Catalyzing Investment in India and Kenya for SGBs in Waste Management and Circular Economy
ANDE, in partnership with the IKEA Foundation, launched the second phase of its project supporting green entrepreneurship in India and Kenya.
Through an innovative project aimed at increasing the financing available to early-stage enterprises operating in the Waste Management & Circular Economy sectors, this initiative marks a significant stride toward a greener, more inclusive economy where entrepreneurs in India and Kenya can flourish and generate quality employment opportunities in the waste and circularity sector.
About the Project
In partnership with the IKEA Foundation, ANDE set out in 2021 to understand and bolster support for green entrepreneurial ecosystems in India and Kenya to help both countries adapt to the effects of climate change. The project brought together donors, investors, enterprise support organizations, policymakers, and entrepreneurs to identify and support solutions to propel the growth of green enterprises in India and Kenya.
The initial effort culminated in four research studies that delineated the current state of green entrepreneurial activity and identified opportunities and challenges unique to green SGBs in each country.
Now, ANDE and the IKEA Foundation are pleased to launch a second phase of the project, specifically aiming to improve access to finance in the waste and circularity sector.
The waste and circularity sector presents one of the largest market opportunities in India (US $823.2 billion) and Kenya (US $53.9 billion) but receives inadequate levels of support from stakeholders.
The primary challenge identified by stakeholders was access to finance, with barriers including low investor confidence and familiarity with green business models, a limited number of investment-ready green businesses, and a need for more policy support to incentivize formalization and improve the competitiveness of green businesses.
The project will address these challenges by:
ANDE will support a selected group of investors interested in waste management and circularity in India or Kenya through a series of activities to improve their knowledge, networks, and strategies around investing in the sector.
The Investment Innovation Fund enables selected entrepreneurship support organizations (ESOs) to design interventions in consultation with investors that are likely to lead to more capital deployed in waste and circularity businesses.
ANDE’s Waste & Circularity Action Lab in Kenya will bring together a variety of sector stakeholders to identify innovative, collaborative solutions to systemic challenges facing the waste and circularity sector in Kenya.
ANDE will partner with local advocacy partner organizations in India and Kenya to connect 20+ public and private ecosystem actors, validate policy recommendations, and advocate for policy reform in the waste management and circular economy sector.
Fueling Circular Economy Growth in India with $300,000 Investment
The Waste & Circularity Investment Innovation Fund awards $300,000 to two Indian organizations to accelerate capital flow to waste and circularity businesses, fostering a thriving green entrepreneurial ecosystem.
This landscape guide is intended to outline India’s current context in recycling and circularity, with a focus on the investment potential, opportunities and business models in the ten most significant waste streams in India. It provides a framework for how investment potential in a waste stream can be determined, which covers five areas that define that potential: market size and growth; investable start-up pipeline; product readiness; policy support; financing needs and gaps. The guide also includes a historical outline of investments and funding in each waste stream and outlines the roles and participation of various types of equity funders, along with the potential and participation of non-dilutive funding options.
Kenya's waste management and circularity sector offers significant opportunities for investors, driven by economic growth, increasing waste generation, growing regulations and innovations. This introductory guide is the first in a series that also includes investment guides that deep dive into each of the highest opportunity sub-sectors in Kenya’s waste and circularity sector: plastic waste, wastewater, organic waste and integrated waste management. These guides provide further information on trends, opportunities, policies and challenges, as well as further details on the main identified business models and their financing needs and case studies of successful businesses.
Climate change and environmental degradation pose a significant threat to Kenya’s economy. To combat these challenges, Kenya has supported a green economic transition through various government policies and initiatives. Green entrepreneurs play an important role in helping the country reach these climate and environmental targets by meeting consumer needs in a sustainable manner. This report examines the ecosystem of support for green entrepreneurs in Kenya. Using data collected via surveys and desk research, this snapshot report uncovers important challenges and opportunities for green entrepreneurship to inform stakeholders of how to better support the development of Kenya’s green economy.
This report establishes a baseline understanding of the state of green entrepreneurship in Kenya by assessing existing business models, the available financial and technical support for entrepreneurs, and key sectoral issues regarding the policy landscape and market opportunity. The purpose of the study is to inform decision-makers, such as policymakers, donors, investors, and business development service providers, of the primary trends, opportunities, and challenges in the green entrepreneurial ecosystem in Kenya.
Climate change and environmental degradation place significant stress on India’s biodiversity, food supply, water and energy security, and human health. The private sector will play a critical role in achieving these objectives, particularly growth-oriented entrepreneurship that can bring new ideas into practice, introduce technical innovations, and create demand for new environmentally friendly goods and services. According to the International Labour Organization (ILO), green entrepreneurs address climate change and/or create a positive environmental value either through the process of delivering products/services (e.g., utilizing clean technologies) or by working in a green sector (e.g., waste management). Such entrepreneurs tackle climate change from multiple angles.
This report establishes a baseline understanding of the state of green entrepreneurship in India by assessing existing business models, the available financial and technical support for entrepreneurs, and key sectoral issues regarding the policy landscape and market opportunity. The purpose of the study is to inform decision-makers, such as policymakers, donors, investors, and business development service providers, of the primary trends, opportunities, and challenges in the green entrepreneurial ecosystem in India.
The damaging effects of climate change in India are all-encompassing, threatening agriculture and food supplies, energy security, water security, and public health. To ameliorate climate and environmental challenges, India has committed to a green economic transition through various government policies and initiatives. India has the the world’s third largest entrepreneurial ecosystem after the United States and China, and an increasing number of sustainability-oriented startups, investors, incubators, and accelerators in India is shaping a vibrant green ecosystem. This report examines the ecosystem of support for green entrepreneurs in India. Using data collected via surveys and desk research, this snapshot report uncovers important challenges and opportunities for green entrepreneurship to inform stakeholders of how to better support the development of India’s green economy.
Join ANDE in this transformative journey towards a sustainable future, where green businesses succeed and lead the way in innovation and job creation.
For more details or to get involved, reach out to:
- India – Ananya Saini (ananya.saini@aspeninstitute.org)
- Kenya – Francis Gitau (francis.gitau@aspeninstitute.org)