Startup

In Sadri, Rajasthan, the Raika community, known for herding camels, has shifted from trading to sustainable camel milk production through Camel Charisma. This social enterprise, led by Dr Ilse Köhler - Rollefson and Hanwant Singh Rathore, is helping preserve the Raikas’ way of life and livelihood.

Rani Sunny from Idukki developed a range of innovative products from Jackfruit— including dried jackfruit, dried jackfruit powder, frozen tender jackfruit, wholesome jackfruit powder, dried jackfruit seed, dried jackfruit seed powder, and jackfruit pulp -- All from a small room near her house.

Can bioleather really replace animal leather? Pritesh Mistry’s The Bio Company is answering this question by turning tomato waste into eco-friendly bioleather.

From a Guwahati kitchen to homes across India, 20-year-old Tilak Pandit’s Desi Tesi is bringing thekua and Bihari nostalgia back in style.

An MBA dropout in Jaipur launched Jeevan Mushroom in 2017 to fill a gap in spawn availability. Today he runs India’s first commercial mushroom spawn lab in Rajasthan, produces 80 tonnes per month, supports export markets, and trains aspiring growers.

Let’s Scrap is an innovative approach by three friends, who help corporations and households recycle at least 20,000 metric tonnes of waste. This has generated profits for the companies and boosts environmental compliance, too.

Hariom Nautiyal quit his corporate career and went back to his village in Dehradun. Starting from scratch, he set up ‘Dhanya Dhenu’ to sell dairy products, pickles, candies, and ice cream. Here's how he established a multi-crore empire in a village.

Palak Arora, founder of Millium, is improving the future of traditional millet farming with her food brand. Combining food engineering expertise and a passion for nutrition, she is making healthy and ready-to-cook millet mixes accessible to modern consumers across India and supporting local farmers.

The three friends got together to take the entrepreneurial plunge and founded Heart in Hills in 2021. The venture operated in Uttarakhand by procuring millets directly from local farmers, offering them 10-15% higher prices than the market rate as an incentive for their quality produce.

It began in a classroom but now touches the lives of over 150 families. At the heart of this growing skincare brand? A rare ingredient, a powerful mission, and one woman’s belief in doing business differently.