Kumar Bahukhandi
In a major push to future-proof Indiaʼs fastest-growing city against climate stress, UnboxingBLR – in partnership with Social Alpha and WTFund, and supported by the Government of Karnataka and the Greater Bengaluru Authority GBA – announced today, the five winning startups of Namma Bengaluru Challenge ʼ26 (NBC ʼ26) that will each receive Rs. 25 lakhs to deploy their innovations across Bengaluru.
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UnboxingBLR – Namma Bengaluru Challenge ’26 winners with jury
NBC ’26 is turning Bengaluru into a sandbox for finding solutions to climate-triggered challenges that the city faces. The challenge aspires to test ideas that can be piloted on real streets, real buildings and real communities before scaling up across cities.
The five winners were selected from nearly 600 registrations from across India, making NBC ʼ26 one of the country’s most competitive and high-impact climate innovation challenges.
Over the next six months, the startups will pilot solutions that directly address Bengaluruʼs most urgent environmental challenges across construction, water and waste—a few critical pillars of the cityʼs Bengaluru Climate Action and Resilience Plan (BCAP).
“Bengaluru is running out of time on climate, but not out of ideas. What NBC ʼ26 proves is that when entrepreneurs, government and industry come together, we can move from pilots to real solutions that change how the city is built, powered and sustained,ˮ said Prashanth Prakash, Chairman and Co-founder, UnboxingBLR.
NBC ’26 is powered by a strong consortium of partners committed to systemic change.
Challenge Partners
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Bangalore International Airport Limited
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Brigade Group
Program Partners
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Bangalore Climate Action Cell (Climate Action Partner)
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WRI India (Knowledge Partner)
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Brigade REAP
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CoEvolve Estates (Pilot Partner)
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Biome Environmental Solutions (Pilot Partner)
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GoodEarth (Pilot Partner)
Why this matters now:
Bengaluru has lost 93% of its lakes and green cover to urban expansion, while construction has grown by over 1,000% in the last two decades. The result: worsening water shortages, rising heat, polluted air and fragile waste systems — all hitting the cityʼs most vulnerable
communities the hardest.
NBC ʼ26 bridges this gap by moving climate innovation out of labs and into neighbourhoods, backed by government, industry and investors working together.
“We are thrilled to see the exciting diversity of innovators selected in the Namma Bengaluru Challenge ʼ26, with solutions spanning sustainable construction materials, effluent treatment, and circular materials. This reflects a growing recognition that impactful climate-tech solutions must be as varied as the urban challenges we face. The pilots enabled through this challenge will help de-risk promising technologies, strengthen pathways to scale, and accelerate real-world impact in Bengaluru and beyond. We look forward to partnering with this cohort as they move from bold ideas to demonstrable outcomes that advance urban sustainability and resilience,ˮ said Manoj Kumar, Founder, Social Alpha.
The Five NBC ʼ26 Winners
1. Carbon Craft Design
Category: Sustainable Construction
Founder: Tejas Sidnal
Carbon Craft Design is reinventing building materials using low-carbon blocks and panels made from industrial waste and recovered carbon. Their products can replace conventional bricks, tiles and facades—cutting emissions where Bengaluru produces them the most: in construction.
2. SatiQ Concrete Manufacturer
Category: Low-Carbon Concrete
Founders: Shantanu Bhattacherjee, Smrati Jain
SatiQ Concrete Manufacturer develops next-generation cement binders that dramatically reduce the carbon footprint of concrete. By working directly with ready-mix plants, precast manufacturers and builders, Satiq is helping decarbonise the backbone of Indiaʼs urban growth.
3. Tellus Habitat
Category: Water & Sanitation
Founders: Dr. Seema Sukhani, Naveen Janardhana
Tellus Habitatʼs R3H2O system treats sewage locally using advanced bio-filters, making wastewater reusable for gardening, flushing and cleaning. This reduces dependence on freshwater while easing pressure on Bengaluruʼs overburdened sewage network.
4. Go Do Good
Category: Plastic-Free Packaging
Founders: Khushboo Gandhi, Chanakya Medh, Ronak Gandhi
Go Do Good has created 100% plant-based coatings and inks that replace plastic layers in food packaging. Their technology keeps food safe and fresh—without adding to the mountains
of plastic waste choking Bengaluruʼs landfills.
5. Sunbird Straws
Category: Circular Biomaterials
Founders: Chirag M G, Saji Varghese
Sunbird Straws makes fully compostable straws from fallen coconut leaves—strong enough for hours of use, yet completely biodegradable. The model also creates income for rural women, linking climate action with livelihoods.
A model for Indian cities
As Indian cities grapple with heat waves, floods, water shortages and waste crises, NBC ʼ26 offers a new blueprint—where government, corporates and climate entrepreneurs move in lockstep from pilot to policy to scale.
“Cities donʼt become climate-resilient through intent — they become resilient through evidence. The pilots under NBC ʼ26 will generate exactly the kind of data cities need to scale what works and move faster on climate action,ˮ said Pavitra Shankar, Managing Director, Brigade Group.
“The real challenge in climate innovation is not invention, itʼs adoption and scale-up. NBC ʼ26 creates that missing bridge — by backing bold solutions that can be piloted and scaled up at a city-level. The challenge brings capital, founders and the city together to solve problems in the startup capital Bengaluru,ˮ added Malini Goyal, Co-Founder & CEO, UnboxingBLR.
“Urban climate challenges demand solutions that are practical, scalable, and rooted in collaboration. Platforms like the Namma Bengaluru Challenge create the conditions for innovation to move from concept to real-world application. At BIAL, we are committed to supporting solutions that are evidence-led and capable of delivering lasting environmental impact for the city,ˮ said Hari Marar, Managing Director & CEO, Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL).
UnboxingBLR
UnboxingBLR (UBLR) is a Bengaluru-focused collaborative platform dedicated to celebrating and shaping the city’s culture and identity. Founded in 2023 by Prashanth Prakash and Malini Goyal, UBLR brings together people, communities, and institutions to co-create Bengaluru’s story, serving as a city champion, idea catalyst, and collaborative platform.
UBLR drives initiatives such as the Namma Bengaluru Challenge, an accelerator that supports startups and changemakers tackling urban challenges; BLR Hubba, a city-wide festival celebrating art and culture; the annual We Are City Data Report, a data-driven snapshot of how citizens experience and engage with Bengaluru; and Code to Culture, a podcast exploring the city and its people. Together, these initiatives highlight citizen-led innovation and showcase Bengaluru’s cultural vibrancy in action.
