oorja Energy Pvt Ltd, a startup based in Bengaluru, specialises in developing software for designing, testing, and monitoring batteries post-deployment
Founded in 2022 by Vineet Dravid, Prajakta Sabnis, and Prashant Srivastava, oorja Energy merges physics and data with machine learning, simplifying the entire process of designing and testing batteries. Vineet explains that ‘oorja’ means energy in Hindi, making it a fitting name as their software tool aids companies in designing better batteries.
The startup asserts its pioneering role in developing this technology. It provides a cloud-based approach, ensuring easy access to its tools for users. This is particularly important for addressing computationally intensive tasks, like simulating real-world scenarios for vehicles or stationary batteries, without needing costly hardware. According to them, this innovative method saves time and money, differentiating it in the industry, as no other entity is currently providing hybrid (physics+ML) simulation technology.
Vineet further explains that oorja’s focus is on four key aspects of battery pack design: safety, durability, performance, and cost. “Our goal is to support OEMs in creating battery packs that are safe, long-lasting, and cost-effective, ensuring they perform reliably even in challenging environments. We assist OEMs in avoiding problems such as rapid battery degradation due to improper charging practices, which is particularly important as warranties for EVs are becoming more extensive, with some countries offering warranties of up to 12 years,” he explains.
The startup targets original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) in the automotive sector, including car and truck manufacturers and companies in the drone, energy storage, two-wheeler, and three-wheeler industries. They also target any sector that uses batteries. They assert that their process significantly speeds up design, reducing the typical 12-month timeframe by 60%.
The startup claims to strictly adhere to GDPR data security standards, ensuring it never accesses or uses its clients’ data. They provide clients an interface to use their data for training and predictions without touching it. Their algorithms are designed to work effectively with limited data, leveraging insights from physics to address challenges in acquiring large datasets, particularly in engineering scenarios.
Vineet highlights the significance of selecting the appropriate battery pack components for electric vehicles. “Dedicating sufficient time and effort to select the best cells that meet requirements is essential. Factors like spacing between cells, cooling strategies, and safety materials are vital considerations. The battery management system (BMS) ensures safety, durability, and performance. While cost-cutting may seem tempting, investing in a good BMS can maximise battery value and overall EV performance.”
The startup has partnered with the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) for its I-STEM program. They conduct workshops during IISc events, which are organised in different zones. These workshops provide insights into battery operations, helping students understand batteries better and discuss best practices for working with electric vehicles (EVs). The workshops are attended by MTech and BTech students.
With the manpower of 18 individuals, they conduct numerous simulation scenarios daily for clients and testing purposes. The startup generates revenue from users in India, Europe, East Asia, and the US.
Approximately 50% of users are from India, around 30% from Europe and the remainder from other parts of the world. oorja has experienced strong revenue growth, with a year-on-year increase of about 90%. They anticipate exceeding 200% growth this year.
oorja is seeking partners to help them reach customers in Southeast Asia, China, and the US. Vineet shared that several exciting announcements related to their optimisation products will be made in the next one to two months.
