New Delhi, Jan 07: The Sustainability Mafia (SusMafia), a non-profit organisation working at the intersection of climate education, early-stage incubation, and ecosystem building, has received ₹2 crore in CSR funding from Zerodha. The funding will support SusMafia’s mission to develop a skilled, climate-aware workforce and enable climate-tech startups to scale solutions with measurable impact across critical areas, including air quality, water and sanitation, waste management, carbon reduction, and the circular economy.
The grant will help address key gaps in India’s climate ecosystem, particularly the shortage of industry-ready talent, early-stage validation support for founders, and trusted platforms connecting innovators with capital, corporates, and real-world pilots.
Over the past few years, SusMafia has built a robust climate education and incubation ecosystem. Through its Climate Ninja program, the organisation has trained over 400 climate professionals, while its early-stage incubation initiatives have deployed ₹1 crore in grants to support emerging climate ventures. Today, SusMafia’s network comprises more than 80 climate entrepreneurs, collectively driving impact across multiple sectors.
With the new funding, SusMafia plans to deepen its work in climate education, knowledge dissemination, and early-stage incubation through:
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Structured learning programs for students and professionals.
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Hands-on support for early-stage climate ventures.
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Development of shared knowledge resources.
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Ecosystem engagements that facilitate collaboration among founders, practitioners, and institutional partners.
The funds will be used to train 300+ Climate Ninjas, support 20+ early-stage climate startups, and convene regional and national gatherings such as SusCrunch, bringing together stakeholders from across the climate and sustainability spectrum.
Through a systematic approach that combines capacity building, innovation incubation, and applied learning, SusMafia works closely with climate-tech founders, students, and professionals to design, deploy, and disseminate practical solutions that deliver measurable environmental and social impact.
Commenting on the grant, Nithin Kamath, CEO of Zerodha, said:
“Strong climate outcomes emerge when founders, practitioners, and learners have access to the right knowledge and support early in their journey. The Sustainability Mafia is building this connective tissue for the climate ecosystem, and we’re pleased to back their work.”
Ganesh, Director of SusMafia, added:
“At the heart of our work is the belief that sustainability scales faster when communities collaborate toward a shared goal. This grant strengthens our ability to bring founders, talent, and partners closer together and enables us to deepen our efforts with greater focus, reach, and impact.”
Zerodha, known for supporting long-term, high-impact climate and sustainability initiatives, continues to back organisations working on climate resilience, natural resource management, and ecosystem development across India.
