ideas and breakthrough technologies shaping the future of energy.
Inaugurating the event, Nivruti Rai, MD & CEO, Invest India, said, “India’s innovators are building tomorrow’s energy infrastructure today—one bold stroke beats a hundred small touches! Platforms like Shell’s Changemakers brings together innovators, technology, capital and industry exactly when breakthrough solutions need scale. And, at Invest India, we facilitate these partnerships for concrete results: investments secured, jobs created, emissions reduced, and energy security strengthened. This is how Maximising India drives Maximum World!”
Highlighting the importance of the third edition, Mansi Madan Tripathy, Chairperson, Shell Group of Companies India & Senior Vice President, Shell Lubricant Asia Pacific said, “At Shell, we believe the journey to net-zero will be powered by bold ideas, game changing solutions, and collaborative action. ‘Changemakers of Tomorrow 2025’ is a testament to that belief—an initiative that, for over three years, has placed innovation at the heart of India’s energy transition. This platform shows how Shell, in partnership with academia, policymakers, and entrepreneurs, is accelerating progress through technology, talent, and trust. As we look ahead, we remain committed to nurturing the next generation of innovators, those who will shape a more resilient and inclusive energy future. Together, we are not just powering progress; we are building the future of energy.”
“MSMEs are the backbone of Karnataka’s industrial growth, driving inclusive and innovation-led development. Initiatives like ‘Changemakers of Tomorrow 2025’ by Shell strategically support our vision by connecting emerging entrepreneurs with global expertise and scalable platforms. Such collaborations accelerate industrial transformation while fostering equitable growth across the state. We encourage more innovators and industry leaders to join hands in building a future-ready, sustainable industrial ecosystem for Karnataka” added Gunjan Krishna, IAS, Industrial Development Commissioner and Director, Industries Department, Government of Karnataka.
Day 1 featured keynotes, panels, and masterclasses exploring how technology is driving the energy transition. The session, Tech-Driven Energy: How Technology is Powering the Transition to a Secure and Lower Carbon Future, brought together Mansi Madan Tripathy, Chairperson, Shell Group of Companies India; Arundhati Bhattacharya, President & CEO, Salesforce South Asia; N Venu, MD & CEO, India and South Asia, Hitachi Energy; and Satyakam Arya, CEO, Daimler India Commercial Vehicles.
A fireside chat between Nandan Nilekani, Co-founder and Chairman, Infosys and Robbert van Rutten EVP Information & Digital Technology & Shell CIO; offered an engaging exploration of how technology is reshaping the energy landscape, highlighting the transformative role of digital innovation in accelerating the transition to a low-carbon future.
Other highlights included: Shell E4 Demo Day: Showcasing startups driving energy transition; CSR impact innovation showcase by school & college students including Shell NXplorers; and Shell Eco-marathon: featuring EV LUNARIS, developed by team Folium Eco-drive from College of Engineering Trivandrum, at the Vehicle Showcase.
Day 2 focused on empathy in leadership, phygital partnerships, innovation in gas, and the Shell.ai Awards. A keynote by Shantanu Naidu, General Manager, Head, Strategic Initiatives, Tata Motors titled ‘The Language of Care’ explored how empathy fuels innovation. The panel Powering the Future of Digital Infrastructure & Data Centers featured Amit Ghugre, CTO Shell Lubricants India, Gaurav Parulekar, Manager, Product Offering & Marketing, Vertiv; and Adith Chandrashekar, Director, APAC Sales, Unicorn, discussing emerging technologies shaping smart data centers. The session further highlighted Shell’s advanced liquid cooling solutions – direct liquid to chip coolant and immersion fluids – engineered to tackle thermal management challenges for AI infrastructure.
Additional sessions covered open innovation, AI for energy, and the future of gas, alongside hackathons, startup showcases, and networking opportunities.
