Swiss Startups Search for Indian Partners for Clean Tech

Startups in Switzerland are looking for partners in India for cleantech collaboration. The move by the company is due to the huge market in Switzerland and the government’s push for clean energy.

Swissnex India (a Swiss government promoted organization) has facilitated many startups till now by marketing validation. By collaborating with the partners, the startups can cut down technology costs since the Indian market will provide scale and in return, turn their technology more inexpensive for their own market.

Many companies from Switzerland have created solutions which could help the Indian solar industries. The solutions can be used to provide off-grid power supply to rural areas, and even support the country's aspirations for electric vehicles.

As per Philippe Muller, head of cleantech initiatives, Swiss Federal Office of Energy, big Swiss players such as Novartis and Nestle have a business interest in India, but cleantech is different. The government createsa lot of tech which is very costly and cannot produce those products in their own country.  Indian market is big and price sensitive.  If the company manages to transfer technologies with Indian companies, then Switzerland can afford to take back the products to its own market as well.

“In India, final decisions are made based onthe price. We know the local prices for rooftop solar and try to price our offerings as close to it as possible,” quoted Jay Patel, the India partner of JV.