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India’s Green Startups: Entrepreneurs That Are Driving Growth
An EV battery innovator. An e-bike manufacturer. A real estate carbon emissions tracker. A tech company that makes plastic substitutes with seaweed. A ride-hailing service with a fleet of e-cars. An eco-friendly agribusiness. A producer of animal-free milk. What do they have in common? They are all startups helmed by enterprising entrepreneurs who have used cutting-edge technology and visionary climate tech to kickstart green businesses in India.
In this new in-depth book, Jayant Sinha and Sandiip Bhammer tell India’s green business story through fourteen pioneers in the field. Through interviews with the founders, this book takes us along the path that India’s green startups are paving for themselves and others who will follow in their wake. Inventive, brave and unafraid of seemingly insurmountable challenges, the startups profiled here are likely to be talked about for years to come as creators of a new era of green businesses in India.
For the very first time, founders of companies like BluSmart Mobility, Accacia, RevFin, EMotorad, KisanKonnect, CHUPPS, NeoCell Industries, Zero Cow Factory, Log9 Materials, ElectricPe, Newtrace, Zerocircle, Battery Smart and Nutrifresh speak their minds and share their vision for a more sustainable future. From implications of climate change to a practical roadmap to starting up, India’s Green Startups is the one-stop guide to green businesses in India today.
In this new in-depth book, Jayant Sinha and Sandiip Bhammer tell India’s green business story through fourteen pioneers in the field. Through interviews with the founders, this book takes us along the path that India’s green startups are paving for themselves and others who will follow in their wake. Inventive, brave and unafraid of seemingly insurmountable challenges, the startups profiled here are likely to be talked about for years to come as creators of a new era of green businesses in India.
For the very first time, founders of companies like BluSmart Mobility, Accacia, RevFin, EMotorad, KisanKonnect, CHUPPS, NeoCell Industries, Zero Cow Factory, Log9 Materials, ElectricPe, Newtrace, Zerocircle, Battery Smart and Nutrifresh speak their minds and share their vision for a more sustainable future. From implications of climate change to a practical roadmap to starting up, India’s Green Startups is the one-stop guide to green businesses in India today.
233 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 13, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
March 6, 2025
The interview format is great, and getting to hear the first hand perspectives of these founders was quite valuable (most of them). Kudos for the initiative and really appreciate the endeavour behind this book.
The general narration of the authors outside of the interviews is too heavy on jargon and fancy words taking several paragraphs to convey simple ideas.
Plus, the book seems to be filled with less factual information and more idealism and visions, relatively speaking. Could have been a much crisper read if it was edited to cut out unnecessary convolution of words.
What could have also been better is the format of the interview. Clearly each founder was given the same set of questions (probably online?). This broke the chains of thought that the speakers may have had. A better idea could have been a podcast styled conversation that covered the same questions but also allowed for original thoughts to flow more organically depending on the unique perspectives of the speaker.
The general narration of the authors outside of the interviews is too heavy on jargon and fancy words taking several paragraphs to convey simple ideas.
Plus, the book seems to be filled with less factual information and more idealism and visions, relatively speaking. Could have been a much crisper read if it was edited to cut out unnecessary convolution of words.
What could have also been better is the format of the interview. Clearly each founder was given the same set of questions (probably online?). This broke the chains of thought that the speakers may have had. A better idea could have been a podcast styled conversation that covered the same questions but also allowed for original thoughts to flow more organically depending on the unique perspectives of the speaker.
May 2, 2026
At the outset this book was a reluctant 3.5 for me (hence I rounded down to 3) but will definitely be at best a 3.25 for an uninitiated audience not well versed with the world of climate capitalism and climate-tech startups.
I opened the book with great expectations since the title and marketing suggests it would cover two topics close to my heart: climate and entrepreneurship. However the book disappointed me on many levels. This maybe a harsh assessment but the book essentially read as a method to conduct right wing PR for the portfolio of one of the investors' venture capital firm.
First, I thought that the chapter on selecting the startups and the synthesis towards the end were pretty helpful in articulating a selection process and in the back half synthesizing insights from an ocean of knowledge gained by showcasing 14 entrepreneurs and companies. Second, in the selection itself, it was great to see that about 10 companies had hardware innovations which take years of research, development and failure. The book offers a good coverage of sub-sectors of the climate industry or perhaps it is just a reflection of the author's portfolio companies which are highly diversified. Third, I genuinely enjoyed reading some of the interviews the most noteworthy being Log9 materials, NeoCell, Zerocircle and CHUPPS. A few of the questions in the 18 question set piece such as book references, customer feedback, environmental icons, the choice between profit v. planet and their inspiration moment were genuinely helpful in understanding the emotional and professional arc of the founders.
However these highlights were smudged by repeated slavish deference to the current government. While some of their work in climate policy, increasing renewable energy capacity and setting targets is noteworthy, the praise heaped either by the author directly or indirectly via the interviewees felt excessive. Equally excessive and far more irrelevant was the question on Bollywood movie and mythological character reference which seemed forced and clearly pandering to an audience consuming a right wing content diet. While I am all for dissemination of Indian and Hindu mythology for a wider audience, its usage here seemed forced and out of play.
Moreover, the structured questionnaire each entrepreneur answered perhaps doesn't highlight the organic flow such conversations take and the learning from the struggles and failures of entrepreneurs trying to walk the tight rope of building a business while solving an environmental problem. I would also have loved to read more about the challenges related to research, testing innovation and working with governments or managing regulatory risks and opportunities the sector faces.
Despite this I did have a few takeaways and would hope the authors write an updated version a few years down the line. It would be interesting to see how some of these startups are doing at that stage. A quick search tells me that by April 2026- two of the showcased startups- Log9 and BluSmart are shut, the latter being a prominent corporate governance scandal. Neocell has almost no digital footprint and the leader interviewed from EMotorad has now left the organization. The authors may want to re-evaluate their selection framework articulated at the beginning of the book.
I wouldn't highly recommend this book to a non-climate enthusiast unless they are looking to wet their feet in the subject matter but even then there are better alternatives. If one works in climate or in VC then the book might tickle your mind but otherwise this book is passable for now.
I opened the book with great expectations since the title and marketing suggests it would cover two topics close to my heart: climate and entrepreneurship. However the book disappointed me on many levels. This maybe a harsh assessment but the book essentially read as a method to conduct right wing PR for the portfolio of one of the investors' venture capital firm.
First, I thought that the chapter on selecting the startups and the synthesis towards the end were pretty helpful in articulating a selection process and in the back half synthesizing insights from an ocean of knowledge gained by showcasing 14 entrepreneurs and companies. Second, in the selection itself, it was great to see that about 10 companies had hardware innovations which take years of research, development and failure. The book offers a good coverage of sub-sectors of the climate industry or perhaps it is just a reflection of the author's portfolio companies which are highly diversified. Third, I genuinely enjoyed reading some of the interviews the most noteworthy being Log9 materials, NeoCell, Zerocircle and CHUPPS. A few of the questions in the 18 question set piece such as book references, customer feedback, environmental icons, the choice between profit v. planet and their inspiration moment were genuinely helpful in understanding the emotional and professional arc of the founders.
However these highlights were smudged by repeated slavish deference to the current government. While some of their work in climate policy, increasing renewable energy capacity and setting targets is noteworthy, the praise heaped either by the author directly or indirectly via the interviewees felt excessive. Equally excessive and far more irrelevant was the question on Bollywood movie and mythological character reference which seemed forced and clearly pandering to an audience consuming a right wing content diet. While I am all for dissemination of Indian and Hindu mythology for a wider audience, its usage here seemed forced and out of play.
Moreover, the structured questionnaire each entrepreneur answered perhaps doesn't highlight the organic flow such conversations take and the learning from the struggles and failures of entrepreneurs trying to walk the tight rope of building a business while solving an environmental problem. I would also have loved to read more about the challenges related to research, testing innovation and working with governments or managing regulatory risks and opportunities the sector faces.
Despite this I did have a few takeaways and would hope the authors write an updated version a few years down the line. It would be interesting to see how some of these startups are doing at that stage. A quick search tells me that by April 2026- two of the showcased startups- Log9 and BluSmart are shut, the latter being a prominent corporate governance scandal. Neocell has almost no digital footprint and the leader interviewed from EMotorad has now left the organization. The authors may want to re-evaluate their selection framework articulated at the beginning of the book.
I wouldn't highly recommend this book to a non-climate enthusiast unless they are looking to wet their feet in the subject matter but even then there are better alternatives. If one works in climate or in VC then the book might tickle your mind but otherwise this book is passable for now.
April 23, 2025
India’s Green Startups is a timely and compelling exploration of India’s climate tech landscape, written in an engaging and lucid style. The authors skilfully blend narrative storytelling with insightful interviews, showcasing fourteen trailblazing startups that are redefining sustainability in the country. Each chapter is both a case study and a source of inspiration, capturing the challenges and triumphs of climate-conscious entrepreneurs.
The book’s strength lies in its rich collection of real-life accounts—from e-mobility pioneers to innovators in plastic alternatives and green agriculture. These stories are not only informative but deeply relevant, especially in an era demanding urgent climate action. The writing strikes a fine balance between being accessible to general readers and insightful for professionals and aspiring entrepreneurs alike.
What elevates this book is its purpose—it goes beyond profiling businesses to advocate for systemic change through innovation. India’s Green Startups serves as both a guide and a call-to-action, encouraging readers to consider sustainable entrepreneurship as a viable and necessary path forward. An invaluable addition to India’s climate conversation.
The book’s strength lies in its rich collection of real-life accounts—from e-mobility pioneers to innovators in plastic alternatives and green agriculture. These stories are not only informative but deeply relevant, especially in an era demanding urgent climate action. The writing strikes a fine balance between being accessible to general readers and insightful for professionals and aspiring entrepreneurs alike.
What elevates this book is its purpose—it goes beyond profiling businesses to advocate for systemic change through innovation. India’s Green Startups serves as both a guide and a call-to-action, encouraging readers to consider sustainable entrepreneurship as a viable and necessary path forward. An invaluable addition to India’s climate conversation.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews