VC firm Climate Angels select seven start-ups in the F&B Industry under the 'Zero-Single-Use Plastic Challenge'

After going through a multi-layered selection process over the last month, seven startups have been selected by Climate Angels for the ZeSUP- Zero Single-Use Plastic Challenge to deploy their solutions with the incubators' F&B partners which include Rebel Foods, Burger Singh, and The Beer Café. The selected startups are currently gearing up for a six-month Bootcamp program which would run alongside the pilots.

The program aims to support these ventures throughout their entrepreneurial journey, from curating sessions on the stepping stones of the business world to crafting the perfect story while pitching to investors the program would leave no stone unturned in helping these pioneering startups on their journey to eradicate Single-Use Plastics from India.

"With the onset of the pandemic take-aways and home delivery options replaced the traditional dine-in restaurants, and this worked as a stimulant to increase the usage of Single-Use Plastics in the industry. The Incubation Network crafted this one-of-a-kind challenge to deal with this problem head-on. Climate Angels were chosen as the Entrepreneur Support Organization to lead the challenge. We are excited to see these high-potential startups take up the challenge of removing the ubiquitous SUPs, the next 6 months would be very action-packed for us and we cannot wait to get started", said Shailesh Vickram Singh, Founder of Climate Angels.

The selected startups include:

♦ Qudrat (Trivandrum, India) provides a perfect substitute for single-use plastic and disposable paper tableware like plates, cups, trays, and containers. Qudrat's products are engineered to have a low carbon footprint and are manufactured in a zero-waste facility.

♦ Imaga's (Delhi, India) product line enables sustainability in food delivery. It has already enabled over 500 businesses across India to shift away from plastic packaging and use bamboo fiber, sugarcane fiber, and other sustainable materials to combat plastic and other sources of carbon emission that food and retail businesses struggle with

♦ Sunbird Straws (Bengaluru, India) makes drinking straws for a wide range of drinks from coconut leaves and are developed in-house and the operations employ several rural women. Sunbird has a global customer base.

♦ Cupable (Mumbai, India) manufactures reusable packaging made from crop waste which is 100% reusable, refillable, and recyclable. Their packaging has a unique ID that helps them track and implement circular systems to eliminate single-use plastic.

♦ Embuer Health (Delhi, India) has been innovating, manufacturing, and marketing eco-friendly, sustainable, and biodegradable products catering to industries especially FMCG, F&B and Beauty Spa at an affordable price for the masses. Their star products include Kitchen Wipes, Kitchen Rolls, Roti Wrap, Food Wrap, Paper Straw, Dona Patal & Food Service Disposables.

♦ Refillable (Mumbai, India) is a zero-waste refill service. The startup helps brands adapt to reusable and refillable packaging in their existing supply chain through their network of refill trucks, bikes, pouches, and reverse logistics partners. Their aim is to make refills accessible, affordable, and convenient for consumers by onboarding brands on their refill trucks, redesigning their existing packaging, and reusing it thoroughly.

♦ Biogreen biotech (Bengaluru, India) are wholesalers and suppliers of 100% compostable substitutes for plastic grocery, carry bags, and everyday single-use products. Their products are also non-toxic to the environment, animals, and plants.

The ZeSUP Challenge aims to make India SUP-free. The information gained by the pilots will be used to drive extensive research and helo us gain a better understanding of the F&B Single-Use Plastic consumption and the environmental benefits of using alternatives to single-use plastic options.