In India’s innovation capital – Bengaluru, a promising climate tech startup has developed a breakthrough biomass processing solution. However, the venture faces a challenge: the lack of experienced talent to bring it to scale. It’s an emerging & familiar challenge.
This scenario isn’t unique to Bengaluru; it’s a microcosm of a larger crisis unfolding across India’s climate tech ecosystem.
As India races toward taking a global lead in climate action, the critical question is whether the nation can build the leadership and talent pipelines needed to sustain this progress.

Foreword
Why Climate?
The world is at a tipping point. Global temperatures are rising faster than ever, led by human activity such as excessive burning of fossil fuels and deforestation caused by rapid industrialization and urbanization. Every 1 degree celsius rise in temperature costs 12% of the world’s GDP. Climate change is the single biggest challenge that unites the human race today.
We know this, so why now?
As per the United Nations, the damaging greenhouse gas emissions need to be reduced to half by 2030 in order to curtail the rise in temperature of more than 1.5 degree celsius. The next two years are crucial, or else it would be too late to keep the emissions rate in check, leading to unleashing of more catastrophic extreme weather and heat conditions and a point of no return.
Balancing the growth needs of a developing country while keeping the disastrous effects of climate change in check, is a challenging proposition for India. India is taking center stage in the climate fight and will play a significant role “in the global distribution of climate technology and technology transfer, in particular, solar technology” as per the IMF.
At Euforbia, over the last 8 years, we have partnered with young tech firms enabling them to grow and create impact at scale. Positioned at the intersection of tech and climate, we see this as an opportunity to enable career transitions and build for the exciting and crucial new world of climate tech.
Our vision is to accelerate our planet’s transition to net zero by helping organizations move faster on their climate journey, because time is of essence.
The first from Euforbia’s editorial desk in our new series Euforbia Climate Chronicles, this our attempt to spark a dialogue, offer our perspective, and amplify a collective voice to initiate change.

Climate Tech: The World & India
While the world grapples with the catastrophic effects of climate change today, the need for innovative solutions to tackle this critical problem takes center stage. The urgency of addressing climate change has catalyzed growth in the sector. Worldover, climate tech investments reached unprecedented levels in 2023.
India is Unique : So are its Challenges & Opportunities
As the world’s most populous country, and one with an important global economic voice today, India is uniquely positioned.
With a 1.4 billion, young, entrepreneurial population at a median age of 28.4 years and developing regulatory, policy, digital, financial and physical infrastructure, India is expected to grow at 6.8% of real GDP in 2024, compared to the world average of 3.2%.
As the world’s fastest growing economy however, there is a significant environmental cost to pay. India’s high ranking of 7 on the Climate Vulnerability Index makes it especially susceptible to natural disasters such as extreme heat, droughts, sea-level rise, floods, and landslides—a reality we are already experiencing.
While India’s per capita greenhouse gas emissions are about one third the global average at 2.07 tCO₂e (tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent), they still are amongst the highest, and pose a concern. The cost of climate change for a developing nation like India is projected to be 35% of its GDP, compared to 24% for the rest of developing Asia by 2100. 3
The good news? Our young and dynamic workforce is fueling innovation and entrepreneurship, particularly in areas of Energy Transition, Clean Mobility, Sustainable Agriculture, Waste and Circularity. India’s entrepreneurial population with a proactive policy and right capital, sets the stage for India to take the lead in the fight against climate change through its biggest strength – People.
India’s Climate Tech Landscape
India’s commitment to net zero emissions by 2070 and sourcing 50% electricity from renewables by 2030, marks its pivotal stand in the global climate fight.
While its share of global climate tech investment remains relatively small in comparison to markets like the US and Europe, India’s growth rate outpaces many other countries, indicating a rapidly maturing ecosystem. There is increasing attention from both domestic as well as international investors in the sector:
India ranked 5th globally in terms of funding for the year 2023, raising $4.82 billion dollars in climate tech deals.
The climate tech sector has demonstrated growth, registering an overall funding increase of 29% from 2019 to 2022.
2023 alone saw a 25% increase in the number of climate investors from 2022.
In terms of absolute numbers the sector has over 800 active climate tech start ups today.

Figure 1: Indian Climate tech investment split 2023. 6
While there is strong momentum, there’s still a lot to do:
- There is a need for more growth stage capital, as less than 3% of climate tech startups were able to raise Series B rounds last year.
- Investments in climate adaptation is a meager USD 899 million till date, compared to climate mitigation which secured USD 4.7 billion in 2023 alone.
- On the Policy side as well, initiatives continue to focus on mitigation while adaptation is a critical area left unnoticed.
- India’s R&D spending on climate technologies remains low at 0.64% of GDP, compared to 2.41% in China and 3.4% in the US. 7
At the ground level, incentivising a change in consumption patterns to encourage a sustainable lifestyle adoption for all is the need of the hour. But change needs to come at a pace. The impact of not moving fast enough is already being felt and it is set to worsen. We are standing at the metaphorical crossroads of climate disaster and opportunity.
The path forward will be determined by what we prioritize today as a nation. Central to all of these is the right set of People who will lead this change.
The India Talent Gap : A Growing Chasm
The WEF (World Economic Forum) has estimated that India’s transition to a net-zero economy could contribute more than $1 trillion in economic opportunity by 2030 and around $15 trillion by 2070 with over 50M new jobs being created (8). Jobs in the climate sector grew by 10% in 2023, driven primarily by Renewable Energy, Waste Management, Electric Vehicles and Green Construction. As a case in point, by installing 238 GW solar and 101 GW wind capacity towards its 500 GW non-fossil electricity generation goal by 2030, India could create about 3.4 million jobs in the energy sector alone.
Many of these jobs will require skills, knowledge and capabilities that don’t exist today.
- Only 15% of Indian companies have a Chief Sustainability Officer, compared to 60% in Europe, highlighting the gap in leadership for sustainability initiatives.
- India faces a 50% shortage when it comes to senior management roles focused on climate action, which creates serious roadblocks for companies striving to meet their climate commitments.
“India stands at the forefront of a massive climate opportunity. Unlocking its potential requires a deep fusion of technical talent and experience from India and overseas, given the breadth of engineering and scale-up challenges that need to be solved.”
Yugal Raj Jain,
COO & Co-Founder altM
Historically, the Indian economy has seen many inflection points. A few decades ago, it was barely registered on the global technology map. Yet, by the late ’90s and early 2000s, India transformed itself into the IT capital of the world. Just over a decade ago, India’s presence in the global startup ecosystem was minimal, while today, it boasts over 100 unicorns and has produced some of the world’s largest venture exits creating over $100 billion in value.
India’s Climate tech sector stands at a similar inflection point today. The talent gap is real, and so is the opportunity. By empowering a young, entrepreneurial workforce, India has the potential to innovate, scale, and lead on a global stage, turning the climate crisis into a climate opportunity.
Combating the Gap : Career Transitions
The question however remains – “where will this talent come from?”
At Euforbia, we see this talent transitioning across 3 distinct categories :

Climate Conscious:
This is an existing talent pool of professionals across functions who have strengthened organization efforts with a ”Climate First” approach.
Climate Converts:
Talent willing to go all in. Talent across functions that wants to come and solve only for climate. Many have already made this transition, many more are needed.
Climate Natives:
Academia seeded talent coming into the Industry as specialists and experts in the areas of sustainability, climate finance, etc.
To close the talent gap, organizations will need to invest in re-skilling and upskilling existing employees, while fostering a culture that values sustainability leadership. Organizations can lead the charge by developing partnerships with educational institutions to create climate-specific training programs and by cultivating internal sustainability champions.
Today, only a handful of Indian universities offer specialized programs in sustainability, renewable energy and climate science. There’s a lack of integration of climate education into mainstream curricula, leaving many graduates ill-equipped to tackle climate challenges.
Silver Linings
Bridging this talent gap is not just an economic necessity but a chance to secure a sustainable and prosperous future for generations to come. There is definitive momentum picking up in the right direction.
“India’s climate crisis is a crucible for innovation. While a talent gap looms, a renaissance of green ingenuity is also in the making. This is a critical juncture where investors across all stages have the power to catalyze this transformation, backing startups pioneering solutions and forging new avenues for jobs and skill development. At Omnivore, we are cultivating the new wave of climate talent and positioning India as a beacon of sustainable innovation. We aim to bolt emerging green tech onto traditional sectors and empower a new generation to shape a more sustainable future.”
Mark Kahn,
Managing Partner at Omnivore
Indian Climate tech startups are building in areas never attempted before. Established industries and corporations on the other hand are also taking decisive actions to drive sustainability initiatives and lead the change.
- There is emergence of new roles such as Environmental Health and Safety experts, and ESG professionals, indicating a growing awareness across established organizations.
- India is seeing a promising trend of climate professionals returning to the country, thereby helping bridge the existing talent gap. Climate Natives from global academia and domain experts continue to explore opportunities to be part of India’s Climate growth story.
- In the absence of a “predefined playbook” there is a unique entry opportunity and a level playing field for participation for all. Women entrepreneurs are taking the lead with almost 40% representation in Climate Tech, as against an average of 18%.
- India has its first dedicated school for climate action, the first amongst university-level institutions globally, focusing on technical education in climate action at Anant, Ahmedabad. Many other institutes like IIT Bombay, IISc Bangalore, TERI, JNU, etc. offer Masters in Climate Studies and Policy along with Environmental Sciences specializations.
- Increasing academia-industry collaboration by the government with programs like the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and Anusandhan National Research Foundation (2023) Act, the National Innovation and Startup Policy by MoE’s Innovation Cell, encourage young talent to engage in industry relevant research.
The Defining moment
India stands at a pivotal junction with an opportunity to be a world leader in the climate tech revolution. The country is seeing a surge of entrepreneurial energy directed toward solving environmental challenges. From Renewable Energy, Circular Economy, Carbon Capture & Removal Technologies to Climate Resilient Agriculture (CRA) Indian startups aren’t just participating in the global climate fight — they’re pioneering new frontiers. Our educational institutions, government, startups, entrepreneurs, and climate investors are responding.
“There is no better place for climate tech than India. India has an abundance of smart young talent, who are optimistic about their future and carry a growth mindset. India has one of the largest potentials for renewable energy and biomass, which is important for nature based carbon removal as well. Despite having a bureaucratic legacy India has managed to build an India stack including digital land records, a unified digital payment system and ambitious national targets. This dramatically accelerates roll outs that involve large numbers of people. The rising young urban consumer generation influenced by western social media is demanding sustainable solutions on a national scale.”
Ikarus Janzen,
Chief Commercial Officer at Varaha
India has been a nation of builders and climate change has created a unique opportunity for it to race ahead in what is the greatest crisis of our times. Our success depends on our ability to nurture a generation of climate leaders and innovators. As India rises to meet this challenge, we have the opportunity to secure our own future and become a global leader in climate action.
We have the opportunity to be the Climate Capital of the world.