A strategic partnership for R&D collaboration in sustainability and other core areas has been announced between IIT Kanpur and Lohum Cleantech, one of India's largest producers of sustainable energy transition materials. Under the partnership, Professor Kanwar Singh Nalwa from the Department of Sustainable Energy Engineering at IIT Kanpur, will lead the team to work together with Lohum on projects focused on advancing Lithium-ion battery testing technology and techniques for battery raw material quality evaluation.

The projects, under the partnership, will help develop technologies important for ensuring the safety and longevity of batteries. Lohum will also help IITK commercialize its research outcomes in other areas.

In addition to the research collaboration, Lohum will provide fellowship to select Ph.D. students from IIT Kanpur to aid them in their research. It will also support the IITK Motorsports team, which won the Class I electric category of Formula Bharat 2023.

Lohum Cleantech's Founder & CEO, Rajat Verma, is an alumnus of IIT Kanpur. He visited his alma mater recently to meet IIT Kanpur’s Deputy Director Prof. S. Ganesh, Dean, R&D, Prof. A.R. Harish; and Dean, Resources & Alumni, Prof. Kantesh Balani. They discussed collaboration avenues and future steps that can be mutually beneficial.

Prof. Abhay Karandikar, Director, IIT Kanpur says, “The partnership with Lohum Cleantech is expected to help us advance the sustainability of Lithium-ion batteries through collective research and development initiatives. This adds up to IIT Kanpur’s relentless efforts in creating an R&D ecosystem aligned more towards a sustainable future. The partnership also bears testimony to a flourishing academia-industry partnership in attaining shared goals.”

"We are delighted to announce our collaboration with IIT Kanpur, which is one of the leading institutions in the country in the field of engineering and technology. The collaboration will help us develop innovative and sustainable solutions for the battery industry, which is critical to the growth of EVs in the country," says Rajat Verma, CEO of Lohum Cleantech.

Professor Kanwar Singh Nalwa from the Department of Sustainable Energy Engineering, IIT Kanpur says, “The collaboration between Lohum Cleantech and IIT Kanpur is a significant step towards promoting sustainable energy and circular economy in India. It also strengthens the eco-system of industry-academia partnerships that the Government of India has been trying to foster.”

Both the entities are looking to achieve shared goals of reducing the carbon footprint of EV batteries, and accelerating the energy transition currently underway in India, through the partnership. The scope of the engagement is expected to grow further with time as both Lohum and IITK will explore possibilities to collaborate on other big projects, including government projects.