Have you observed the shifting of weather patterns, melting glaciers, rising sea levels, etc. in the current decade? All these factors disrupt food production and catastrophes like floods, hurricanes, and droughts. This is nothing but a global issue called “Climate Change.” In this article, we will provide thorough information about Indian startups that are working to fight climate change.
What is Climate Change?
The term “Climate change” refers to a long-term shift in global weather patterns like monsoon and temperatures. It is primarily caused by human activities. It includes the emission of greenhouse gasses such as carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide. These gasses trap heat in the Earth’s atmosphere and cause global temperatures to rise. To combat this problem, the government, as well as the corporates, are budding the latest technologies, eco-friendly innovations, and solutions.
Why Start-ups are working to fight climate change?
There are several reasons why startups are working to fight climate change:
- Golden Business Opportunity: Climate change presents a significant business opportunity for startups that offer sustainable and innovative solutions. How? You may wonder. Because there is a growing demand for products and services that are environmentally friendly. Therefore, governments, businesses, and individuals increasingly prioritize reducing their carbon footprint.
- Social responsibility: Many startup founders are driven by a sense of social responsibility and a desire to make a positive impact on the world. Climate change is one of the biggest challenges facing humanity, and working to address it can be a way for startups to contribute to a better future.
- Regulatory pressure: Governments around the world are introducing policies and regulations to address climate change, such as carbon taxes, emissions trading schemes, and renewable energy mandates. Startups that offer solutions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions can benefit from these regulations and policies.
- Consumer demand: Consumers are increasingly concerned about the impact of their purchases on the environment. Therefore, they seek sustainable products and services. Startups that offer environmentally friendly alternatives to traditional products can tap into this growing demand.
Indian Startups that are working to fight climate change
There are numerous startups in India that are working progressively to combat climate change. Some of the impactful startups are given in the following table-
| Startup’s Name | Operating Field | Year of Establishment | Amount Raised |
| Ather Energy | Smart Electric Scooters | 2013 | $180 million |
| BluSmart | Electric Cars | 2019 | $75 million |
| EVage | Electric Commercial Vehicle | 2014 | $28 million |
| String Bio | Single Cell Protein | 2013 | $20.2 million |
| Banyan Nation | Plastic Recycling | 2013 | $14.3 million |
We have ranked these startups based on the amounts raised in the latest funding rounds. Because it reflects the trust that the investors have in these startups. The higher the funding, the more promising the results of the startup. Further details of the companies are described in the next section.
1. Ather Energy
It is an electric vehicle (EV) manufacturing company specializing in the production of high-performance electric scooters. Its goal is to create a sustainable and scalable solution for the country’s transportation needs. It has a strong focus on innovation and technology, as evidenced by its advanced electric scooters.
- Founders: Tarun Mehta (CEO), Swapnil Jain
- Headquarters: Bengaluru (Karnataka, India)
- Production output: approx.40,000 vehicles (per year)
- Popular Products: Ather 450X and Ather 450 plus
- Amount of funds raised: $180 million
- Lead Investors: Caladium Investments, Herald Ventures, InnoVen Capital, NIIF, HeroMotoCorp, Sachin Bansal (Flipkart’s cofounder)
Ather Energy’s flagship products are the Ather 450X and the Ather 450 Plus, both of which are premium electric scooters designed for urban commutes. These scooters feature advanced lithium-ion batteries, fast charging capabilities, and top speeds of up to 80 km/h. In addition, they are equipped with a host of smart features, such as navigation, ride statistics, and remote diagnostics, which can be accessed through the Ather app.
2. BluSmart
It is an Indian electric ride-sharing company that operates a fleet of electric cars for on-demand rides. It operates in the National Capital Region (NCR) of India, including Delhi, Gurgaon, Noida, Mumbai, and Pune.
- Founders: Anmol Singh Jaggi (CEO), Punit K Goyal, Puneet Singh Jaggi
- Headquarters: Gurugram (Haryana, India)
- Services: Electric Cab
- Amount of funds raised: $75 million
- Lead Investors: Power Finance, Alteria Capital, Green Frontier Capital, BP Ventures
BluSmart aims to provide eco-friendly and sustainable transportation solutions by offering electric vehicles that produce zero emissions. It offers a range of services similar to other cab services. Such as point-to-point rides, airport transfers, and hourly rentals. You can book rides through the BluSmart app, which is available on both iOS and Android platforms.
3. EVage
It is an OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) of electric vehicles. EVage aims to provide sustainable and affordable transportation solutions for commercial and logistics operations. The company’s product portfolio includes electric cargo three-wheelers, electric delivery vans, electric buses, electric trucks, SUVs, etc.
- Founders: Inderveer Singh, Harnoor Kaur, Pulkit Srivastava
- Headquarters: Chandigarh
- Objective: Modular Micro Manufacturing
- Amount of funds raised: $28 million
- Lead Investors: RedBlue Capital, Varun Pahwa (President of Desiccant Rotors International)
EVage is committed to reducing carbon emissions and improving the air quality in cities by promoting the adoption of electric mobility. The company uses innovative technology and design to create efficient and reliable electric vehicles that meet the needs of businesses and fleet operators.
4. String Bio
It is a biotechnology company that uses synthetic biology to develop sustainable and environmentally friendly solutions for the animal feed industry. String Bio mainly produces single-cell proteins from Methane using SIMP. The acronym SIMP refers to String Integrated Methane Platform. It provides effective solutions to support the health and nutrition of animals, humans, and other emerging markets. It provides eco-friendly solutions to support more food production (agriculture) under changing climatic conditions.
- Founders: Ezhil Subbian (CEO), Vinod Kumar, Lakshmi Devi Thimmaiah
- Headquarters: Bengaluru (Karnataka, India)
- Key Highlight: String Integrated Methane Platform (SIMP)
- Key Product: Single-Cell protein
- Amount of funds raised: $20.2 million
- Lead Investors: Woodside Energy, Redstart, Ankur Capital, Dare Ventures, Zenfold Ventures
String Bio’s products performed well in numerous sectors like nutrition, agriculture, and personal care. Its technology involves using microorganisms to convert agricultural waste into protein-rich animal feed. This process is more efficient and sustainable than traditional methods of animal feed production. Its objective is to provide sustainable solutions at affordable costs.
5. Banyan Nation
It is an integrated plastic recycling and waste Management Company. Banyan Nation collects plastic waste and recycles them for further use. Its prime objective is to provide sustainable solutions to India’s mounting waste problem. Banyan Nation uses technology to create a closed-loop recycling system that transforms plastic waste into high-quality raw material that can be used to make new products.
- Founders: Mani Vajipeyajula (CEO), Raj Madangopal
- Headquarters: Hyderabad (Telangana, Hyderabad)
- Amount of funds raised: $14.3 million
- Lead Investors: Artha Capital, CIIE (Centre for Innovation Incubation and Entrepreneurship)
Banyan Nation’s platform named Banyan Insights, tracks the flow of plastic waste from collection to processing. Thus, it provides information to stakeholders about the quality and quantity of waste being generated, collected, and recycled. Banyan Nation’s clients include major FMCG companies, plastic manufacturers, and waste management firms.
Conclusion
These startups are leveraging technology to tackle climate change and are helping India move towards becoming carbon-zero. Their objective is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and promote sustainable practices such as renewable energy, energy efficiency, and conservation.
