There is money to be made in the evolved cruelty-free and plant-based markets.

◊ By Humane Society International – India

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Finally, there is talk about the proverbial elephant in the room, with a flurry of activity from advocates and scientists around the world voicing concerns about how the creation of sustainable production systems—a crucial part of fighting climate change—is being largely ignored by world leaders. There was a glaring absence of relevant discussion, much less commitment, during the COP26 Climate Change summit in Glasgow, Scotland, in November 2021.

The animal agriculture industry is responsible for at least 16.5% of human-induced greenhouse gas emissions globally, on par with emissions from all the planes, trains, automobiles and ships around the world. By 2030, the livestock sector is projected to account for nearly half of the world’s emissions budget to stay under the 1.5°C global warming target of the Paris Agreement.

Humane Society International India (HSI/India) recognises the urgent need for a paradigm shift in our food, materials and animal testing systems, away from resource-intensive, inhumane animal-dependent practices and towards sustainable, innovative alternatives.

HSI/India’s Humane Entrepreneurship Program, launched in 2020, supports the development   of viable market alternatives to animal-based products. The program is designed to support humane entrepreneurs in their efforts to launch and accelerate high-impact and transformational business ventures through access to experiential learning, expert mentors, facilitators and investors. In its inaugural year, the program accelerated the progress of four entrepreneurs by providing the space for new connections, strategic advancements and reported upskilling and essential time with more than a dozen investors and venture capitalists propelling them further towards meeting their fundraising goals. This year, 6 innovators have been selected to participate.

Ranjith Kumar, Biodimension

Biodimension focuses on the cruel and unscientific treatment of animals subjected to animal testing and the sheer number of animals used in tests to determine safety for humans in the drug and cosmetics sector. Ranjith Kumar and the multidisciplinary Biodimension team, armed with many years of industrial and research experience, work instead on artificial tissues, a viable technologically advanced substitute to animal-based experiments for safety and toxicity testing. 

Pankaj Khabiya, Ethik

Ethik embodies Pankaj Khabiya’s determination to promote a sustainable and cruelty-free lifestyle for Indian consumers.  Ethik seeks to create an ecosystem for sustainable materials, one that offers consumers cruelty-free fashion made from vegan leather and the promise of better outcomes for animals and the environment.

Jai Khandelwal, NayaMylk

Jai Khandelwal and his team at NayaMylk have engineered a plant-based paneer prototype. The NayaMylk team is passionate about protecting the environment and wanted to build a company that serves as an engine for change. 

Bharat Bakaraju, Phyx44

Bharat Bakaraju’s passionate concern about anthropogenic climate change prompted his founding of Phyx44 with the aim of reducing the dairy industry’s environmental impact by creating climate-friendly alternatives. Phyx44 is creating bovine milk and milk product alternatives based on microbe-created proteins and fats for human consumption. Phyx44 is striving for taste and price parity with traditional bovine milk products, but with two major differences: a much lower carbon footprint and no animal cruelty.

Ishu Bindal, Plantish

Ishu Bindal co-founded the food tech company Plantish with the goal of addressing the food insecurity issues associated with a highly inefficient animal-based food system. Plantish is developing plant-based egg alternatives, which can be used to make hard boiled and scrambled ‘eggs’, omelettes and other egg-based dishes.

Pranjuli Garg, ProMeat

Pranjuli Garg’s ProMeat is passionate about reducing the carbon footprint of meat production and wants to shift Indian consumers towards sustainable protein sources through its offering of plant-based meats. ProMeat relies on indigenous Indian crops to create plant-based meat products.

The six months as participants the Humane Entrepreneurship Program will enable these innovators to streamline their business models, enhance their prototypes and create robust marketing pitches. The program will also facilitate their engagement with mentors, technical experts, investors, global leaders and changemakers through the Humane Entrepreneurship Network.

There is tremendous opportunity in the entrepreneurial arena to meet our desperate need for production systems that are more environmentally sound, health-enhancing for current and future generations, responsive to resource scarcity and respectful of animal welfare imperatives.

Innovation is rapidly opening up a world of alternatives to meat, dairy, eggs, leather and animal testing, with results that are significantly better for the environment, our health and animal welfare.

HSI/India, through the Humane Entrepreneurship Program, endeavours to bolster this new age of humane production ecosystems to create a kinder, more sustainable world for all.

Reference in this article to any specific commercial product or service, or the use of any brand, trade, firm or corporation name is for the information of the public only, and does not constitute or imply endorsement by HSI/India or any of its affiliates of the product or service, or its producer or provider, and should not be construed or relied upon, under any circumstances, by implication or otherwise, as investment advice.  Links and access by hypertext to other websites is provided as a convenience only and does not indicate or imply any endorsement with respect to any of the content on such website nor any of the views expressed thereon.