Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL), a Fortune Global 500 company and 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. Notably, this prestigious global list features BPCL as the only Indian organisation, celebrating corporates that champion innovation and startup collaboration.
Honoured at ICC Headquarters in Paris
The Corporate Startup Stars Awards 2025 ceremony announced the recognition. ICC hosted the event at its headquarters in Paris. The awards recognised 100 top companies from the Forbes Global 2000 and Fortune Global 500. These companies were honoured for their strong commitment to open innovation, startup engagement, and ecosystem development.
BPCL’s Commitment to Open Innovation
Sanjay Khanna, Chairman and Managing Director of BPCL, expressed, “We are honoured to be recognised among the 2025 Top 100 Corporate Startup Stars. This global accolade reflects BPCL’s commitment to building an open innovation ecosystem that fosters entrepreneurship. Through our startup initiative ‘Ankur’, we are catalysing breakthrough solutions that make energy cleaner, smarter, and more sustainable.”
As BPCL celebrates its 50th year, the company continues to strengthen its vision of becoming an integrated energy provider of the future. The CMD reiterated that collaborations with startups will play a vital role in advancing technologies that support India’s energy transition.
Accelerating Startup Growth Through Project Ankur
Launched in 2016, BPCL’s innovation platform ‘Ankur’ has supported 30 startups. These startups develop solutions in Robotics, Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Industrial IoT, Inspection Technologies, Predictive Maintenance, Safety Technologies, and other emerging fields. To further strengthen these efforts, BPCL introduced the BPCL Ankur Fund. The fund invests in promising early-stage startups aligned with the company’s long-term strategy and technology roadmap.
Voices from the Global Innovation Community
John W H Denton AO, Secretary General of ICC, said, “Innovation remains the cornerstone of global economic growth. ICC is proud to support businesses that create meaningful impact by bringing startups and corporations together to shape the future of global commerce.”
Alberto Onetti, Chairman of Mind the Bridge, added, “BPCL is a strong example of how a large corporation can drive innovation by partnering with and investing in startups. Project Ankur has created a platform that accelerates the adoption of new technologies while supporting early-stage entrepreneurs in India’s evolving energy sector.”
A Leading Integrated Energy Company
BPCL is a Fortune Global 500 entity and India’s second-largest Oil Marketing Company. BPCL also plays a major role in the integrated energy sector, operating across upstream and downstream oil and gas activities. The company’s refineries in Mumbai, Kochi, and Bina have a combined capacity of 35.3 MMTPA. The global recognition reinforces BPCL’s leadership in driving innovation and supporting startups. It also highlights the company’s role in building technologies that will shape the future of clean energy and sustainable mobility.
