In recent years, India has seen a burgeoning interest in circular economy practices, spurred by environmental concerns and the need for sustainable development. Circular economy startups are at the forefront of this movement, pioneering innovative solutions to reduce waste, promote recycling, and enhance resource efficiency across various industries. Here’s a look at some of the top circular economy startups in India making significant strides:
Table of Contents
1.Circulate Capital
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Investment Focus | Preventing ocean plastic pollution, promoting circular economy solutions |
| Collaborations | Governments, businesses, NGOs for waste management |
| Innovation Areas | Recycling technologies, sustainable packaging |
| Support | Funding, mentorship, strategic support |
| Impact Metrics | Plastic waste diverted, recycled materials, jobs created |
| Advocacy | Research, advocacy for circular economy practices |
| Partnerships | Multinational corporations, global initiatives |
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- Invests in startups focused on preventing ocean plastic pollution and promoting circular economy solutions.
- Collaborates with governments, businesses, and NGOs to drive systemic change in waste management.
- Supports innovation in recycling technologies and sustainable packaging solutions.
- Works towards creating a circular supply chain for plastics and other materials.
- Provides funding, mentorship, and strategic support to portfolio companies.
- Conducts research and advocacy to raise awareness about the importance of circular economy practices.
- Engages with stakeholders across the value chain to foster collaboration and knowledge sharing.
- Measures impact through metrics like plastic waste diverted, recycled materials produced, and jobs created.
- Partners with multinational corporations to integrate circular economy principles into their operations.
- Participates in global initiatives and conferences to influence policy and scale circular economy innovations.
2.Karma Recycling
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Specialization | Refurbishing, recycling mobile phones, electronics |
| Operations | Collection centers, repair, resale programs |
| Partnerships | Manufacturers, retailers for take-back programs |
| Compliance | E-waste management regulations, environmental standards |
| Innovation | Reverse logistics, precious metals recovery |
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- Specializes in refurbishing and recycling mobile phones and electronic gadgets.
- Operates a network of collection centers across India for e-waste.
- Extends the lifecycle of electronics through repair and resale programs.
- Partners with manufacturers and retailers to implement take-back programs.
- Ensures compliance with e-waste management regulations and environmental standards.
- Educates consumers and businesses about the environmental impact of e-waste.
- Innovates in reverse logistics and supply chain management for electronics recycling.
- Develops partnerships with NGOs and community organizations for e-waste awareness campaigns.
- Tracks and reports on e-waste recycled and materials recovered.
- Explores new technologies for recovering precious metals and rare earth elements from electronics.
3.Namo E-waste Management
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Services | End-to-end e-waste management (collection, recycling, disposal) |
| Facilities | State-of-the-art recycling compliant with international standards |
| Security | Secure data destruction, compliance with regulations |
| Innovation | Recycling technologies, R&D for circular economy solutions |
| Advocacy | Policy reforms, sustainability projects |
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- Offers end-to-end electronic waste management services, including collection, recycling, and disposal.
- Operates state-of-the-art recycling facilities compliant with international standards.
- Provides secure data destruction services for businesses and government agencies.
- Partners with local municipalities and corporate clients to manage their e-waste responsibly.
- Promotes sustainable practices through community outreach and education programs.
- Innovates in recycling technologies to maximize resource recovery and minimize environmental impact.
- Invests in research and development for circular economy solutions in the e-waste sector.
- Collaborates with academic institutions and research organizations on sustainability projects.
- Certifies and audits recycling processes to ensure transparency and accountability.
- Advocates for policy changes to support the growth of the e-waste recycling industry in India.
4.Blue Planet Environmental Solutions
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Services | Waste management across industries (organic, plastics, hazardous) |
| Projects | Waste-to-energy, zero waste goals |
| Expertise | Waste segregation, recycling processes |
| Engagement | Environmental audits, sustainability assessments |
| Innovation | Circular economy initiatives, R&D investments |
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- Provides comprehensive waste management solutions across various industries.
- Specializes in organic waste composting, plastics recycling, and hazardous waste disposal.
- Implements waste-to-energy projects to convert organic waste into renewable energy.
- Partners with businesses and municipalities to achieve zero waste goals.
- Develops customized waste management plans based on environmental impact assessments.
- Innovates in waste segregation technologies and recycling processes.
- Operates recycling facilities equipped with advanced sorting and processing equipment.
- Conducts environmental audits and sustainability assessments for corporate clients.
- Supports circular economy initiatives through research and development investments.
- Engages in public-private partnerships to improve waste infrastructure and management practices.
5.Karo Sambhav
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Focus | Circular economy for e-waste in India |
| Initiatives | Collection points, recycling facilities |
| Programs | EPR programs, policy advocacy |
| Impact Measurement | E-waste collected, materials recovered, carbon emissions reduced |
| Support | Training, capacity building, international partnerships |
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- Focuses on creating a circular economy for electronic waste in India.
- Establishes collection points and recycling facilities nationwide.
- Collaborates with producers, consumers, and recyclers to close the loop on e-waste.
- Implements extended producer responsibility (EPR) programs for electronics manufacturers.
- Educates consumers and businesses on responsible e-waste disposal practices.
- Advocates for policy reforms to strengthen e-waste management regulations.
- Provides training and capacity building programs for waste management professionals.
- Measures impact through e-waste collected, recycled materials recovered, and carbon emissions reduced.
- Partners with international organizations and NGOs to share best practices and innovations.
- Supports circular economy startups and initiatives through funding and mentorship.
6.Saahas Zero Waste
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Services | Integrated waste management (segregation, recycling, composting) |
| Systems | Decentralized waste management, MRFs |
| Partnerships | Educational institutions, civic bodies |
| Innovation | Technology-driven waste solutions, impact measurement |
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- Offers integrated waste management solutions for businesses, communities, and municipalities.
- Specializes in waste segregation, recycling, and composting of organic and inorganic waste.
- Implements decentralized waste management systems tailored to local needs.
- Operates material recovery facilities (MRFs) to sort and process recyclable materials.
- Engages in circular economy projects focused on resource recovery and material reuse.
- Conducts waste audits and sustainability assessments for corporate clients.
- Provides training programs on waste segregation and sustainable practices.
- Partners with educational institutions and civic bodies to promote environmental awareness.
- Develops technology-driven solutions for efficient waste collection and management.
- Measures impact through waste diverted from landfills, compost produced, and jobs created.
7.Banyan Nation
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Focus | Recycling post-consumer plastic waste into granules |
| Facilities | Advanced recycling, sorting, processing equipment |
| Innovation | Chemical recycling, sustainable packaging solutions |
| Collaborations | Brand owners, packaging manufacturers |
| Impact Metrics | Plastic waste recycled, emissions reduced, water saved |
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- Specializes in recycling post-consumer plastic waste into high-quality recycled granules.
- Operates advanced recycling facilities with state-of-the-art sorting and processing equipment.
- Innovates in chemical recycling technologies to convert complex plastics into valuable materials.
- Collaborates with brand owners and packaging manufacturers to integrate recycled plastics into products.
- Promotes closed-loop systems for plastic packaging to reduce dependency on virgin plastics.
- Engages in research and development to improve recycling efficiencies and product quality.
- Partners with NGOs and industry associations to advocate for sustainable packaging solutions.
- Provides certification and traceability for recycled plastics to enhance transparency.
- Measures impact through plastic waste recycled, carbon emissions reduced, and water saved.
- Expands operations internationally to address global plastic waste challenges.
8.Ecozen Solutions
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Solutions | Energy-efficient solutions for agriculture (cold storage, irrigation) |
| Technologies | Solar-powered, microgrid solutions |
| Services | Data-driven farm management, crop optimization |
| Partnerships | Farmers, cooperatives, agribusinesses |
| Impact Measurement | Energy savings, emissions reduced, crop yield improvements |
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- Develops energy-efficient solutions for the agriculture sector, including solar-powered cold storage units.
- Promotes sustainable agriculture practices through renewable energy and resource management.
- Provides smart irrigation systems and weather forecasting tools to optimize water usage.
- Implements microgrid solutions for off-grid farming communities to improve energy access.
- Offers data-driven insights and analytics for farm management and crop optimization.
- Collaborates with farmers, cooperatives, and agribusinesses to enhance productivity and profitability.
- Innovates in energy storage technologies to support renewable energy integration in agriculture.
- Measures impact through energy savings, greenhouse gas emissions reduced, and crop yield improvements.
- Partners with government agencies and development organizations to scale sustainable farming practices.
- Expands market reach through strategic partnerships and distribution networks.
9.ReNew IT
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Specialization | Refurbishment, IT asset lifecycle management |
| Services | Data sanitization, secure disposal |
| Partnerships | Corporate clients, sustainable IT practices |
| Advocacy | Circular economy principles, policy reforms |
| Innovation | Refurbishment technologies, e-waste awareness |
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- Specializes in refurbishing and extending the life of IT assets, including computers and laptops.
- Offers cost-effective IT asset management solutions for businesses and educational institutions.
- Provides data sanitization and secure disposal services in compliance with regulatory standards.
- Partners with corporate clients to implement sustainable IT procurement and lifecycle management.
- Promotes circular economy principles through reuse, refurbishment, and recycling of electronic equipment.
- Conducts e-waste awareness campaigns and employee training on responsible IT asset disposal.
- Innovates in IT refurbishment technologies and repair techniques to maximize product lifespan.
- Collaborates with IT manufacturers and distributors to recover and recycle end-of-life electronics.
- Measures impact through IT assets refurbished, e-waste diverted, and carbon footprint reduced.
- Advocates for policy reforms to support sustainable IT practices and e-waste recycling initiatives.
10.Graviky Labs
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Technology | Capture vehicular emissions, transform into inks, pigments |
| Applications | Retrofit devices, ink products |
| Collaborations | Automotive companies, creative industries |
| Research | Air pollution mitigation, emission reduction |
| Impact Measurement | Emissions captured, ink products produced, air quality improvements |
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- Develops technology to capture vehicular emissions and transform them into usable inks and pigments.
- Operates retrofit devices and filtration units to capture particulate matter from exhaust gases.
- Innovates in chemical processes to convert captured emissions into high-quality ink products.
- Partners with automotive companies and fleet operators to deploy emission capture technologies.
- Promotes sustainable printing solutions using recycled carbon emissions as raw materials.
- Engages with artists, designers, and creative industries to showcase environmental innovation.
- Conducts research on air pollution mitigation and emission reduction technologies.
- Measures impact through emissions captured, ink products produced, and air quality improvements.
- Explores applications of captured carbon emissions in other industrial and consumer products.
- Advocates for clean air policies and initiatives to reduce urban air pollution.
These points highlight the diverse approaches and innovations these startups are employing to promote circular economy principles in India, contributing to environmental sustainability and economic growth.
FAQs on Circular Economy Startups in india :
Q1: What is an example of circular economy in India?
- A1: An example of circular economy in India is ITC Limited’s “WOW” (Well-being Out of Waste) program, which focuses on recycling agricultural waste into wealth through sustainable initiatives.
Q2: What company uses circular economy?
- A2: Philips is an example of a company that uses circular economy principles by offering lighting-as-a-service, where they retain ownership of the lighting products and recycle materials at the end of the product’s life.
Q3: Who started circular economy?
- A3: The concept of circular economy has been developed over time, but it gained prominence through the work of thinkers like Walter R. Stahel and the Ellen MacArthur Foundation.
Q4: What are the three types of circular economy?
- A4: The three types of circular economy are:
- Biological cycles: Where materials are designed to re-enter the biosphere safely.
- Technical cycles: Where materials are designed to circulate at high quality without entering the biosphere.
- Service cycles: Where products are designed for longer use through sharing and leasing models.
Q5: What is circular economy real examples?
- A5: Real examples of circular economy include:
- Closed-loop recycling of plastics.
- Upcycling of waste materials into new products.
- Remanufacturing and refurbishing of electronics and appliances.
Q6: What are the three pillars of circular economy?
- A6: The three pillars of circular economy are:
- Designing out waste and pollution.
- Keeping products and materials in use.
- Regenerating natural systems.
Q7: Who is the father of circularity?
- A7: Walter R. Stahel is often referred to as one of the fathers of circular economy for his pioneering work in advocating for a closed-loop approach to resource management.
Q8: What is another name for circular economy?
- A8: Another term for circular economy is “closed-loop economy” or “regenerative economy.”
Q9: What are the 10 Rs of circular economy?
- A9: The 10 Rs of circular economy are:
- Rethink: Rethink how products are designed.
- Refuse: Refuse unnecessary products and materials.
- Reduce: Reduce consumption and waste generation.
- Reuse: Reuse products and materials.
- Repair: Repair products to extend their lifespan.
- Refurbish: Refurbish products to like-new condition.
- Remanufacture: Remanufacture products using recycled materials.
- Repurpose: Repurpose products for new uses.
- Recycle: Recycle materials to create new products.
- Recover: Recover energy or resources from waste.
Q10: What are the schemes of circular economy?
- A10: Schemes of circular economy include:
- Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) schemes.
- Product-as-a-Service models.
- Collaborative consumption and sharing platforms.
Q11: Is Tesla a circular economy?
- A11: Tesla incorporates some circular economy principles, such as battery recycling and using renewable energy in its manufacturing processes, but it is not fully aligned with all aspects of a circular economy.
