WORK IN PROGRESS: December 2024

Welcome to the December edition of ‘Work In Progress’, our monthly newsletter that brings you stories of innovation and entrepreneurship as we work towards solving India's most pressing challenges.

While the pledges emerging from COP29 seem impressive, the true test lies in translating these promises into meaningful action. Developing nations continue to face the brunt of climate change, with communities like smallholder farmers and SMEs in particular under the most pressure to adapt. Yet, existing climate finance mechanisms often leave them behind. At Social Alpha, we believe that for climate finance to truly make an impact, it must prioritise inclusivity and restructure and channel funding to those most at risk.?

Read the full article by Manoj Kumar here

COP29 Failed. But What is the Good that Can Emerge From It??

Beyond COP29's 'failure' on finance, the buzz at the Baku Olympic Stadium venue was on innovation. Innovation for green tech and financing options seems the way forward for rapid climate action. Chetan Bhattacharji , Strategic Communications Advisor, Social Alpha and Ex-Senior Managing Editor, NDTV, who was at COP29, explores how this creates opportunities for the global south.?

Read Chetan's article here

Out of the Boardroom and into the Farms: Social Alpha Communities Program Takes Leaders to Barabanki

India Agritech Incubation Network, a Social Alpha Communities program, hosted a visit in Barabanki, Uttar Pradesh, connecting key representatives from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, including Martien van Nieuwkoop , Director, Agricultural Development; Enock Chikava , Director, Agricultural Delivery Systems, and Alkesh Wadhwani , Director, Poverty Alleviation, India among others, to agritech innovators, farmers, and other stakeholders. Led by Manoj Kumar and Onkar Pandey from Social Alpha, a select group of our start-ups, including Krishitantra , EF Polymer India , NIYO FARMTECH PRIVATE LIMITED , and Marut E Tractor , demonstrated on-field use cases of agritech solutions like rapid soil testing, climate-resilient inputs, and solar-based irrigation systems.

Social Alpha Champions a Human Need Driven Innovation Agenda at COP29

At COP29, Smita Rakesh , Partner, Social Alpha, participated in a pivotal side-event, ‘The First Teraton Opportunity’, which emphasised the need to enable flourishing lives for billions while achieving global sustainability.

Smita shared Social Alpha’s approach to a human need driven innovations agenda with a focus on global sustainability and highlighted the role of start-ups and incubators in empowering communities and addressing climate challenges.

The event also featured insights from global leaders, including Professor Charlie Wilson (Oxford/IPCC), Massamba Thioye (UNFCCC), Dennis Pamlin (RISE/NCI), Pourya Salehi (ICLEI), and Leandro Costa (PIT Brazil), among others, who reinforced the critical role of start-ups and innovation ecosystems in climate action.

Two New Innovations Join the Social Alpha Family

We are proud to announce two transformative investments that align with our mission to address critical societal challenges through technology and innovation. bioLOCKEY Healthworks is revolutionising women’s health with 'selfCERVIX', a point-of-care HPV DNA test that enables early detection of high-risk HPV strains. Samakhya Sustainable Alternatives is tackling the energy crisis in buildings with 'Magra', sustainable insulation panels made from natural sheep wool that offers better thermal and acoustic insulation with a 90% lower carbon footprint.

And the Winners Are

We love cheering wins, and this month, our start-ups gave us plenty to celebrate:

Congratulations to RYMO Technologies for winning ?1 crore in funding at the ‘Future Forward Awards’ at the IKMC 2024.

Apeiro Energy was recognised as an emerging start-up in renewable energy at the ‘Developed India 2047: Energized Gujarat’ event by Gujarat's Chief Minister, Shri Bhupendra Patel.

REVY Environmental Solutions Pvt. Ltd. won the ‘Karnataka Water & Sanitation Innovation Conclave’ for its work advancing water and sanitation solutions.

BeAble Health received the prestigious ‘IKP RISE Award’ at IKMC 2024 for its transformative innovations in physiotherapy.

Manastu Space and Pixxel were celebrated at the Indian Space Conclave 2024, organised by the Indian Space Association. Manastu Space was honoured as the ‘Emerging Space Start-up’ for its green propulsion technology, and Pixxel received the ‘Excellence in Developing the Space Ecosystem’ award for innovations in building hyperspectral earth imaging satellites.

EF Polymer India was named the ‘Overall Winner’ at Silicon Valley's Thrive Global Impact Challenge. It stood out among 1,000+ global applicants for its sustainable solutions in agriculture and water management.

From Dream to Orbit: PierSight’s Varuna Satellite is Ready to Soar!

We congratulate Gaurav Seth , Vinit Bansal , and the entire PierSight team on the completion of its Varuna satellite! Varuna is scheduled for launch on ISRO’s POEM platform and will undertake its first in-orbit demonstration of SAR+AIS technology. This technology will provide persistent, near-real-time monitoring of all human activity at sea.

A Busy November for CareMother by Dōtō Health

November was a standout month for CareMother by Doto Health , a Social Alpha portfolio company. The company showcased its cutting-edge maternal and neonatal healthcare solutions at multiple prestigious events, including CAHO Tech, the Green Hospital Asian Conference, the TCOG Conference at NIT Warangal, the KASOGA Conference in Hassan, Karnataka, and the Bengaluru Tech Summit 2024. The CareMother platform technology took centre stage, driving conversations about improving maternal care through AI and solar-powered technologies and fostering critical networks to expand the company’s reach and impact.

Social Alpha Start-ups Take Over Forbes

Riding on the success of its climate and farm-friendly innovation ‘Fasal Amrit’, a bio-based hydrogel, EF Polymer India has earned a spot on Forbes India’s prestigious ‘100 to Watch 2024 list’ and landed on its cover page. That’s not all! Kalgudi-digital , another start-up supported by Social Alpha, has made it to Forbes' Select 200 Companies with ‘Global Business Potential’ for 2024. This recognition underscores the rising impact of Indian start-ups on the global stage; one-fifth of Forbes Asia-Pacific's 100 list is made up of companies from India!

Start-ups on the Move: Social Alpha Start-ups Celebrate Growth and Impact

We know how tough it is for start-ups to succeed, and every year is a reason to celebrate. This month, Raheja Solar Food Processing completed 5 years of reducing food waste. Along the way, they empowered 1000+ micro-entrepreneurs, created 5,000+ jobs, and saved ?10 crore in food waste. Trestle Labs | Kibo and BeAble Health both completed 7 years in business. Trestle Labs has made education inclusive for thousands, and BeAble Health leads in AI-powered physiotherapy and rehabilitation.

Ideas in the Spotlight

From sustainability to space, November was all about Social Alpha start-ups showcasing their innovations. Bare Necessities Zero Waste Solutions joined the LowCarbon.earth Accelerator, setting new benchmarks in sustainable FMCG. Rang De's CEO, Smita Ram , spoke on sustainable livelihoods at The Summit on Sustainability organised by Pollution Control India and The Energy Consortium - IIT Madras and Apeiro Energy contributed to shaping India’s small wind turbine policies at the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) Workshop. TraceX Technologies and Bioprime? both showcased their agritech solutions at the Asia Pacific Agri-Food Innovation Summit, while Ai Health Highway , CareMother by Doto Health and Rechargion Energy Private Limited introduced their innovations in health tech and sustainable energy at the Bengaluru Tech Summit 2024.

A Double Celebration at the Pfizer INDovation NIPER-A Edition Ceremony

The Pfizer INDovation NIPER-A Edition winner ceremony was extra special for the six winning start-ups, as Shri Arunish Chawla, Secretary, Department of Pharmaceuticals, made a surprise announcement. Beyond celebrating their win, he unveiled additional support under the PRIP scheme and approved the winners, Aarca Research , bioLOCKEY Healthworks , Utopic Tech Private Limited , BabyCue Pvt Ltd , Brela Innovations Private Limited , and RNT Health Insights for pre-clinical and clinical studies under the Meditech initiative.

This powerful commitment from the Department Of Pharmaceuticals to enable innovators is a demonstration of how impactful innovations can be developed, de-risked, and deployed in the social sector by aligning the incentives of communities, markets, and the state - a classic example of the Social Alpha theory of change.

Techtonic: Transforming Agriculture and Rural Livelihoods

We are proud to announce the launch of Techtonic: Innovations for Agriculture and Rural Livelihoods, a program developed in collaboration with NITI Aayog Official , Pusa Krishi, ICAR- IARI , and ICAR-IARI, New Delhi ??.??.?.?. - ?????? ???? ???????? ??????? . This initiative addresses critical challenges in Indian agriculture by seeking disruptive agritech solutions for soil rejuvenation, water management, farm mechanisation, and more to empower smallholder farmers and enhance productivity.

The launch event brought together leaders like Dr R.B. Singh, Padma Bhushan awardee and Chairman of the Research Advisory Committee at IARI; Mr Satish Chandra Chintamani , ED, Institute for Agriculture Technology and Finance Management; Dr Rabi N Sahoo , Principal Scientist, IARI; and Mr Srihari Chity , Integrator, PRADAN.

To know more about the program or to apply, click here

Social Alpha Accelerator for Sustainable Last-Mile Logistics: Empowering Mobility Innovations

In a country where walking or cycling is the primary mode of transport for nearly half the population, the need for affordable and sustainable mobility solutions has never been greater. Earlier this year, through the Social Alpha Accelerator for Sustainable Last-Mile Logistics, supported by FedEx, two innovative start-ups—Accelero ( eBik ) and Magnes.in —stepped up to the challenge.

Accelero’s portable electric engine converts regular bicycles into e-bikes, while Mag9’s electric bicycles are redefining sustainable commuting with performance and convenience. Our latest film tells the inspiring story of how these start-ups, supported by Social Alpha, are reshaping mobility, enhancing livelihoods, and improving lives. Watch the film to witness the power of innovation in action!

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