Artificial intelligence (AI), energy efficiency and collaboration between industry and academia are emerging as important drivers of industrial decarbonisation, according to discussions at the Industry Net Zero Innovation Summit 2026: AI Edition, held during Bangalore Climate Data Week in Bengaluru on October 14, 2026.
Organised by Climate Collective Foundation through its Climate Challenges initiative, the summit brought together industry leaders, technology experts and climate-tech startups to explore how AI can improve industrial operations, reduce emissions and support net-zero targets. Discussions also highlighted the importance of skilled talent, enabling infrastructure and deployment-ready technologies in translating research into measurable industrial outcomes.
During a fireside chat on building industry–academia partnerships for industrial decarbonisation, Ankur Gandotra, Head of Industry-Academia Partnerships at the Indian Foundation for Quality Management (IFQM), discussed the need to bridge the gap between academic research and industrial requirements. The session was moderated by Dr Sameer Guduru, Senior Director, Strategic Technologies & States Engagement at the U.S.-India Business Council (USIBC).
AI Applications in Industrial Energy Efficiency
A key session examined the opportunities and limitations of AI in accelerating industrial decarbonisation. Participants discussed its potential to improve operational efficiency, support emissions reductions across Scope 1 and Scope 2, and accelerate materials discovery. The debate also addressed concerns about incremental efficiency gains, potential rebound effects and the need to ensure that digital investments complement physical decarbonisation measures in emissions-intensive sectors such as cement and steel.
The panel included Alexander Hogeveen Rutter, Electricity Sector Lead and Manager of Research & Diligence at Third Derivative; Dr Rahul Walawalkar, Founder and President of the Net-Zero Energy Transition Association (NETRA); Vijay Balakrishnan, Executive Vice President and Chief Digital & Information Officer at Godrej & Boyce; Avnish Kumar, Founder and CEO of LivNSense; and Swetha Ramdas, Climate and Sustainability Strategy Leader and former APAC & AMET Sustainability Leader at Amazon. The discussion was moderated by Nalin Agarwal, Co-founder of Climate Collective Foundation.
For the energy sector, AI-enabled optimisation and data-driven operational tools could support more efficient electricity use and help industrial facilities manage energy consumption. However, the summit discussions emphasised that the benefits of AI will depend on reliable data, suitable infrastructure and the successful deployment of technologies in real-world industrial settings.
Climate-Tech Startups and Digital Solutions
The summit also featured startup showcases by Resilience AI and LivNSense, highlighting technology solutions relevant to industrial decarbonisation. Roundtable discussions explored high-priority research areas for industry and the use of digital twins to simulate industrial systems, assess performance and inform operational decisions.
International collaboration was another focus, with participants discussing how partnerships across regions can help develop climate solutions suited to local industrial and market conditions. Speakers highlighted the importance of combining research, industry expertise and technology deployment to advance the energy transition.
The discussions reinforced that AI can contribute to industrial decarbonisation, but scaling its impact will require collaboration between academia and industry, workforce development, access to capital and infrastructure, and a clear pathway from technology validation to commercial deployment.
For battery and energy storage stakeholders, these developments are relevant to the broader energy transition, particularly where digital optimisation and industrial energy management intersect with electricity demand and clean energy integration. However, the summit did not announce a specific battery storage project or new battery technology.
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