The expected outcomes of this programme span emissions reduction, waste diversion, production of energy from clean sources, energy efficiency, reduction in non-revenue water losses, reduced dependence on groundwater, and increased access to clean drinking water.
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Nine climate-tech start-ups are set to deploy solutions addressing critical urban sustainability challenges across 10 Indian cities, including Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad, Mumbai, New Delhi, Pune, Nashik, Bhavnagar, Khammam, and Kozhikode.
Under the ‘Innovations in Sustainable Urban Transition Program’, led by Social Alpha and the University of Toronto India Foundation (UTIF), these start-ups will deploy solutions that support low-carbon transitions across these cities. These would include innovations critical to urban sustainability, such as low-carbon construction materials, renewable energy, waste management, water efficiency, and sanitation.
The nine startups include Carbon Strong, Satiq Concrete Manufacturer, Go Do Good Studio, Vivifica Sustainable Solutions, Apeiro Energy, Trinano Technologies, Smart Terra, Vayujal Technologies, and Xpredict Labs.
The start-ups will receive grants of up to ₹35 lakh.
Expected outcomes
The expected outcomes span emissions reduction, waste diversion, production of energy from clean sources, energy efficiency, reduction in non-revenue water losses, reduced dependence on groundwater, and increased access to clean drinking water.
“Cities will need to rethink how they design and construct infrastructure, manage resources, deliver essential services, and build resilience to climate risks. Addressing these challenges requires solutions that are practical, reliable, and deployable at scale. Our aim is to support a growing pipeline of innovators addressing urban sustainability challenges and support the deployment of these solutions across Indian cities,” said Ganesh Neelam, co-founder, Social Alpha.
Measurable outcomes
The ‘Innovations in Sustainable Urban Transition Program’ was first launched in 2024. Its first cohort of eleven start-ups deployed innovations in 11 cities, addressing air quality, sanitation, waste management, clean mobility, and low-carbon construction materials.
The programme generated measurable outcomes in emissions avoidance (105.99 tonnes of CO2e), waste diversion (407.15 tonnes), water savings (16,896 kilolitres), and improved air quality (between 20%-94% reduction in PM 2.5 and 10 across four locations).
“What this programme has surfaced is that the constraint isn’t the technology. It’s the distance between a working solution and a public system ready to absorb it. The nine start-ups in this cohort are being tested against that distance, with pilots designed around what urban local bodies and civic institutions actually need to make adoption decisions,” said Gauravi Lobo, director, UTIF.
Published – June 24, 2026 07:01 pm IST
