iNDICA NEWS BUREAU-
The New York-based global investment bank and financial services company, Morgan Stanley has invested in the Hyderabad-based recycling company Recykal, with $22 million.
Recykal is a B2B marketplace for waste and provider of cloud-based solutions to facilitate transparent and traceable material flows in waste.
The company’s existing investors Circulate Capital, Vellayan Subbiah, and Arun Venkatachalam from the Murugappa Family also participated in this round. This is the second institutional fundraise by the company after a $4 million round in 2020.
The company plans to use these funds for strengthening its technology, expanding its B2B marketplace pan India and building hyper-local waste processing infrastructure. This will enable the circular economy and help corporate India in achieving its sustainability goals.
India generates more than 60 million tones of municipal solid waste per annum, while a mere c.20% is processed or recycled. Rapid urbanization has made the country one of the top waste generators globally.
The introduction of tighter regulations such as Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) have imposed a high compliance requirement for brand owners.
Recykal works with several consumer brands to assist them in implementing sustainability solutions in India. The company has also launched B2B Marketplace for waste that connects participants across the waste value chain to enhance efficiency and economics for all.
“Recykal Marketplace and other technology-driven sustainability solutions have a direct impact on the waste management ecosystem and its stakeholders. These innovations will pave the way to tap into the $100 billion potential that the waste management industry holds,” said Abhay Deshpande, Founder and CEO, Recykal, in a statement.
Founded in 2016, Recykal has been recognized with several national awards and was the first Indian startup in the World Economic Forum’s Circular Accelerator Program 2021.
“Waste management in India and many other parts of the world is already a big problem and it is getting worse. We believe our investment will allow Recykal to play a leadership role in implementing scalable and sustainable solutions to one of society’s biggest challenges,” said Raja Parthasarathy, Managing Director and Co-Head of Morgan Stanley India Infrastructure, in a statement.
So far, Recykal has channelized 200,000 tones of dry waste through its platform back into the circular economy and away from landfills and water bodies by digitally connecting 100 brands, 1000 corporates, 150 recyclers, 80 government agencies on one platform.
“The company is making a difference to advancing the circular economy in India. Recykal’s model is proof that the creation of both financial and environmental value can go hand in hand,” said Rob Kaplan, Founder and CEO, Circulate Capital.