Varaha, an India-based climate tech startup, raised $20 million as the opening tranche of a $45 million Series B led by WestBridge Capital, launching an expansion to scale verified carbon removal projects from the Global South. The company develops removals across regenerative agriculture, agroforestry, biochar and enhanced rock weathering, featuring an execution-focused model intended to lower unit costs while meeting international registries’ standards.
Founded in 2022, Varaha operates projects across India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan and Ivory Coast and has already issued credits via registries such as Puro.earth, Verra and Gold Standard; it reported revenue growth and has long-term offtakes with buyers including Google and Microsoft. The startup also introduced an Industrial Partners Program to enable industrial operators to generate verified biochar removals using Varaha’s MRV (measurement, reporting and verification) systems.
For buyers and agricultural partners, Varaha’s push matters because it aims to deliver more affordable, verifiable removals at scale, expanding supply from lower-cost markets in Asia and Africa.
Image Credit: Varaha
Why This Trend Is Growing
- Regenerative Agriculture Technologies
- Exploring the intersection of technology and regenerative agriculture offers the potential for innovations that enhance sustainability while optimizing crop yields.
- Biochar Utilization
- Incorporating biochar into carbon removal projects introduces a promising method to sequester carbon while improving soil health.
- Enhanced Rock Weathering
- Harnessing enhanced rock weathering in carbon removal efforts presents a scalable solution to reduce atmospheric CO2 levels through natural processes.
Industries Being Reshaped
- Climate Tech
- The climate tech sector is increasingly embracing innovative startups focused on scaling affordable and verifiable carbon removal solutions.
- Agroforestry
- Agroforestry is gaining traction as a strategic industry for integrated approaches that combine agriculture, forestry, and carbon sequestration.
- Carbon Credit Market
- The growth in verified carbon removal projects is reshaping the carbon credit market, creating opportunities for increased participation and investment.
