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Establishing a sustainable startup model is not an easy process. It takes time and patience, just like mother nature does. Always start with the fundamental process of sorting biodegradable waste from non-biodegradable garbage.
It may take some time for some employees to adjust, but once they do, it will be a powerful tool for long-term success. Ensure your operations crew is strong and have continuous monitoring to see if all employees follow the rules.
Every business model operates and seeks to increase revenue, so focusing on the shift of agenda and making everything eco-friendly can be time-consuming, in addition to maintaining a lucrative business and market rivalry unless you are an established company.
It is difficult for entrepreneurs in India to adapt to a sustainable startup environment. Furthermore, not all vendors and suppliers have the same perspective, pushing startups to search out and investigate eco-friendly providers who are conscious of environmental challenges.
Merchants of eco-friendly products may demand a higher price based on their production. Startup entrepreneurs and operators must identify low-cost suppliers because, at this level, we consider funding four times before spending.
It requires considerable effort, which might occasionally lead to inadvertent failure, but that should not stop you if you are that committed. If the customer notices you stumbling and leaving the sustainable environment:
- You may be accused of making fraudulent advertisements.
- You could be labeled as an illegitimate and uninformative startup.
- You may lose long-term customers.
- You may eventually incur financial losses.
Startup entrepreneurs must constantly be cautious when introducing sustainable changes in company rules and ensuring that these policies are correctly enforced, or else they may face the issues outlined above, leading to the failure of their startup.
Industrialization has created new prospects for development. It also brought challenges such as rapid and increasing global warming, harsh weather conditions, biodiversity loss, widening inequality, natural disasters, etc.
According to S&P Global, by 2050, India's GDP could be vulnerable to natural hazards such as floods, wildfires, and storms, with expanding non-sustainable productions and activities in industrial, commercial, and other sectors.
This demonstrates the embracement of sustainability and how it has evolved into an essential solution for startups today. Understanding ESG factors and pursuing environmental-friendly goals beyond profits and risk minimization is currently the startup trend of 2023.
This trend is now reflected in several Indian startups, which bear the burden of making India a globally sustainable startup ecosystem. We have highlighted several sustainable startups in India and their eco-friendly solutions to the environment to help you understand sustainability.
Sustainable Startups in India: Embracing the Green Movement
Today, we uncovered the Top 12 Sustainable Startups in India that enthusiastically embrace the green movement with their innovative solutions and the ability to propel India into a green and peaceful future.
Phool
Phool is the first biomaterial startup in India enhanced with floral recycling technology. It is an aroma-based wellness brand that creates unique organic fertilizer and charcoal-free premium incense products from floral waste gathered from temples and flowers in rivers.
With the "flower cycling" technique, its self-help women groups craft the trash into the patent charcoal-free incense sticks and essential oils, making it India's first D2C consumer wellness brand with "Fair for Life-Fairtrade" and "Ecocert Organic and Natural" certifications.
The company also produced a new product, "Fleather," an alternative to leather manufactured from flowers. The startup hopes to render the usage of animal leather extinct through this commercially feasible, best alternative to animal leather.
Renew Power
Renew Power is an "Independent Power Producer" of renewable energy startup in India, combining hydro, wind, and solar electricity to provide environmentally beneficial solutions. It has built a name for itself in a short time since its establishment in 2017, and it is now known to the entire startup sector in India.
Renew Power generated around 8 gigawatts of renewable energy across 16 Indian states. It helped India avoid 0.5% of India's total carbon emissions, which is significant by itself. It has also helped to avoid 1.1% of total power sector emissions in India.
Ather Energy
Ather Energy is an AI-based electric vehicle startup in India to lower air pollution while also redefining the automobile industry with AI and IoT-powered scooters that maneuver smooth rides with a seamless experience. It has around 350 charging stations in 38 cities across India.
Greenjoules Pvt. Ltd.
Greenjoules is a biofuel startup in India that produces renewable biofuels for commercial and industrial applications. Since its debut in 2018, it has had a constructive impact on society because biofuel is created entirely from agricultural and renewable waste.
They use non-feed and non-food waste to produce biofuels that fulfill the same criteria as petroleum or diesel. It does not require additional vehicle upgrades to run or operate on its biofuel.
ZunRoof
ZunRoof is a solar rooftop startup in India that makes personal energy usage more efficient, cleaner, and cheap for all Indian consumers. The company has installed over 10,000 residential solar rooftops and designed over 30,000 systems nationwide.
BluSmart
BluSmart is an automobile startup in India that operates an app-based all-electric automobile B2C platform with roughly 600 EVs in Delhi-NCR. With its dedicated automotive fleet for customers seeking sustainability, it is a well-known platform for mobility accreditation.
Nepra
Nepra is a cleantech startup in India that provides sustainable trash management solutions for 1,700 collectors, with the long-term goal of becoming the top eco-friendly startup in India.
It handles about 500 tonnes of dry waste daily in Ahmedabad, Indore, and Pune. In addition, the startup intends to increase capacity generation by extending to 25 Indian cities by 2025.
Banyan Nation
Banyan is India's first vertically integrated plastic recycling startup that collects plastic waste from industries and recycles them to create premium-quality recycled polyolefin plastics for conventional and high-quality industries using its unique technology platform.
Log9 Materials
Log9 Materials is a battery-based deep tech startup in India that contributes considerably to a sustainable society with its Graphene-based solutions, which have unique and extremely advantageous sustainable properties.
Log9 Materials' spill-containment hydrophobic pad also contributes significantly to oil spill prevention, and its aluminum-air batteries have a lower environmental impact than standard lithium batteries. The company is also developing an aluminum-based power backup system to limit the use of diesel-powered products.
Boss Lady Cosmetics
Boss Lady Cosmetics is one of India's most notable eco-friendly, cruelty-free, and sustainable cosmetic startups, providing natural beauty products and describing its brand as one that goes against society's sexist beliefs in reaching beauty standards.
The brand focuses on natural consumption, providing a voice to style by empowering with tools and products with the idea that defies preconceptions across gender, skin, color, and beauty in the Indian cosmetic sector utilizing everything natural and sustainable.
Zenatix
Zenatix is a smart-tech startup in India that helps major, micro, and micro industries reduce spending heavily on electricity due to frequent power outages, creating the need to regulate electricity spending.
They have 20 clients that have used their product WattMan, installed in various locations such as ATMs, banks, and so on, and have helped firms save 10-30% of their electricity spending by improving efficiency.
It also intends to produce 2,500 WattMan to conserve more electricity scores across various cities by lowering carbon footprint and enhancing energy-saving solutions based on IoT.
Bombay Hemp Company
Bombay Hemp Company is an Indian agro-based firm that produces therapeutic products from industrial hemp and cannabis plant cycles. It promotes the idea that a single cannabis plant may provide a proper diet, high-quality ropes, high-quality clothing, and various ayurvedic treatments.
The firm developed and implemented sustainable hemp to produce textiles, health, and well-being medications, building materials for home needs, clothes, etc.
Sustainable Startups, Sustainable India
Due to their energy efficiency, natural manufacturing, recycling, and other attributes described above, these sustainable startups in India demonstrate that one can still aspire to live long enough in an eco-friendly atmosphere.
They have "Changed" the startup ecosystem in India by adopting an ecologically safe strategy that helps restore the environment and people's lifestyles by adhering to the philosophy of sustainability and encouraging their committed customers to travel the sustainable road.
Sustainable Startups FAQ
Here are some Frequently Asked Questions about sustainable startups in India:
What is a sustainable startup?
A sustainable startup is a green-business model that minimizes harmful environmental usage by manufacturing sustainable, eco-friendly products, goods, and services without harming the environment and giving environmentally friendly, recyclable solutions for a better future.
Why should startups be sustainable?
A startup should be sustainable in every way possible because it helps minimize the carbon footprint, saves overhead expenses and negative environmental impact, and helps produce a more energy-efficient product that is financially lucrative and a strong selling point for India's rising sustainable customer demand.
Which is the most sustainable company in India?
Godrej Consumer Products Ltd. is India's most sustainable company, with in-built company goals to promote certified green buildings and products through energy efficiency, waste management, greenhouse gas reduction, and water conservation methodologies.
What is the full form of ESG?
ESG stands for "Environmental, Social, and Governance," It represents a company's corporate financial objectives focused on long-term and ethical implications that promote green functionality and a sustainable corporate environment.
What is cleanTech?
CleanTech startups engage with water, transportation, energy, manufacturing, and agriculture operations, enhancing efficiency, reducing the environmental risks of corporate activities, and helps reducing waste consumption, etc.
