24 Nov 2020

Humane Society International India has launched a programme for Indian startups delving in plant-based alternatives called the Humane Entrepreneurship Programme. The programme will bring together experts, entrepreneurs, investors and mentors who wish to contribute to the plant-based industry.

Each startup will be mentored for six months and get a chance to talk to experts. At the end of the programme, the startups will be given an opportunity to pitch their ideas to potential investors. 

“There is a huge gap in the availability of high quality plant based products and services in the food, materials and non-animal testing sectors. We need products that replace animals in production systems and are sustainable for the environment. We, at HSI/India are delighted to be piloting the Humane Entrepreneurship Program in India, for Indian entrepreneurs in collaboration with global leaders in the space as mentors and advisors. We are excited to see these businesses grow and scale so we all can do better for the animals and for the environment.” – Alokparna Sengupta, Managing Director, Humane Society International - India

With the growing awareness about the reality of animal agriculture, the alt protein industry is growing at a CAGR of 9.5% and is expected to reach $17.9 billion by 2025. The aim of the programme is to gather technological and scientific knowledge about plant alternative products and share it with entrepreneurs.

Manish Pareek and Mayank Jain

Product: Vegan Leather

Details: 

A management graduate from Alliance Business School in Bangalore, Manish Pareek co-founded an Indian startup called Vegan Fashion Private Limited which offers vegan leather products. They also conduct their own research and development to improve their quality of vegan leather to create better performing, cruelty-free leather products.

They aim to replace leather with bio-based products using biomimicry, a process which creates vegan leather with the same cell-like structure as animal leather. Bio-based ingredients are also readily available, making their products affordable.

Pareek, who has been a vegan for five years, believes that the Human Entrepreneurship program will be an opportunity for them to learn and develop their product and become a cruelty-free substitute for animal leather in the future.

Location: Kolkata, West Bengal

Manish Pareek from Veg Shoes

Animesh Gupta & Pramit Gupta

Product: Oats’Up

Details:

Animesh Gupta discovered the potential in oats and turned it into an entrepreneurial venture with Oats’Up as he wanted to make a meaningful impact with his efforts, and learning about the horrors of the dairy industry inspired this endeavor. Oats’Up wishes to reach out to consumers beyond the vegan community by meeting the demands of the typical Indian dairy consumer.

Gupta’s motivation was based in his own experience with lack of accessibility of vegan products in common spaces. They look forward to the HEP to learn more about the industry and develop their product.

Location: Jaipur, Rajasthan

Animesh Gupta from Oats'Up

Kushal Aradhya R

Product: Plant-based Meat & Spirulina Nutrition Bar

Details:

Aradhya belongs to a small town in Karnataka and combined his entrepreneurial skills with his love for food to create plant-based products. He wanted to create food that was sustainable, nutritious, and cruelty free. 

Their first product, the 4 PM Bar, is a cereal bar made from SuperFood Spirulina. They are currently developing a plant-based chicken. Naka Foods' product stands out by being healthier than other plant-based products in the market which are heavily processed.

Aradhya was motivated to lessen the suffering animals go through for human consumption, especially when the technology to create sustainable and nutritious plant-based animal product substitutes is available to us. He believes the HEP will be a great learning experience and a step forward for the cruelty-free market.

Location: Mysore, Karnataka

Kushal Aradhya R from Naka Foods

Jasmine Bharucha

Product: Vegan & Plant-based Cheezes

Details:

Katharos is a healthy, eco-friendly and cruelty-free cheese alternative started by Jasmine Bharucha. She switched to a whole foods plant-based diet to follow a healthy lifestyle and wanted to make it more accessible.

Bharucha focused on making a vegan alternative for cheese as it is claimed to be the most difficult dairy product to give up. It is also highly processed, so she decided to create a healthier, plant-based version of cheese. Katharos’ cheeses are oil-free and preservative-free with natural ingredients.

Bharucha’s contribution to plant-based foods is grounded in health-consciousness and to raise awareness about how plant-based diets can have a positive impact on our bodies and the environment. She hopes to expand her knowledge on the subject with HEP and develop more such products.

Location: Mumbai, Maharashtra 

Jasmine Bharucha from Katharos Foods

Ravali Amba

Product: Precision Fermentation based Alternative Seafood

Details:

Brew51 is a seafood alternative brand made using plants and precision fermentation. Amba talks about the cruelty of the fishing industry, as well as its contribution to the destruction of aquatic eco-systems due to overfishing.

Amba wanted to create a sustainable and cruelty-free alternative to seafood, as the market for plant-based seafood has great potential and still needs to be explored. She believes that HEP is an important step to bring entrepreneurs and experts closer to develop more such products.

Location: Bangalore

Ravali Amba from Brew51

Everyday new innovations take place in the plant-based industry. The demand for vegan-friendly and sustainable options is growing each day, and HSI's Humane Entrepreneurship programme can be a game-changing event.

HSI is welcoming entrepreneurs with ideas from all over the country to participate in the programme. If interested, email hello@veganfirst.com with the subject 'HSI Cohort'.