The Best Impact Investment Bet: Innovative Youth-Led Climate Startups

The future doesn’t just belong to the next generation; it depends on them. And, for that future to be green and sustainable, we need young innovators at the forefront. While established brands, NGOs, and CSR projects are doing their part, the climate crisis calls for fresh energy, and youth-led startups deliver exactly that. Our conviction is that when we match young climate innovators’ energy with real support, extraordinary things happen. This International Youth Day, let’s turn potential into progress.

Impact Investment: From Profit-Only to Purpose-Driven

Not too long ago, India’s impact investing scene was just finding its feet. According to McKinsey, it really started making waves between 2010 and 2016 when over 50 forward-thinking investors spotted a golden opportunity and poured in $5.2 billion to support innovative, eco-conscious businesses with projections showing they could touch $6–8 billion by 2025, and today, that prediction feels well within reach.

Source: McKinsey

At first, most of the impact money flowed to areas like clean energy, financial inclusion, education, healthcare, and agriculture. But times have changed. In 2024-25, India drew around USD 3.4 billion in foreign investment for renewable energy alone, a huge leap from previous years and a clear sign that investors are doubling down on the green economy.

Source: CEEW-GFC

Today, impact investors are casting a wider net — from biodiversity and reforestation to sustainable farming and eco-tourism. They’re also backing industries shifting to greener tech and circular economy models. It’s a shift that’s about more than just profit; it’s about shrinking our carbon footprint and making sure the planet has a fighting chance.

Empowering Youth to Drive Climate Solutions

There’s no denying that the next chapter of our planet’s story will be written by young innovators. That’s why youth-led green startups shouldn’t just be in the race for investments, they should be winning them. Their fresh ideas and eco-friendly innovations are exactly what the planet needs right now.

Here’s a list of youth-led startups we love that you should watch out for! 

Alt Carbon

Alt Carbon, founded in 2023 by Shrey and Sparsh Agrawal, is on a bold mission to remove 5 million metric tons of CO₂ by 2030. Their Enhanced Rock Weathering technique locks carbon in the soil while improving crop yields.

Recently, they secured $12 million in seed funding to scale their carbon removal technology. The round was led by tech investor and Physical Intelligence co-founder and CEO, Lachy Groom.

Padcare Labs

Padcare Labs, founded in 2018 by Ajinkya Dhariya, is on a mission to revolutionize menstrual hygiene while keeping our planet clean. With more than $618K in funding, they’ve created a sustainable disposal and recycling solution for sanitary napkins that’s changing the game.

Fitsol

Fitsol, founded in 2022 by Anand Pathak, Akshay Tandon, Manoj Kumar, Sunil Bansal, and Vikas Kalra, is redefining logistics with eco-friendly transport solutions that lower carbon emissions and champion sustainability in the industry. By December 2024, they’d bagged $1 million in seed funding from Transition VC to scale up and expand across India and the Middle East.

Myplan8

Myplan8 is a green-tech startup that turns cutting your carbon footprint into something fun and rewarding with its gamified app and one-of-a-kind Green Score™. It empowers people to see the real climate impact of their everyday choices. With $60.6K in pre-seed funding from high-net-worth investors, they’re gearing up to take their mission to the next level.

While these are just a few youth-led startups making the planet healthier with their sustainable innovations and impact investments, many more climate-focused ventures could achieve incredible results with the right funding support.

Youth Eco Innovators, Powered by Passion

Vaidic Srijan

Vaidic Srijan, a youth-led startup, is proof that nature knows best—its Cownomics® process restores water bodies without a drop of chemicals. It’s the kind of startup impact investors should be eyeing, yet it remains surprisingly unfunded despite government recognition and strong impact potential.

Scrapbuddy

ScrapBuddy, led by young founder Sachin Garg, has reimagined the kabadiwala for the digital age. With services like home scrap pickups, society waste drives, and even vehicle scrapping, they’re making recycling accessible and impactful. So far, they’ve built this eco-friendly hustle without outside funding, starting with just ₹10 lakh of their own.

From Climate Anxiety to Climate Action

Let’s be honest: climate change is scary and climate anxiety is real, but a bunch of young founders are out there doing something about it. They’re launching clean energy projects that slash bills and emissions, helping farmers grow more food with less water and waste, and making sure no community gets left behind—whether that’s training workers for green jobs or bringing solar power to underserved areas. They’re also cutting costs with circular economy hacks, turning pollution into products, and building tech that makes sustainability a habit for everyday people. As these young leaders reinvent industries, they’re creating the most exciting investment opportunities of our time.

Backing Bold Youth-led Ventures

Young innovators are not afraid to shake things up — bringing bold ideas, sparking creativity, and moving fast to make change happen – exactly the traits needed to drive real progress.

That’s why by backing these startups, you can invest in both a greener planet and a generation of entrepreneurs ready to carry the torch forward while boosting returns.

If you’re an investor seeking bold, innovative green startups to support or want to learn more about impact investing, reach out to us @thegreen.pistachio. Together, we can spark partnerships that will surely change the world.

Also, if you’re someone who owns or knows a green start-up that deserves to be featured, then drop the name in the comments, and we’d love to talk about it.

The green wave is building. Let’s make sure no great idea gets left behind.