The WHY Session on waste management was a remarkable insight into the innovative approaches being taken in the industry. The session commenced with a brief introduction from the moderator, Sankaranarayanan from Srinivasa Waste Management, setting the context from an industry standpoint. Following this, Vishal Katariya & Kavya Agarwal provided their perspectives on why they had invested in specific startups related to the theme, such as water and energy storage. Then each startup presented insights on their work’s environmental decarbonization and sustainability impacts.
The panel participants were:
Sankaranarayanan Srinivasan – Srinivasa Waste Management
Our specialty focus areas include 
Vishal Katariya – Ankur Capital
Diwakar – Acclaim Technologies
Krishnan Kasturirangan – Wastelink
A must-read for sustainability enthusiasts.
Moderator: Sankar Narayanan from Srinivasa Waste Management
Sankar Narayanan began by discussing their 20-year-old company’s involvement in waste management. One of their recent projects, a biogas plant in Chennai, stands out as a significant step towards a circular economy. The plant, which has a 100 metric ton processing capacity for wet waste, is a groundbreaking endeavor, considering that only a handful of companies in India have ventured into this scale. Srinivasa Waste Management’s project is unique, encompassing waste collection from hotels, processing, and providing cooking gas back to the hotels. Furthermore, they are exploring methods to capture carbon dioxide from the plant and sell it to food processing units, demonstrating their commitment to sustainable solutions.
Investor 1: Vishal Katariya from Ankur Capital
Vishal from Ankur Capital emphasized their focus on digitalization layers on top of existing supply chains, which has shown a significant reduction in food wastage. He pointed out the growing commercial demand and maturity of technologies in waste management and waste upcycling, indicating a promising circular economy story in India. The company aims to invest in companies building digitization layers, thereby ensuring efficient waste management.
Investor 2: Kavya Agarwal from 3i Partners
Kavya from 3i Partners, an early-stage impact investment firm, shared insights into their investments in waste management startups. She explained their investment thesis, which emphasizes social and environmental impact. 3i Partners has made three investments in the waste management space, focusing on solutions aimed at improving the livelihoods of waste pickers and preventing waste from going into landfills.
Startup 1: Diwakar from Acclaim Technologies
Diwakar, representing Acclaim Technologies, delved into the transformative potential of biogas from waste. He highlighted the scalability and reliability of waste as a resource, emphasizing the renewable, clean energy it can provide. Acclaim Technologies specializes in setting up biogas plants, aiming to bridge the gap between waste and energy. He also discussed the challenges and potential of investing in compressed biogas (CBG) plants and emphasized the government’s schemes and assistance available in this sector.
Startup 2: Krishnan Kasturirangan from Wastelink
Krishnan from Wastelink addressed the significant issue of food waste, particularly in the packaged food and retail industry. Wastelink has identified commercial food waste as a major problem and is focused on upcycling it into animal feed ingredients. Krishnan highlighted the challenges they faced in winning the trust of food companies and discussed their tech-enabled traceability system, which has proven successful in building trust and reliability.
Startup 3: Vishnu Vardaan from Cercle X
Vishnu from Cercle X shared insights into his journey and the inception of their waste management solution. He emphasized the magnitude of the waste problem, likening it to a pandemic that has persisted for years without resolution. Recognizing the existing ecosystem of recyclers in India, Vishnu decided against reinventing the wheel with new factories. Instead, he focused on streamlining waste management by connecting waste sources with authorized recyclers, thereby creating a circular economy. Cercle X operates as the “Uber for Waste,” offering swift waste pickup from any location in India and delivering it to authorized recyclers. Their efforts have successfully channeled approximately 135 million kgs of waste to date.
The WHY session on waste management provided valuable insights into the evolving landscape of sustainable solutions. From biogas plants to tech-enabled waste management systems, the presentations showcased the potential for significant impact in waste management. As the world faces increasing environmental challenges, these initiatives offer hope and practical solutions for a sustainable future.
