Reaffirming its mission to back entrepreneurs who can change lives and the planet, IIM Calcutta Innovation Park (IIMCIP) has entered into a landmark five-year partnership with TechnoServe’s Greenr Sustainability Accelerator. Building on its recently launched ₹50 crore Cleantech & Sustainability Fund, the collaboration is set to nurture India’s next generation of green startups. The Greenr Sustainability Accelerator by TechnoServe, supported by the IKEA Foundation and Visa Foundation, is one of the largest not-for-profit accelerators dedicated to green small and growing businesses (Green SGBs).
Together, the two organizations will nurture and scale 20–25 early-stage green startups annually, building a robust pipeline of enterprises addressing India’s most pressing climate and sustainability challenges. Under the structured partnership, all ventures will receive support through IIMCIP’s incubation programme; the top 10 – 15 high-performing ventures will then advance to the Greenr accelerator for advanced support, market linkages, and investor access. This collaboration strengthens India’s position as a hub for cleantech innovation and drives climate-positive entrepreneurship.
Delivering Measurable Impact Over Five Years
The five-year partnership will follow a structured cycle of design, outreach, selection, incubation, and implementation support. It is specifically crafted to help startups build investable products, secure market access and funding, and develop scalable, sustainable business models.
● Pipeline & Funding: Build a strong pipeline, with 10 – 15 startups annually advancing to Greenr’s accelerator, and enable 20% of all participating enterprises to successfully raise external funding.
● Inclusivity: Ensure a minimum of 30% participation by women-led startups to promote diversity in the green economy.
● Job Creation: Drive significant employment generation by helping each enterprise create a substantial number of new, quality jobs across the rapidly growing green economy.
● Social Impact: Ensure each enterprise delivers transformative social change by positively impacting thousands of lives through the deployment of cutting-edge climate and sustainability-focused solutions.
As one of India’s leading incubators, IIM Calcutta Innovation Park will leverage its extensive network to identify and nurture high-potential startups through a structured incubation program. Greenr, in turn, will complement these efforts by bringing its global networks, specialized acceleration support, and rigorous impact reporting capabilities. Fundraising will be a shared responsibility, ensuring participating ventures are well-positioned for external investment.
Ajay Jain, Chairman, IIM Calcutta Innovation Park, said: “At IIMCIP, we firmly believe that India’s vision of Viksit Bharat 2047 will be shaped by entrepreneurs who fuse innovation with sustainability. This collaboration with TechnoServe is a powerful strategic step, directly accelerating our recently launched ₹50 crore Cleantech & Sustainability Fund. Together, we are set to empower the next wave of green entrepreneurs with the necessary resources, mentorship, and market access to deliver impact at scale.”
Ajay Menon, Program Director, Greenr Sustainability Accelerator and Senior Practice Lead (Entrepreneurship), TechnoServe, added: “Addressing the climate challenge demands not just bold ideas, but an entire ecosystem capable of sustaining them. Through Greenr, we are committed to building that robust ecosystem, bringing in global networks, expert advisory, investors, and clear impact metrics. Having worked with 200+ green startups in the last 2.5 years, across various sectors, we have the expertise and network to sturdily support other green startups in the space. Our partnership with IIMCIP ensures that the most promising Indian startups receive world-class incubation and acceleration support they need to thrive and become market leaders.”
