SDG 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure

1Research and technology for industry

UPES builds the research facilities, partnerships and intellectual property that let new technology move from the lab into industry.

2,314+patents, designs and copyrights

139patents granted

₹50 crorefor an AI Centre of Excellence

₹5.15 croreDRDO project on battery storage for microgrids

The figures below cover UPES research publications on industry, innovation and infrastructure from 2021 to 2025 (source: Scopus, October 2026).

1,191industry and innovation research publications, 2021–2025

25,808citations to these papers

21.7citations per paper

696journal articles and reviews

What the research covers

Number of 2021–2025 papers on each theme (a paper can appear under more than one).

Theme	Papers
Advanced materials and manufacturing	345
Energy systems and clean technology	293
IoT, networks and cybersecurity	286
AI, machine learning and data	189
Civil, transport and infrastructure	147
Innovation, business and supply chains	140
Industry 4.0/5.0 and automation	129
Aerospace and space technology	36

Most cited work

Hydrogen: A sustainable fuel for future of the transport sector (Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 2015), cited 819 times.
A review on fundamentals, constraints and fabrication techniques of superhydrophobic coatings (Progress in Organic Coatings, 2020), cited 479 times.
Quantum computing: A taxonomy, systematic review and future directions (Software - Practice and Experience, 2022), cited 459 times.
IoT based smart parking system (2016 International Conference on Internet of Things and Applications, IOTA 2016, 2016), cited 404 times.
Exploring the effect of digital transformation on Firms’ innovation performance (Journal of Innovation and Knowledge, 2023), cited 367 times.

The full list of 1,631 publications since 2007, with links, is on the industry and innovation research publications page (also available as a spreadsheet).

Research spotlights

Defence-grade energy storage

DRDO awarded UPES, with IIT Roorkee and NIT Rourkela, a ₹5.15 crore project led by Prof Devender K. Saini to develop battery storage, a battery management system and smart inverters for solar microgrids in places like Siachen and Ladakh. It is the first such DRDO project entrusted to a private university.

R&D Newsletter Jul–Dec 2025, p. 6

Waste to methanol at pilot scale

With a ₹97.4 lakh ANRF grant, Dr Siddharth Jain's team is scaling technology that gasifies municipal waste and converts it into methanol from laboratory to pilot scale, supporting the Swachh Bharat Mission and India's National Methanol Policy.

R&D Newsletter Jul–Dec 2025, p. 7

Facilities that industry can use

Battery testing. A DST-FIST Battery Testing and Management Systems Laboratory with a 50 kW regenerative tester for lead-acid and lithium-ion packs offers research and consultancy to electric vehicle and energy-storage companies, and returns unused energy to the grid.
Molecular analysis. A ₹2 crore DST-FIST Nuclear Magnetic Resonance facility supports research in drug development, advanced materials and waste-to-wealth, and is open to chemical and pharmaceutical companies in Uttarakhand.
Automation and robotics. A BOSCH Rexroth Centre of Excellence, a flexible manufacturing system, a multi-axis SCARA robot and robotics, AI and power electronics labs, backed by MoUs with BOSCH Rexroth, Siemens, KPIT and FANUC for technology transfer, training and research.
Artificial intelligence. UPES announced ₹50 crore in 2024 for an AI Centre of Excellence in the School of Computer Science, with GPU and TPU computing for more than 50 researchers at once, and runs an AI lab with Microsoft offering Azure, IoT, AI and data science tools.

Research centres

Dedicated centres and shared laboratories bring researchers from different disciplines together, supported by a faculty that includes 46 researchers in Stanford's list of the world's top 2% of scientists.

Centre for Interdisciplinary Research and Innovation (CIDRI). Cross-disciplinary research, including drug discovery and work on Indian knowledge systems.
Centre for Alternative Energy Research (CAER). Research on clean and alternative energy, including biofuels and waste-to-energy.
Machine Intelligence Research Centre (MIRC) and the Speech and Language Research Centre (SLRC). Research in artificial intelligence and language technology.
Centre for Energy, Environment and Sustainability Studies (CEESS). Energy economics, climate policy and sustainable development.
Shared facilities. A Central Instrumentation Centre, a Waste-Paper Recycling Laboratory, a Medicinal and Aromatic Plants laboratory and a Centre for Intellectual Property Rights.

Conferences and research collaborations

IPR and innovation. With the DPIIT IPR Chair at IIT Roorkee, the School of Business hosted ICIPR-2025, the International Conference on Intellectual Property Rights and Innovation: Pathways to Viksit Bharat, on 26–27 September 2025, bringing policymakers, industry leaders, academics and innovators together on how IP can drive India's development.
Cybersecurity. The School of Computer Science hosted ICACSDF 2025, the International Conference on Advancement in Cyber Security and Digital Forensics, with academia, industry and government, covering blockchain, AI-driven threat intelligence and cloud forensics.
Space. The School of Advanced Engineering organised the 1st International Space Convention with the 4th National Space Convention (Renaissance 4.0) on 13–15 November 2025, with support from AIAA, ISRO, ASI, ISpA and SIA-India.
AI and health care. A University of Malta delegation explored joint research on AI in health care, including transcriptomics, OCR and NLP for medical records, data collaboration with Malta's Ministry of Health, and student exchanges. UPES computer scientists also presented a deep-learning model for knee osteoarthritis detection at IEEE EMBC 2025 in Copenhagen.
Visiting experts. Researchers from CentraleSupélec (Paris-Saclay) on machine learning in earthquake engineering, London South Bank University on AI medical imaging and structural design, Ben-Gurion University on technology in wildlife research, and the University of Malaya on quantum computing in precision medicine.

Working with national research bodies

DRDO. In July 2024 UPES held a joint workshop with DRDO's Defence Materials and Stores Research and Development Establishment on materials research, and a Materializing Innovations-III workshop with the Defence Institute of Bio-Energy Research identified 15 areas for collaboration, including renewable energy and sustainable aviation fuel.
Hydrogen. UPES takes part in India's Mission Innovation hydrogen research and development effort.
Public health. UPES has contributed to an ICMR-supported, multi-year study of heavy-metal pollution and health in the Gangetic plains of Bihar.
From idea to IP. The IPR Cell helps researchers file patents, designs and copyrights, while SEED funds proof-of-concept work, Anusandhan builds research capacity and SHODH supports student innovation.

Sources and further reading

2Working with industry

UPES partners with companies and hospitals to solve real problems, train engineers for modern manufacturing and give students live industry experience.

HCLTech. A December 2023 MoU to co-develop AI, machine learning, IoT and cloud solutions for oil and gas exploration and production, operational safety and lower-carbon energy, with internships and job opportunities for UPES students and researchers.
AIIMS Rishikesh. Since December 2021, joint research in microbiology, biochemistry and clinical sciences that combines UPES engineering with clinical expertise.
Bajaj Engineering Skills Training (BEST) Centre. With Bajaj Auto, UPES trains graduate and diploma engineers from across Uttarakhand and beyond in mechatronics, sensors, robotics and Industry 4.0, with scholarships for learners from economically weaker families.
Cloud and AI skills with AWS. From 26 to 30 May 2025 the School of Computer Science hosted AWS Innovate Week, the first time AWS combined Cloud Quest, track-based bootcamps, a generative AI day and AWS Jam in a single week with an academic institution. UPES also co-hosted AWS Community Day Dehradun 2025 with the AWS User Group Dehradun.
Uttarakhand's first Salesforce Talent Hub. Launched at Salesforce Day @ UPES with support from Wipro, TCS and IBM, the hub trains students in AI, data, cloud and automation on the Salesforce platform.
India's first JustTech Innovation Hub. The School of Law and Jupitice Justice Technology launched a hub for justice technology, alternative and online dispute resolution, with research, internships, training and tech-enabled justice services.
Immersive learning. With the INSEAD XR Lab, the School of Business piloted extended-reality business simulations, including Mission to Mars and the Avocado Shake case.
Industry dialogue. The first DrishtiKone, an industry–academia day, brought leaders from Microsoft, Airbus, Honeywell, Deloitte, PepsiCo, ONGC, TE Connectivity, Quick Heal and others to discuss future skills and India's innovation journey. Masterclasses by a former ONGC Chief General Manager on procurement in exploration and production, and by HPCL on petroleum retailing, bring the energy industry into the classroom.
Live projects. Through Industry Connect, companies help shape curricula and set the real business and technology problems that students work on.

A poster for the Bajaj Engineering Skills Training centre at UPES — The Bajaj Engineering Skills Training (BEST) Centre on the Bidholi campus.

Sources and further reading

3Innovation and start-ups

UPES gives students, alumni, school pupils and local innovators the support to turn ideas into ventures.

250+start-ups incubated by Runway since 2021

₹20 crore+raised by Runway start-ups

1,200+participants at UHackathon 4.0

25+institutes at Udbhav 2025 state hackathon

Runway Incubator. Mentoring, seed funding and networks for early-stage ventures, with a DST NIDHI inclusive technology incubator and funding for start-ups from DST, MeitY, NITI Aayog's Atal Innovation Mission and CSR partners.
The Pitch. An investor showcase where early-stage ventures in renewable energy, health, education and AI compete for funding and mentoring.
UHackathon. The School of Computer Science's 24-hour hackathon drew more than 1,200 participants in 350 teams from India and abroad in 2023, working on industry problem statements; KPMG India offered jobs and a University of Konstanz team won the international prize.
Udbhav 2025. UPES hosted Level II of the Uttarakhand AI Mission's state hackathon, with innovators from more than 25 institutes presenting solutions in AI, IoT, blockchain, robotics and digital governance.
Pre-incubation grants. After mentoring, prototyping, company incorporation and pitch training, 30 start-ups in Runway's fourth pre-incubation cohort pitched for their first grant, and six received microgrants.
Young Founder Summit 2025. Runway hosted school students from Chandigarh, Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh for three days of start-up workshops, elevator pitches, a marketing masterclass and a visit to UCOST.
Alumni building industry. Aerospace engineering alumnus Prashanth Sharma (2017–21) was named in Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia 2025 in the Industry, Manufacturing and Energy category for his work on India's space ecosystem.
Future Founders Challenge. A national competition for students in Classes 9 to 12, with mentoring, workshops and prizes.
Grassroots innovation. An Atal Community Innovation Centre with NITI Aayog's Atal Innovation Mission is being set up to bring prototyping and mentoring to communities, and Project Vikalp's Rural Women Technology Park helps village women make and market recycled-paper, ICT-designed and herbal products.

Dignitaries and winners pose on stage at the Udbhav 2025 ceremony — Udbhav 2025, the Uttarakhand AI Mission state hackathon hosted by UPES.

Poster for the workshop Fostering Innovation and Growth in MSMEs and Startups through IPR — A September 2025 workshop on intellectual property for MSMEs and start-ups.

Sources and further reading

4Sustainable and digital infrastructure

UPES's own campus is a working testbed for clean energy, water recycling and digital learning.

Clean energy. A 100 kW solar plant has met about 8% of campus electricity demand and doubles as a teaching facility, alongside 61,500 litres of solar water heating, LED lighting and electrical systems designed to keep a unity power factor.
Water recycling. Sewage treatment plants totalling 650 KLD (350 KLD at Bidholi and 300 KLD at Kandoli) recycle wastewater; they supplied more than 250 kilolitres of treated water a day for horticulture in 2021–22, and a pilot Integrated Wastewater Reclamation Plant uses microalgae to treat wastewater and produce bio-oil, biogas and bio-manure.
Digital learning. UPES ON, inaugurated in 2023 by Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, brought learning management systems, virtual classrooms and AI-enabled learning. UPES was also an early adopter of DigiLocker for student certificates.

Sources and further reading

5Capacity for the region and the nation

UPES shares its expertise beyond campus through professional education and partnerships on emerging fields.

ESG skills for industry. The RISE Centre, launched with Aspire Impact in September 2024, ran the ESG, Sustainability and Impact Specialist Programme with Mahindra University: 32 hours, 20 thematic sessions and more than 50 real-world case studies for mid- and senior-level professionals in corporate ESG, banking, CSR and policy.
Defence and energy research. Collaborations with DRDO laboratories link UPES researchers with national work on advanced materials, energy storage and sustainable aviation fuel.
Digital education for India. UPES ON and new programmes in AI, digital business and renewable energy respond to national digital and skills priorities.

Sources and further reading

Events and activities

139 events from UPES schools, departments and student groups support this goal. Most link to the original LinkedIn post.

Certificate of participation for WAAI'25

School of Advanced Engineering · 15 September 2025

WAAI'25: Workshop on Advances in Automotive Industry

Emerging automotive technologies with hands-on sessions at GarageX, run by the Mechanical Cluster and SAE India UPES Collegiate Club.

SDG 4SDG 9

School of Advanced Engineering

Alumnus in Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia 2025

Aerospace engineering alumnus Prashanth Sharma recognised in the Industry, Manufacturing and Energy category for advancing the space ecosystem.

SDG 8SDG 9

School of Advanced Engineering · 23rd August 2023

#National #Space #Day #2025 at UPES School of Advanced Engineering (SoAE) !

On 23rd August 2023, #India etched history with Chandrayaan-3’s landing on the Moon’s south pole, becoming the first nation to achieve this feat. Since then, this day…

SDG 9SDG 17

Source	Type	Used in
UPES R&D Newsletter, July–December 2025	PDF	1. Research and technology for industry
Mission Innovation: hydrogen R&D in India	PDF	1. Research and technology for industry
UPES research facilities, institutes and centres	Website	1. Research and technology for industry
UPES research infrastructure	Website	1. Research and technology for industry
UPES Research	Website	1. Research and technology for industry
UPES research projects	Website	1. Research and technology for industry
UPES and SDG 9	Website	1. Research and technology for industry 4. Sustainable and digital infrastructure
HCLTech and UPES collaborate on oil and gas solutions	Press release	2. Working with industry
UPES ties up with AIIMS, DEI and Taipei Medical University	Website	2. Working with industry
UPES BEST Centre	Website	2. Working with industry
UPES Industry Connect	Website	2. Working with industry
UPES Start-Up University	Website	3. Innovation and start-ups
UPES fuels start-up dreams at The Pitch	News article	3. Innovation and start-ups
UPES announces winners of UHackathon 4.0	News article	3. Innovation and start-ups
Future Founders Challenge 2025	News article	3. Innovation and start-ups
Project Vikalp	Website	3. Innovation and start-ups
How UPES is contributing to the SDGs	Website	4. Sustainable and digital infrastructure
UPES ON inaugurated	News article	4. Sustainable and digital infrastructure
The RISE Centre at UPES launches sustainability programme	News article	5. Capacity for the region and the nation
UPES executive education on ESG, sustainability and impact	News article	5. Capacity for the region and the nation
RISE Centre at UPES	Website	5. Capacity for the region and the nation
UPES industry and innovation research publications: full list	Publication list	1. Research and technology for industry

1Research and technology for industry

What the research covers

Most cited work

Research spotlights

Defence-grade energy storage

Waste to methanol at pilot scale

Facilities that industry can use

Research centres

Conferences and research collaborations

Working with national research bodies

2Working with industry

3Innovation and start-ups

4Sustainable and digital infrastructure

5Capacity for the region and the nation

Events and activities

WAAI'25: Workshop on Advances in Automotive Industry

Alumnus in Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia 2025

#National #Space #Day #2025 at UPES School of Advanced Engineering (SoAE) !

From Classrooms to Careers: Real-World Industry Insights for Our Future Engineers

Welcome to the World of Innovation, Exploration and Possibilities!

ICMS 2025 concluded on a high note, bringing together brilliant minds, bold ideas and impactful research.

Sustainability Fair 3.0 at UPES School of Advanced Engineering was a celebration of ideas, innovation, and…

Advancing Teaching Excellence: Faculty Development at UPES

Welcoming New Distinguished Professors at HILL, UPES

Big ideas. Bold solutions. One platform.

National Workshop on Data Science in Astronomy | UPES

Advancing Biomaterials Through Global Research Collaboration

From Fundamentals to Frontiers in Material Engineering

Advancing Industry-Ready VLSI Expertise through Hands-on Learning at UPES

UPES Doctoral Scholar Engages in Global Dialogue on Nanomaterials Research in Paris

Renaissance 4.0 Concludes with Transformative Dialogues Shaping the Future of Space Innovation

Energy Summit 2025 – A Convergence of Ideas, Innovation & Impact

Bridging Research and Innovation | Energy Summit 2025

ICICCD 2025: A Global Confluence of Innovation, Intelligence, and Sustainability at UPES

Aerospace Students Visit Hyderabad’s Premier Defence & Aviation Facilities

Driving the Energy Transition: UPES at the 16th World Petrocoal Congress

Advancing Global Academic Collaborations at UPES

The Bajaj Engineering Skills Training (BEST) Centre at UPES was inaugurated by the Hon’ble Governor of…

Masterclass: climate risk profiling

Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers and Maritime SkillsPlus delegation

CXO Insights: digital transformation

Ideas are powerful — but only when protected.

Fueling the Future: Insights on Challenges in Petro Retailing

Procurement Excellence in Action: Lessons from ONGC’s Supply Chain

Final Call for Papers! Last chance to showcase your research!

Research Excellence at UPES!

Celebrating Culture Through the Words of Our Student-Author

Paving the Way to Viksit Bharat: A Global Dialogue on IPR and Innovation

UPES School of Business Researchers Publish in Prestigious ABDC A-Star Journal Energy Economics !

What if your MBA classroom could put you on Mars—or in the middle of a global supply chain crisis?

A Celebration of Insight, Innovation, and Impact

Exploring the Future of Trade, Energy, and Maritime Technology!

Expert Lecture by Mr. Piyush Tiwari

International Conference on Intellectual Property Rights and Innovation Pathways to Vikshit Bharat

CXO Masterclass Series: Leaders shaping the future talent!

Knowledge Session on Challenges in Petro Retailing

Procurement Excellence in Action: Lessons from ONGC’s Supply Chain

UPES School of Business Showcases Research Excellence at IMRC 2025

Unveiling Market Truths: A #Masterclass that Transformed How Our Students Decode Data

The #global energy landscape is transforming faster than ever!

Preparing Business Leaders for an AI-First Global Economy

UPES School of Business Showcases Research Excellence at IMRC 2025

Fuelling the Future: Reflections from FIPI Naftanomics 2025.

In a world propelled by data, transforming it into a compelling narrative is a true superpower.

In continuation of the School of Business Emerging Technology webinar series, we bring you yet another…

Exhilarated to share highlights from Aarambh, the orientation ceremony of Buzz-The communication society !

UPES at IEEE EMBC 2025, Copenhagen

AICWiC'25: ACM India Celebration of Women in Computing

Code Connect

A recent visit of the delegates from the University of Malta at UPES has opened promising avenues to…

Ready to step into the future of tech?

At UPES, we believe in learning from global pioneers!

We are proud to share that Dr. Dr. Rakesh Ranjan, Assistant Professor, AI Cluster, School of Computer…

Welcome to the Beginning of a Thrilling Journey, SoCS UG Batch of 2025!

Wrapping Up a Journey of Discovery | Summer School 2025

Welcoming the Future of Tech at SoCS | PG Induction 2025

Announcing Our Next Inspiring Line-up of Speakers at the Science Academies’ Summer School on Dynamical…

Meet Our Esteemed Speakers at the Science Academies’ Summer School on Dynamical Systems and Complexity 2025

AWS Innovate Week 2025 at UPES | A Trailblazing Milestone for Future-Ready Talent

UPES recently hosted Salesforce Day @ UPES, bringing together talent, purpose, and partners to explore the…