NSRCEL and Pernod Ricard India Foundation Advance Circular Economy Innovation with Cohort 3

Bengaluru, April 17, 2026: NSRCEL, in partnership with Pernod Ricard India Foundation, has concluded the third cohort of its Circular Economy Incubation Program, reinforcing efforts to support sustainable innovation and climate-focused entrepreneurship in India.

The programme provided a structured platform for 10 startups, offering mentorship, industry linkages, grant funding, and strategic guidance. These interventions enabled participating ventures to progress from early-stage prototypes to pilot deployments and move closer to revenue generation and market readiness.

A total of ₹95 lakh in grants was disbursed to the cohort in phases, supporting startups working across areas such as climate-smart agriculture, plastic circularity, and glass recycling. The initiative continues to focus on building scalable and commercially viable solutions to address environmental challenges.

Several startups from the cohort achieved notable milestones during the programme. Hydroplas secured the Government of India’s TIDE 2.0 grant, while Reneonix raised ₹1.7 crore in a pre-seed funding round led by Inflection Point Ventures. Billion Carbon received recognition at the Zydus Innovation Challenge and was named first runner-up at the Zomato Agri Innovation Challenge 2025. Inventive Scientific Minds was also featured in Forbes India’s “Top 100 Startups to Watch for 2025” under the “Leap to Unicorn” category.

Commenting on the programme, Anand Sri Ganesh, CEO, NSRCEL, said, “Through this partnership with Pernod Ricard India Foundation, we are seeing a strong convergence between sustainability and scalable business innovation. The progress demonstrated by Cohort 3 reflects not only the resilience and ingenuity of the founders but also the importance of structured support in helping startups translate circular economy ideas into commercially viable solutions. We remain committed to enabling entrepreneurs who are building for both impact and growth.”

Ms. Anantika Singh, Senior Director - CSR, Pernod Ricard India, added, “At Pernod Ricard India Foundation, we believe that the future of sustainability lies in enabling innovation that is both impactful and scalable. Through our partnership with NSRCEL, we are proud to support entrepreneurs who are building practical, circular solutions to some of today’s most pressing environmental challenges. The progress of this cohort reinforces our commitment to strengthening the circular economy ecosystem in India while creating long-term value for communities and society.”

Now in its third year, the collaboration between NSRCEL and Pernod Ricard India Foundation continues to strengthen India’s circular economy ecosystem by supporting startups that combine environmental impact with business viability.