In an exclusive interaction with MediaBrief, Vinay Thadani, Chief Executive Officer and Executive Director, GREW Solar, speaks about the strategic rationale behind the company’s IPL partnerships, the timing of this investment as GREW moves toward becoming a listed entity, and what the brand’s activation strategy looks like beyond logo placement.
GREW Solar has partnered with Mumbai Indians and Gujarat Titans as the Official Solar Energy Partner for IPL 2026. Building on its successful Women’s T20 association with current champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru, this dual partnership marks a major scale-up in the company’s strategy to drive clean energy adoption through cricket’s global reach.
Explaining why Mumbai Indians and Gujarat Titans were the right fit for GREW Solar for this IPL season, CEO and Executive Director Vinay Thadani says, “Gujarat is India’s solar capital—it is our home. The Narendra Modi Stadium—the world’s largest cricket stadium—sits in the same city where GREW Solar was built. Gujarat contributes over 50% of India’s rooftop solar capacity growth, making it central to the country’s renewable expansion.”
He continues, “Partnering with Gujarat Titans as Lead Headgear Partner is a statement of shared identity: a state that leads in solar and a team that embodies that same pioneering spirit. Both GREW Solar and Gujarat Titans were born in 2022—and both have moved fast. Our association with Gujarat Titans reflects both geographic alignment and a shared ethos of rapid, disciplined growth.”
Speaking about Mumbai Indians, he says, “They bring something different: global brand equity, national scale, and a diverse, global fanbase aligned with GREW Solar’s ambition to be a world-class manufacturer. Together, the two franchises give us the opportunity to operate at both depth and scale in the western India corridor we are focused on, as well as in the national conversation we need to be part of.”
Thadani adds, “As India builds a self-reliant solar ecosystem, brand credibility becomes as important as manufacturing capability—and our partnerships are aligned with national priorities of energy security, sustainability, and domestic value creation.”
Why Mumbai Indians and Gujarat Titans?
Explaining what made this the right stage for GREW Solar to invest, Thadani says, “The timing is deliberate. This reflects a clear shift from capacity creation to brand institutionalisation. GREW Solar is at an inflection point—operationally, financially, and structurally. We have our investors’ confidence. We have proven technology in TOPCon modules. With our proposed merger scheme with Shanti Educational Initiatives, we are taking a significant step toward becoming a listed entity. As we transition toward becoming a listed entity, visibility must translate into credibility and long-term investor confidence.”
He continues, “India’s renewable energy targets require rapid scaling of domestic manufacturing, and GREW Solar is positioned to play a critical role in that transition. We have already seen proof of concept. Our partnership with Royal Challengers Bengaluru during the Women’s T20 Premier League demonstrated that cricket is a highly effective platform for GREW Solar’s message. The ongoing Men’s T20 Premier League represents the next, bigger chapter of this strategy. This is not an investment driven by sentiment; it is a deliberate step aligned with the scale we are preparing to operate at. This phase is about scaling that success.”
Defining the core objective: Awareness, acquisition, or expansion
Laying out the specific business objective this IPL partnership tackles—awareness, acquisition, or market expansion—Thadani says, “This partnership addresses all three objectives, as it reflects GREW Solar scaling in sync with India’s clean energy transition. India is targeting 500 GW of non-fossil fuel capacity, and solar will be the largest contributor. Brand trust at scale is therefore not optional—it is foundational. In under three years, we have built 11 GW of manufacturing capacity and secured a 2 GW PLI allocation across the full solar value chain, establishing a strong operational foundation and attracting marquee investors.”
He adds, “Our ambition goes beyond building manufacturing capacity. We are enabling solar to become mainstream across homes, businesses, and entire ecosystems. The T20 Cricket Premier League is not just a visibility exercise—it opens the door to conversations at scale: with channel partners, rooftop installers, and homeowners who are making energy decisions every day. Cricket reaches every Indian. Increasingly, so should solar energy. Cricket gives us a unique platform to shift perception, making solar the default energy choice.”
Activation strategy beyond logo placement
Detailing the brand’s activation strategy beyond just logo placement, Thadani says, “Our activation strategy is built to convert visibility into measurable business outcomes across B2B and B2C segments. Logo placement is the foundation, not the strategy. As Lead Headgear Partner with Gujarat Titans, our brand travels on every helmet, every cap, every boundary—across stadium LED boards and broadcast integrations on TV and digital. Through Mumbai Indians, we access one of cricket’s most expansive fanbases across urban and semi-urban India.”
“Beyond that,” he wraps up by saying, “we are running co-branded digital campaigns that connect cricket’s performance narrative with the efficiency story of our TOPCon modules. We are using the T20 window to deepen engagement with our core market segments, such as utilities as well as commercial and industrial (C&I), who follow cricket as closely as they track energy policy.”
