Pune Inc: How a climate activist became a solutionist, founded startup helping you go green

“It was while completing a project on climate change at SCMS that my interest shifted towards sustainability,” he says.

Soon, he would enter an activist mode, visiting schools and colleges to talk to students about climate change. Singh realised that nobody– students or corporates – was in any doubt about anthropogenic global warming and its implication for the planet, “but the action was still missing”.

“Then, it got into my head that we need to build a sustainability aggregator. The company aimed to provide all the necessary services under one roof. And, that too, at an affordable and effective cost,” says Singh, who is the CEO.

By 2023, ExploreiT had become an Amazon for sustainability services. Naman Maheshwari, a chartered accountant, joined as director, strategy and finance. Sathya Natrajan, CEO of the Climate Troopers Foundation, the non-profit wing of ExploreiT, empowers individuals as climate warriors through innovative solutions that draw from his experience in product development, customer success and tech support.

India aims to reach net zero by 2070, but according to the Climate Action Tracker, its performance as of September 2024 (the latest available data) was “highly insufficient”. Startups, such as ExploreiT, have the potential to make a difference, especially with AI-led innovations coming into the sustainability sector. “We see huge scope all across India, the Middle East, Europe and South Asia,” says Singh.

Solution searching through innovations

ExploreiT’s menu covers services such as reviewing an organisation’s environmental standard based on its practices in energy, water, waste, and emissions management, as well as compliance, among others.

“This assessment helps identify opportunities for improving sustainability and reducing the organisation’s environmental impact. Since most companies are moving towards Net Zero, they are interested in improvements. Companies also have CSR funds and we guide them through projects like converting a school into a climate-resilient building using eco paint and reflectors,” says Singh.

ExploreiT professionals have set up vertical forests and butterfly gardens; electric vehicle infrastructure in the form of bikes, charging stations and battery setups; and building solutions to check urban heat. They install solar panels on campuses and set up resource recycling centres that focus on collecting waste from parks and colleges, among other critical spaces, and converting these into resources using innovations.

“Our data suggests that with a third or half the budget, we can get thrice the impact. Pune has lots of problems, like water, traffic and air pollution. We are working to come up with a solution. With ExploreiT, our journey has shifted from activism to project execution or finding a solution,” says Singh, adding that within the office, they consider themselves solutionists.

A challenge for companies such as ExploreiT is a mix of concern and ignorance among people that is best demonstrated during the hectic plantation drives that surround World Environment Day. Six months later, few of the saplings have survived. In most cases, the plants are neither native nor suitable for the environment. ExploreiT is avoiding the pitfall by being mentored by two eminent experts, Dr Erach Bharucha and Dr Gurudas Nulkar.

One of their successes can be seen in Camp, where 721 saplings have survived for nine to 10 months. “I’m pretty sure that there will be some attrition, but I’m also confident that defence lands are going to give us the best results,” says Singh. Another successful project was a plantation in Yerwada’s open prison. “The rationale is to bring back the Western Ghats to Pune and avoid the ornamental plants which do not belong here,” he adds.

Young people are increasingly expressing interest in working to save the planet. “This is a great job, but I think the parental mindset to accept someone venturing out into the green sector is also very important. I come from a joint family, so there was no pressure on me. But this sector is not traditional, so parents need to have a mindset to take risks,” he says.