BioCompute, co-founded by Anagha Rajesh, is a pioneering startup utilizing DNA for data storage to reduce emissions from data centers, has been awarded India’s largest non-equity climate entrepreneurship grant worth Rs 31 lakh. The grant was presented at the SusCrunch 2024 event, organized by the Sustainability Mafia (SusMafia) in collaboration with the Pilani Innovation and Entrepreneurship Development Society (PIEDS).
SusCrunch 2024 brought together over 300 climate decision-makers, including startups, investment funds, and corporations, to foster innovation and investment in climate tech. The event featured pitches from 10 climate action startups, highlighting the potential for scalable solutions in combating climate change. BioCompute emerged as the standout, receiving the prestigious “Big Pie” grant aimed at propelling the startup to the forefront of the global climate action movement.
Priya Shah, General Partner at Theia Ventures and Director of SusMafia, emphasized the importance of the event and the collaborative efforts required to scale impactful solutions. Theia Ventures, the investment partner for SusCrunch 2024, aims to catalyze $100 million in investments into Indian climate tech startups by 2030.
The summit also showcased high-performance electric trucks from Planet Electric, presented by founder Gagan Agarwal, and featured insights from Kuldeep Jain, Founder and Managing Director of CleanMax, on building a large renewable energy company in India.
The SusVentures program, a collaboration between SusMafia and the Birla Institute of Technology and Science (BITS Pilani), graduated its first cohort at SusCrunch 2024. This program mentored early-stage climate entrepreneurs, resulting in the creation of 14 startups across sectors such as the circular economy, energy efficiency, and electric vehicles. BioCompute’s innovative approach to using DNA for data storage positions it as a crucial player in reducing the carbon footprint of data centers, which are significant contributors to global emissions. The Rs 31 lakh grant will support BioCompute in further developing its technology and scaling its operations, contributing to the broader fight against climate change.