What The Program Did
The Sustainability Accelerator is a 6-month, founder-first acceleration program co-designed by PIEDS, BITS Pilani and SusMafia to strengthen India’s climate entrepreneurship ecosystem. The program addresses a critical gap faced by early-stage climate startups that often lack structured guidance, validation, funding access, and mentor support at a pivotal growth phase.
Vision is building a founder-first accelerator that focuses on the most critical elements required to create scalable, impact-driven climate and sustainability startups. Mission is to accelerate 100 climate startups by 2027 through collaborative efforts, leveraging institutional infrastructure, capital access, and deep domain expertise.
Selected startups received grant of Rs 10 lakhs.
Outcomes & Impact:
- Capital deployed: Rs 50 lakhs across 05 startups.
- Follow-on capital raised by cohort: Rs 70.25 lakhs.
- Jobs created: 61
- Patents filed: 04
- Revenue generated by portfolio: Rs 35000
- Notable graduations / exits: PIEDS x SusMafia Sustainability Accelerator
Portfolio Companies Supported
1
Evoxia
AgriTech / Sustainable Materials
Transforming agricultural waste into cost-effective, home compostable bioplastics that match traditional plastic performance while reducing environmental pollution.
2
HarvTech
AgriTech / Clean Mobility
Smart Electrical Tractor: An autonomous, electric-powered tractor that cuts operational costs by 70%, enhances farming productivity, and provides real-time crop data for better market pricing.
3
RubisCo Black
ClimateTech / Carbon Removal
A revolutionary agri-input that not only enhances crop growth but also removes CO₂ from the atmosphere, promoting both
4
Unbubble
Sustainable Packaging / Circular Economy
Crafting biodegradable, plant-based foam and packaging peanuts from agricultural waste, offering a sustainable, customizable alternative to traditional plastic packaging.
5
XeroCarbon Cement
Achieving net-zero carbon emissions in cement production with a solar kiln and algae-based carbon capture technology, providing a cost-effective and sustainable alternative.
Featured Success Stories
1: Xero Carbon
Problem → XeroCarbon is working towards achieving net-zero carbon emissions in cement production through a solar kiln and algae-based carbon capture technology. The startup needed support in clinker production and technical guidance from industry experts.
PIEDS Support → PIEDS connected the team with senior executives and experts from UltraTech Cement to provide industry insights, technical feedback, and guidance on clinker production processes.
Outcome → Through industry mentorship and technical discussions, XeroCarbon gained valuable inputs for refining its technology and advancing its sustainable cement production solution.
2: Rubisco Black
Problem → Rubisco Black is developing a revolutionary agri-input that enhances crop growth while also removing CO₂ from the atmosphere. The team needed support in setting up pilot projects, industry connections, and mentorship for technology development.
PIEDS Support → PIEDS connected the startup with relevant mentors, industry experts, and BITS faculty members who supported the team in prototype development and provided technical guidance.
Outcome → With mentorship, technical support, and ecosystem connections, Rubisco Black strengthened its prototype development and moved closer towards pilot implementation of its sustainable agri-tech solution.
Cohort Timeline
Cohort#1 — 05 startups
Cohort#2 – Coming Soon
Funding & Partners
