Long recognized as India’s premier automotive and manufacturing hub, Pune is rapidly emerging as a dynamic epicenter for clean-tech innovation. This evolution is fueled by a unique confluence of factors: a deep reservoir of skilled engineering talent, a robust manufacturing ecosystem, and a vibrant entrepreneurial culture. This fertile ground has become the launchpad for a new generation of startups developing foundational solutions for a sustainable future.
From EV components to the circular economy, here are five pioneering companies from Pune that are shaping India’s green transition.
1. Clean Electric: Solving EV Battery Challenges
Founded in 2016 by engineers Akash Gupta, Abhinav Roy, and Ankit Joshi, Clean Electric is a deep-tech startup tackling the biggest hurdles in EV adoption: charging time and safety. Operating on a B2B model, the company partners with over 12 EV OEMs, providing the advanced, fast-charging battery packs that become a key selling point for the final vehicle.
- Core Innovation: A patented immersion cooling technology that fully submerges battery cells in a non-flammable coolant. This allows for uniform temperature control, enabling a game-changing 0-100% charge in just 12-15 minutes while eliminating the risk of thermal runaway, a major safety concern in India’s hot climate.
- Longevity and Safety: The company’s LFP-based batteries have been tested for over 3,700 rapid charge cycles with only 11% degradation, a testament to their proprietary charging algorithms.
- Market Validation: Backed by prominent deep-tech VCs like pi Ventures and Kalaari Capital, Clean Electric is currently collaborating with 12 EV OEMs including Bounce Infinity and Omega Seiki Mobility, aiming for a tenfold increase in its annual run rate to ₹100 crore by September 2025.
2. EMotorad: Dominating E-Mobility with Global Ambition
Launched in 2020, EMotorad has redefined urban and recreational mobility, capturing a commanding 75% domestic market share in the e-cycle segment. The strategic involvement of cricketer M.S. Dhoni as an investor and brand ambassador has been pivotal in transforming the e-cycle from a niche product into an aspirational lifestyle choice for mainstream India.
- Omni-Channel Strategy: The company masterfully blends online and offline sales, with over 600 dealers driving 85% of its domestic business, while its export operation accounts for 70% of sales across 58 countries.
- Mass-Market Penetration: The launch of its budget-friendly X-Factor series, with an entry price of ₹24,999, was instrumental in making e-cycles a mainstream consideration for a much broader segment of the Indian population.
- Future Growth: The ongoing construction of its Dynem Gigafactory in Pune, set to be South Asia’s largest integrated e-cycle plant with a capacity of 500,000 units annually, will power its global ambitions and reduce dependence on imports.
3. Attron Automotive: Powering a Self-Reliant EV Industry
Established in 2021, Attron Automotive’s mission is strategically aligned with India’s Atmanirbhar Bharat (Self-Reliant India) initiative. The company develops and manufactures high-performance electric motors and controllers, aiming to reduce the nation’s critical dependence on imported EV powertrain components.
- Efficiency as an Edge: Attron’s core innovation is a proprietary motor with a patented topology that achieves a peak efficiency of over 97%—a new industry benchmark that translates directly to longer vehicle range.
- Strategic Niche: The company is initially targeting the 3 and 4-wheeler commercial vehicle market, aiming for a 10% market share within three years by offering a clear Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) advantage to fleet operators.
- Diversification: The company is actively expanding into other high-potential sectors like defense, agriculture, and marine applications, having already delivered its first batch of motors for a defense contract.
4. WITHOUT: Turning Waste into a Social Enterprise
Founded in 2020 by Anish Malpani, WITHOUT is a pioneering social enterprise tackling one of the world’s most challenging waste problems: Multi-Layered Plastics (MLP) like chip packets, which have a global recycling rate of less than 1%.paste.txt
- Technological Breakthrough: Using a proprietary chemo-mechanical process, WITHOUT transforms this “unrecyclable” waste into high-quality materials for sunglasses and other products, demonstrating that value can be created from what was once considered trash.
- Impact-First Model: Guided by an “Impact first” philosophy, the company operates as a for-profit business that reinvests profits into its social mission: providing formal, dignified employment to waste-pickers with double the industry-norm wages, health insurance, and paid leave.
- Credibility and Recognition: Its appearance on Shark Tank India and winning the UN’s Circular Design Challenge have validated its model of creating high-value products to fund profound social and environmental change.
5. AgriVijay: Catalyzing a Green Revolution in Rural India
Founded in June 2020 by the mother-son duo Shobha Chanchlani and Vimal Panjwani, AgriVijay is an Ag-tech social enterprise empowering farmers with renewable energy solutions. It operates as India’s first marketplace for rural green energy products, overcoming the barriers of trust and digital literacy.
- Phygital Model: While a digital platform offers a curated portfolio of over 200 products like solar pumps and biogas digesters, its network of 80+ village-level franchise stores provides the indispensable human touch and last-mile service.
- Quantifiable Impact: As of its latest report, the company has mitigated over 124,153 tonnes of CO2 emissions and generated over ₹2.87 crore in savings for farmers.
- Grassroots Empowerment: The company’s franchise model empowers local rural entrepreneurs to start their own businesses with minimal investment, creating a self-sustaining ecosystem for clean energy adoption in rural India.
| Company | Sector | Founding Year | Key Founders | Total Funding (USD) | Valuation (INR) | Core Offering | Business Model |
| Clean Electric | EV Battery Technology, Energy Storage | 2016 | Akash Gupta, Abhinav Roy, Ankit Joshi | $8.35M | ₹177 Cr | Advanced liquid-cooled, fast-charging battery packs | B2B |
| EMotorad | E-Mobility, Electric Bicycles | 2020 | Rajib Gangopadhyay, Kunal Gupta, Aditya Oza, Sumedh Battewar | $28.3M | ₹579 Cr | Premium and affordable electric bicycles | B2C, B2B (Exports) |
| Attron Automotive | EV Powertrain Technology | 2021 | Mosam Ugemuge, Shubham Pode, Chander Udhay Singh, Mohit Borkar | $575K | ₹18.4 Cr | High-efficiency electric motors and controllers | B2B |
| WITHOUT | Circular Economy, Material Science | 2020 | Anish Malpani | $583K | ₹64 Cr | Sustainable eyewear and materials from ‘unrecyclable’ plastic | B2C, B2B |
| AgriVijay | Agri-Tech, Renewable Energy | 2020 | Shobha Chanchlani, Vimal Panjwani | $133K | ₹29.2 Cr | Marketplace for rural renewable energy products (solar, biogas) | B2B2C |
