Who we are

We are backed by UK and India governments to find and fast track international Net Zero solutions.

Led by Energy Systems Catapult and the Indian Institute of Science, ITES forms part of a landmark Memorandum of Understanding between the UK and India to deepen collaboration on science and innovation.

Funded by Innovate UK and the UK’s Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, ITES works across UK-India industry, academia and government to turn homegrown innovations into world-first solutions to cleaner cities, seas, roads and railways.

Our lead partners and global experts

Energy Systems Catapult is an independent research and technology organisation. Its mission is to accelerate Net Zero energy innovation. Launched by Innovate UK, the Catapult covers a range of technical, engineering, consumer, commercial, incubation, digital, and policy expertise. It supports innovative companies to develop and scale new products and services, drawing on sector-leading test facilities, modelling tools, and research projects.

The Indian Institute of Science (IISc) was founded in 1909 by Jamsetji Tata, a prominent industrialist and philanthropist, and has since established itself as a leading centre for research in a variety of fields, including engineering, physics, chemistry, mathematics, and biology. IISc recently supported India’s 2023 leadership of G20 in its role as the Secretariat of Science 20 working group.

Our funders

Part of the UK-India Net Zero Virtual Innovation Centre

The UK-India Net Zero Innovation Virtual Centre is a landmark coalition unlocking UK-India partnerships, innovation programmes and Net Zero action. It is a joint initiative between India’s Department for Science and Technology (DST) and the UK’s Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT), fostering new ‘superpower’ partnerships across sectors, with initial focus on hydrogen solutions, decarbonising manufacturing, and – through ITES – shaping the future of Net Zero transport systems. ITES is backed by the UK government as part of the UK-India Net Zero Innovation Virtual Centre.

Our principles

Cost effective Net Zero

By combining rich talent and resources, ITES makes it quicker and less costly for the UK and India to develop world-first pilot projects and Net Zero solutions.

Collaborative Net Zero

ITES works with public, private and third sector partners to ensure its activities are market-led and solve practical, high impact problems.

Citizen-focused Net Zero

From our award-winning clean air initiatives, to supporting states, startups and communities to flourish… ITES helps turn tech into people-focused solutions, and economic and society benefits.

Our delivery partners

Urban Morph is an Urban Sustainability consulting company. It applies systems approach to solve complex problems across energy, mobility and circularity.

Our history

Innovating for Clean Air (IfCA)

ITES traces its beginnings back to the award-winning Innovating for Clean Air (IfCA) initiative – a three-year collaboration (2019-21) between the UK and India to support EV infrastructure innovation.

Funded by UK Research and Innovation and led by Energy Systems Catapult, it demonstrated innovations across real-world test beds with UK and Indian partners in Bengaluru, and global corporate stakeholders. Championed by industry and academia for its approaches and outputs, IfCA created new business ecosystems, fostered citzen awareness and consumer acceptance of EV solutions, and demonstrated the potential of shared innovation and learning between the two nations.

Learn more

2023

2022

2021

2020

2019

Milestones

2023

Landmark MoU signed by UK and India Science Ministers to deepen UK-India collaboration on science and innovation. ITES becomes among the first initiatives to launch as part of the UK-India Net Zero Innovation Virtual Centre. Industry and government join ITES events across India.The programme maps 200 challenges, 1000+ UK and Indian organisations, onboards 19 high-potential UK innovators, and scopes four major pilot projects. UK Science Minster George Freeman MP visits ITES as part of G20 activities; ITES presents to global leaders at COP 28.

2022

Phase 2 of IfCA programme delivers projects including expanding the deployment of innovative solutions in Karnataka; an EV dashboard; a clean air innovation hackathon; and modelling EV charging infrastructure. Inspired by IfCA success, the Innovating for Transport and Energy Systems programme begins.

2021

Completion of IfCA Phase 1. IfCA wins two sustainability research awards from the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs and the Urban Mobility India Conference. Second phase of the IfCA programme begins.

2020

Delivery of pioneering projects on air pollution exposure, air quality opportunity analysis, EV innovation & integration, and air quality and EV testbeds under the first phase of the IfCA programme. A three-month testbed ‘Clean Air Street’ sees a city centre pedestrianised to develop and showcase tech innovations while gathering user feedback. Sector-leading impact analysis on the wider community and businesses on the street is delivered.

2019

Launch of phase 1 of IfCA programme in May 2019 in Bengaluru. The cross-Catapult collaboration promotes innovation, best practice and technology exchange to develop local business ecosystems and platforms for ongoing cooperation between UK-India innovators, researchers, government and industry.