How Minus Degre turns plastic waste into eco-friendly materials; 5 organisations taking healthcare to rural India
Minus Degre company converts plastic waste into eco-friendly materials to manufacture products for businesses and consumers. Also read about five organisations that are taking healthcare closer to rural India with telemedicine centres and maternal and child programmes.
Dear Reader,
Online grocery shopping is now routine, but it was less common 10-12 years ago.
Rahul H. Saxena saw the potential early on, leading him to start Satvacart in 2014—well before quick commerce began shaping how Indians bought groceries online. The company started with milk subscriptions in Gurugram before moving to an inventory-led grocery model.
After a 12-year stint, Satvacart has now shut down, bringing to an end one of the longer runs among India’s early e-grocery startups. Saxena said the company explored fresh funding and acquisition opportunities before deciding to wind down operations.
In the age of instant gratification and rapid delivery, longevity remains hard to achieve for many ecommerce players.
In other news, as demand for flexible and managed workspaces rises, Gurugram-based realty firm Smartworks is planning to invest around Rs 600 crore in FY27. The money will go into both existing and upcoming centres.
Moving on, here’s a recap of what happened at the World Humanoid Robot Games in Beijing. The five-day showcase not only set a world record with a robot sprinter running faster than Usain Bolt, it also had a fair share of humour, spectacular failures and emotional moments.
ICYMI: Find out how voice assistants, virtual trial rooms, and dirt-cheap AI advertising are changing how India shops online.
In today’s newsletter, we will talk about
- How Minus Degre turns plastic waste into eco-friendly materials
- 5 organisations taking healthcare to rural India
Here’s your trivia for today: What movie franchise action figures did American toy company Kenner start producing in the 1970s that led to the success and popularisation of the 3.75 inch action figure? (Scroll down for the answer.)
In-focus
How Minus Degre turns plastic waste into eco-friendly materials
Ghaziabad-based Minus Degre company collects and processes plastic waste, converts it into Eco-Panel, and then uses the material to manufacture products for businesses and consumers. Its products can be customised for different applications, including furniture, interiors and everyday utility products.
Key takeaways:
- The name ‘Minus Degre’ refers to something cold, reflecting the startup’s broader goal of reducing the environmental impact of plastic waste. The startup has recycled 300 tonnes of plastic waste so far.
- Over the past five years, the startup has worked with over 200 B2B clients; most of its clientele are from the retail sector. Clients include companies like Adidas and Steve Madden. It has also served over 3,000 B2C customers since inception.
- “Many are using our Eco-Panel as an alternative to marble or quartz. There is a dearth of indigenous eco-friendly materials in India. We are trying to fill that gap,” says Rahul Vashukhi, the co-founder of Minus Degre.
Social Impact
5 organisations taking healthcare to rural India
Access to healthcare continues to be a challenge in rural areas. These organisations are striving to solve this issue by taking essential healthcare closer to rural India with telemedicine centres and maternal and child health programmes.
Key takeaways:
- Several organisations are at the forefront of taking healthcare closer to communities. Some work through on-ground health workers and existing systems, while others combine physical clinics with telemedicine.
- Some use technology to monitor high-risk pregnancies while others work directly with communities that have historically had little access to healthcare.
- This listicle examines the work of five such organisations engaged in taking healthcare to rural India: Smile Foundation’s Swabhiman, Medyseva, JioVio Healthcare, DigiSwasthya Foundation, and Foundation for Mother and Child Health.
News & updates
- Succession plan: HDFC Bank is likely to name Deputy Managing Director Kaizad Bharucha as one of two options for its next CEO after incumbent Sashidhar Jagdishan retires at the end of his second term in October, two people familiar with the matter said, according to a Reuters report.
- Default notice: Hindusthan National Glass and Industries Ltd has served a default notice on B9 Beverages Ltd, the maker of the Bira 91 range of beer, as it plans to move the NCLT against the debt-ridden brewer.
- Long-term deal: Venezuelan interim President Delcy Rodriguez has said an energy agreement with the US would remain in force for 25 years, target an increase in crude output to 1.5 million barrels per day, and preserve the country’s sovereignty over its natural resources.
What you should watch out for
- Milky Mist Dairy quarterly earnings on August 31
- TiE Chennai & Startup Singam event on September 5
What movie franchise action figures did American toy company Kenner start producing in the 1970s that led to the success and popularisation of the 3.75 inch action figure?
Answer: Star Wars
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