Prithu, a climate technology startup based in Gurugram, India, recently secured Rs 10 crore in a seed funding round led by Transition VC. This investment follows a previous angel round of Rs 38 lakh from the Startup India Seed Fund and other investors. The funding valuation for this round was established at a pre-money figure of Rs 30 crore. Prithu operates as a full-stack carbon removal platform, specializing in nature-based solutions that include regenerative agriculture, agroforestry, biogas, and biocharBiochar is a carbon-rich material created from biomass decomposition in low-oxygen conditions. It has important applications in environmental remediation, soil improvement, agriculture, carbon sequestration, energy storage, and sustainable materials, promoting efficiency and reducing waste in various contexts while addressing climate change challenges. More interventions to generate high-integrity carbon credits.

The primary challenge addressed by Prithu involves the systemic degradation of agricultural ecosystems in India, specifically regarding soil organic carbon depletion and water stress. Furthermore, the industry faces significant hurdles in the management of agricultural waste, which is frequently burned, contributing to atmospheric pollution rather than being utilized for carbon sequestration. For small landholder farmers, these environmental issues are compounded by a lack of access to global carbon markets, which prevents them from realizing the economic value of sustainable land management practices.

Prithu’s solution involves the deployment of high-tech biochar production and regenerative agriculture practices at scale. The company utilizes a blockchain-powered Measurement, Reporting, and Verification (MRV) system to ensure the transparency and integrity of the carbon credits produced. By integrating these technological interventions, Prithu enables the conversion of agricultural waste into stable carbon forms, thereby improving soil health and providing a verifiable mechanism for carbon removal. This full-stack approach is designed to bridge the gap between rural agricultural activities and the requirements of the global voluntary carbon market.

The anticipated outcomes of this funding include the expansion of Prithu’s NBS projects to cover 500,000 hectares over the next 12 to 24 months. The company has set a long-term target to sequester 20 million tonnes of CO2e by 2030. By securing global carbon credit offtakes and enhancing its MRV technology, Prithu aims to provide high-integrity credits to diverse sectors, including aviation, technology, and manufacturing. This expansion is expected to provide small landholder farmers with direct participation in a global carbon market projected to reach $40–50 billion by 2030.