IHCL And Stride Green Lead Sustainability Efforts

Marking World Environment Day, two significant developments from India’s sustainability landscape emerged, underlining the country’s growing dedication to environmental responsibility and clean technology innovation. Indian Hotels Company Ltd. (IHCL), India’s largest hospitality group, and Stride Green, a rising star in climate-tech financing, both took strong steps forward in their respective missions to champion sustainability.

In Mumbai, IHCL reaffirmed its commitment to reducing plastic waste as part of its broader sustainability agenda. Aligning with the United Nations’ World Environment Day theme, Beat Plastic Pollution, IHCL continued its proactive efforts under its ESG+ framework Paathya, which guides its environment and social responsibility goals. The company has been at the forefront of sustainable practices in hospitality, from eliminating single-use plastics to enhancing waste management strategies across its hotels.

Mr. Gaurav Pokhariyal, Executive Vice President – Human Resources at IHCL, emphasized the urgency of the global plastic crisis and reaffirmed the company’s role in combating it. “At IHCL, sustainability is integral to our business strategy and purpose. We recognize the urgency of the global plastic crisis and are committed to being part of the solution,” he said. IHCL’s consistent alignment with global environmental objectives demonstrates how legacy companies can adapt to meet evolving environmental expectations without compromising service or quality.

Meanwhile, in Gurugram, a transformative funding announcement came from Stride Green, a climate-tech-driven asset financing and lifecycle management platform. On World Environment Day, the company revealed that it has successfully raised $3.5 million in a seed funding round led by Micelio Technology Fund, Incubate Fund Asia, and several strategic investors. This funding round marks a pivotal moment for India’s clean energy sector, which has been witnessing exponential investment momentum, especially as the country aims to reduce its dependency on fossil fuels and embrace a low-carbon economy.

Founded by Ishpreet Gandhi and Vivek Jain, Stride Green aims to bridge the critical financing gap in India’s emerging clean-tech and mobility sectors. The company is focused on developing scalable, tech-enabled leasing and financing solutions tailored for high-potential areas like electric vehicles (EVs), battery storage, and renewable energy infrastructure. Through their in-house technology platform, Stride Green provides clients with real-time analytics, intelligent operational alerts, and performance-enhancing insights—tools that are crucial in boosting asset life and efficiency.

Co-founder and CEO Vivek Jain highlighted the company’s long-term vision. “At Stride Green, we’re driven by deep domain expertise and a clear purpose to develop innovative and scalable solutions for the climate-tech ecosystem. We are grateful to have eco-conscious, mission-aligned partners like Micelio and Incubate. Their support empowers us to deliver bespoke, high-impact solutions for a more sustainable future,” he said.

India has recently surpassed China in clean-tech investment, with deals worth approximately $2.4 billion in Q3 of 2024. This signals a major shift in investor confidence and policy direction, with platforms like Stride Green playing a vital role in scaling sustainable infrastructure. The company is already managing over 3,000 clean-tech assets and partnering with major original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), logistics providers, and EV fleet operators.

Investor confidence in the company was reflected in statements from both Micelio and Incubate Fund Asia. Alok Chauhan, Principal at Micelio Technology Fund, acknowledged that Stride Green addresses a fundamental challenge in the clean mobility space—lack of specialized, adaptable financing models. “Stride Green’s tech-first platform addresses a critical gap between traditional financing and clean mobility’s unique needs—helping unlock significant capital for the sector,” Chauhan noted.

Similarly, Rajeev Ranka, Partner at Incubate Fund Asia, remarked, “We are very excited to partner with Stride Green to co-create the new age green financing and asset management platform to meet the needs of the evolving energy sector, electric mobility, and financial institutions.”

Stride Green’s roadmap includes geographical and technological expansion across India, with plans to diversify into adjacent verticals within the broader climate-tech space. With sustainability-driven leadership, proprietary technology, and a growing network of mission-aligned partners, the company is poised to become a vital enabler in India’s clean energy and green financing revolution.

Both IHCL’s continued leadership in environmental responsibility and Stride Green’s breakthrough in green-tech financing underscore a critical shift across Indian industries—where sustainability is no longer peripheral but central to business vision and growth. On this World Environment Day, their efforts serve as a timely reminder that purpose-driven strategies and innovative finance can work hand-in-hand to forge a greener, more resilient future.