Green Entrepreneurship in India

In the rapidly evolving business landscape of India, entrepreneurs are shifting their focus towards environmental sustainability. Green entrepreneurship, a rising trend, goes beyond profit margins, aiming to integrate economic activities with ecological well-being.  

At its core, green entrepreneurship seeks to promote innovative solutions for pressing environmental challenges. Entrepreneurs in this space aim to create ventures that operate in harmony with the planet, emphasizing resource efficiency, conservation, and eco-friendly practices. This approach acts as a catalyst for positive change, recognizing the intrinsic link between business success and environmental stewardship in the pursuit of a sustainable future. 

The Rise of Innovation in Low Carbon Tech in India 

As of December 2023, there are over 6,600 startups in the cleantech sector (Green Technology, Renewable Energy and Waste Management) spread across over 450 districts in 34 states and union territories. 

Despite this momentum, turning innovative concepts into widespread realities demands a solid support system. Entrepreneurs in this field grapple with diverse challenges, including entering new sectors, clarifying clean technology benefits, and nurturing new ideas. Building customer confidence is pivotal, as potential clients often shy away from untested technologies. This highlights the importance of establishing a supportive environment for translating innovative ideas into practical solutions. 

CII’s Green Entrepreneurship Council  

As part of India’s premier business association, CII GBC is at the epicentre of this narrative, supporting and amplifying the voices of green trailblazers and collectively scripting a story of sustainable prosperity for the nation. 

It’s Green Entrepreneurship Council (GEC) emerges as a crucial catalyst, addressing critical needs to bridge the gap between groundbreaking cleantech concepts and their widespread implementation by emphasising on lowering the cost of customer acquisition and bolstering brand positioning.   

The Council works toward accelerating the growth of startups by cultivating an interactive ecosystem that brings together innovators, implementors and mentors. 

Accelerating Cleantech Enterprises 

The Acceleration of Cleantech Enterprises (ACE) program of CII’s Green Entrepreneurship Council is a unique initiative that offers tangible benefits to entrepreneurs and building stakeholders, including access to upcoming innovative technologies, enhanced market competitiveness, triple bottom line impact and the opportunity to develop tailored solutions for organizational needs. 

Through four successful cohorts, the ACE program has enrolled 30 startups, introducing them to 15+ sectors, conducting 20+ physical sessions in Tier 1 & Tier 2 cities, facilitating industry visits and implementing projects worth Rs. 1,300 lakh. The program has also organized numerous knowledge-sharing events, including 100+ webinars, conferences, exhibitions, and other engagement activities. 

In addition to the flagship ACE program, GEC also intends to start short term accelerator programs for cleantech entrepreneurs. Multiple accelerators ranging from 3 to 6 months will be lunched over the course of the next 12 months providing very targeted support to cleantech startups in specific sectors and geographies. GEC also intends to launch an initiative aimed at women entrepreneurs in the cleantech domain. 

Join the ACE Journey: The ACE 2024 cohort is open for applications until February 29, 2024.  Know more at: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/cii-godrej-gbc_gec-activity-7151219213876056064-IiZm/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_ios  

We encourage entrepreneurs and innovators to seize this opportunity to be part of a transformative initiative.