Cautiously optimistic amid global headwinds: HCL Chair Roshni Nadar

The HCL group remains cautiously optimistic in the face of ongoing global uncertainties due to changes in tariff structures by various countries, including the US, the company’s chairperson Roshni Nadar Malhotra said.

 

“We work for customers across industries which could be impacted by that (tariffs), especially in the largest market, that is the US. It is not us directly. They also realised that the only way they (industries) can counter these tariff pressures and the increase in inflation or costs is by optimisation where technology can help,” Malhotra said. She was speaking at the launch of ₹25 crore HCL Climaforce Fund. 

 

The fund will invest in the pilot stage of 20 for-profit companies and ideas working in the areas of cooling, buildings, and freight which are market-ready and have achieved technology readiness level seven. The fund has been launched in partnership with the India Climate Collaborative (ICC), the company said. 

Apart from supporting market-ready ideas, the climate fund will also look to foster collaboration between the smaller companies working on these ideas and the larger industries which are seeking solutions in cooling, construction, and freight mobility solutions.  

The fund will be operational for five years. 

“We will back over 20 high-potential solutions that are ready for the real world, providing them with partial funding for pilot deployments, helping them access the networks, expertise, and validation where they need to grow,” Malhotra said. 

The fund, which will cover up to a maximum of 30 per cent of the total cost of the pilot projects, will also support projects in fundraising, market access, and expanding their technology even after the five-year duration of the programme ends, HCL group said in a press note. 

While projects working in the cooling and building segments will be eligible to apply for funding starting April 30, projects working in the freight mobility segment can apply for the fund starting 2027, Nadar said. 

Innovation push 

Focus areas: Fund targets cooling, buildings & freight solutions with tech readiness level 7

Support scope: Will partially fund pilot-stage projects and assist with market access, fundraising and scaling

Deployment plan: 20+ for-profit, market-ready companies to be supported over 5 years

Aim: Fund aims to link smaller innovators with large industries needing sustainable solutions