How do accelerating factors interact to empower green energy start-ups in India?

This research aims to examine the interdependence and identification of the driving power and dependencies of accelerating factors for empowering green energy startups in India. The adopted mixed-methods research approach which combines a systematic literature review, followed by interviews with green energy entrepreneurs and the quantification of expert consensus through total interpretive structural modeling (TISM), cross-impact matrix multiplication applied to classification (MICMAC), and future research directions through the ADO (Antecedents-Decisions-Outcomes) framework. The study revealed that regulatory support, innovative financing models, and collaborative research are the driving factors. Access to advanced technologies, infrastructure development, market expansion strategies, etc., are dependent factors. The study connects future research directions with United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through the ADO by grouping factors into logical stances; antecedents such as regulatory support to SDG 7 (energy), SDG 9 (industry), and SDG 13 (climate); decisions on technology adoption, infrastructure, and capacity building to SDG 4 (education), SDG 8 (work), SDG 10 (inequalities), and SDG 17 (partnerships); and outcomes such as innovation scale-up and market access, energy access to SDG 6 (water), and SDG 12 (consumption). This study is based on expert consensus, and the scope is limited to India. From a theoretical view, the resource-based view (RBV) and institutional theory are covered through identifying capacity development as an effect of external factors. Policy and funding support are the primary drivers, highlighting policymakers' intervention. For entrepreneurs, the driving factors need to focus more on scale-up in the early stages. This study provides a novel structured framework for theory-building and decision-making by integrating TISM, MICMAC, and the ADO framework. • The study identifies the key factors that truly accelerate green energy start-ups in India and explains how support factors interact. • Provided a structured, clear way to link institutional drivers (regulatory support, innovative financing, collaborative R&D) to strategic entrepreneurial decisions (advanced technology, infrastructure, skills, data) and to market-level outcome (market expansion strategies). Start-ups should leverage these mechanisms to scale early and reduce failure rate. • A novel integrated framework combines PRISMA-based Systematic Literature Review+ TISM + MICMAC + Antecedents-Decisions-Outcomes (ADO) + UN Sustainable Development Goals to map drivers and outcomes that guide theory building and practical decision making.