5 Indian startups have transformed waste into multi-million dollar businesses. By creating products from waste materials, these startups are not only saving the environment but also earning crores.
If you think saving the environment is just about planting trees, then you must read the success stories of these startups that turned waste into business ideas and today, they run multi-million dollar companies. Waste, when combined with the right idea, can become a lucrative business. Let's learn about these startups.
1. Phool.co: Incense and Perfume from Discarded Temple Flowers
This Kanpur-based startup has an annual revenue (FY23) of Rs 28.58 crore. Every day, tons of flowers from India's temples end up as waste, often dumped into rivers. Phool.co started collecting these flowers and using them to create eco-friendly incense, perfumes, and organic products. The result: 100,000 kg of flowers saved from landfills, jobs for thousands of women, and partnerships with brands like Tata and ITC.
2. Bambrew: Bamboo and Jute Instead of Plastic
Companies like Amazon and Flipkart needed sustainable packaging options. Bambrew changed the market by offering packaging products made from bamboo, jute, and sugarcane fiber. The result: saving 500,000 kg of plastic every month, B2B tie-ups with over 50 large companies, and a target of 1,000 crores by 2030. This Bengaluru-based startup has an annual revenue (FY23) of Rs 44.23 crore.
Related Articles
3. Daily Dump: Compost Kitchen Waste, Decorate Your Garden
This Bengaluru-based startup has an annual revenue (FY22) of Rs 3.75 crore. This startup taught people how to compost kitchen waste at home. They created composting kits and DIY bins that are now sold across the country. Today, over 50,000 families are processing waste at home, preventing 7,000 tons of wet waste from reaching landfills. They have also contributed to the urban gardening trend.
4. ReCircle: Give Plastic, Get Money
This Mumbai-based startup has an annual revenue of about Rs 100 crore. It has created a digital waste collection network where you can earn rewards for giving your waste. Companies also buy and recycle waste through their platform. They have recycled over 1 million kg of plastic so far and are working on a Zero Waste City model. Clients include brands like Coca-Cola and Unilever.
5. Greensole: Old Shoes Transformed into School Shoes
Greensole reuses discarded shoes to provide school shoes for underprivileged children. They also create corporate gifting products. The startup has recycled over 500,000 shoes so far and supplied them to over 400 schools. The United Nations (UN) has praised their sustainability model. This startup has an annual revenue of about Rs 5 crore.
