MiniMines Cleantech Wins First Prize at Avinya'26 Startup India Challenge at IEW

PNN
New Delhi [India], February 12: MiniMines Cleantech Solutions, a Bengaluru-based cleantech startup focused on lithium-ion battery recycling and critical mineral recovery, has been awarded First Prize at the Avinya'26 Startup India Challenge during India Energy Week (IEW) 2026, held in Goa from 27th to 30th January 2026.
The award was presented by the Hon'ble Union Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas, Shri Hardeep Singh Puri, along with Dr. Neeraj Mittal, Secretary, Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, recognising MiniMines' innovative contribution to sustainable energy and circular economy solutions.

MiniMines proprietary Hybrid Hydrometallurgy (HHMTM) method recovers critical materials such as Lithium, Cobalt, Nickel, and Copper from all types of Li-ion batteries regardless of their chemistry or form factor at 1/10th carbon footprint with more than 96% recovery rate & around 99% purity. By doing so, the company reduces the environmental impact from unsafe disposal of EOL LIBs and creates a circular economy that preserves critical resources. MiniMines is committed to providing a safe, sustainable, and cost-effective solution for the management of end-of-life LIBs with minimal liquid, solid, or gaseous discharge.
The company is also expanding its technology platform to enable recovery of rare earth elements (REEs) and critical minerals from permanent magnets, solar panels, catalytic converters and other secondary waste streams, addressing one of India's most pressing strategic vulnerabilities.
Commenting on the recognition, Mr. Anupam Kumar founder of MiniMines Cleantech Solutions, said, "Winning first prize at India Energy Week validates our technology-driven mission to secure critical and rare earth mineral supply chains through safe, scalable, and high-efficiency recovery and refining tech stack platforms. Our process enables production of energy metals essential for defence, aerospace, green hydrogen, and advanced energy storage, positioning MiniMines as a foundational infrastructure player in India's critical minerals ecosystem and unlocking downstream manufacturing and long-term value creation."
Founded with the vision to deliver safe, sustainable, and cost-effective recycling solutions, MiniMines is a CPCB-authorised lithium-ion battery recycler and the first recycler in Southern India to receive the R4 license. With an existing operational capacity of 3000 MTPA & expanding to 15,000MTPA of extraction and refining.
The company's technology and processes have been supported and validated by leading institutions, including Oil India Limited, NITI Aayog, and UNIDO, among others, positioning MiniMines as a key player in India's clean energy and resource security landscape.
By unlocking critical and rare earth materials from domestic secondary resources, MiniMines is targeting to reduce India's dependence on imports, strengthening supply-chain resilience for electric mobility, renewable energy, defence, and advanced manufacturing sectors. This approach directly supports India's national priorities on critical mineral self-reliance, circular economy development, and energy transition security and initiatives like NCMM, while significantly lowering the environmental footprint associated with conventional mining.
About MiniMines
MiniMines Cleantech Solutions is an integrated resource recovery and refining company building next-generation infrastructure for India's critical mineral ecosystem. With a focus on scalable process engineering and domestic value addition, MiniMines is developing a cleantech platform that supports India's transition toward secure, self-reliant energy and manufacturing supply chains. Through continuous R&D, institutional partnerships, and responsible industrial practices, the company aims to redefine how critical and rare earth materials are sourced while shifting the paradigm from extractive dependence to circular resource leadership.
Visit for more information https://m-mines.com
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