States » SouthPosted at: Oct 29 2026 7:13PM


Kerala startup Carbelim bags Rs 10 crore from IIT Madras fund, eyes Rs 100 crore turnover

Thiruvananthapuram, Oct 29 (UNI) Kerala Startup Mission (KSUM)-backed deep-tech startup Carbelim has secured ₹10 crore from the IIT Madras Unicorn Frontier Fund, becoming the first startup from the state to receive investment from the fund.
The investment is expected to help the climate-tech company scale up its microalgae-based carbon capture and air-purification technologies, expand its international presence and create more than 50 additional jobs, taking its workforce beyond the current 42 employees. The company aims to achieve a turnover of ₹100 crore through international markets, its CEO Dr Karthika Gopi said.
Founded by Dr Karthika Gopi and Rahul Babu, Carbelim develops bio-integrated systems that use microalgae to capture atmospheric carbon dioxide and release oxygen. The company also works on sustainable resource production and Micro Algae Tree, or Liquid Tree, solutions for climate-positive cities and industries.
Carbelim has filed 13 patents for its technology, including seven in the United States and six in India, positioning itself among the emerging players in the deep-tech climate solutions sector.
Describing the investment as a significant milestone in the company's growth, Dr Karthika said the funding would support the further development and scaling of its technology.
"Our technology delivers efficient carbon capture, clean air, sustainable resource production and advanced Micro Algae Tree (Liquid Tree) solutions for climate-positive cities and industries. This investment will support our efforts to develop and scale our technology, while also drawing attention to Kerala's growing deep-tech startup ecosystem," she said.
She credited Kerala Startup Mission for its support, guidance and interventions in helping the company achieve the milestone. union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and IIT Madras Director Prof V. Kamakoti handed over the cheque to representatives of Carbelim at a function in Bengaluru recently.
KSUM CEO Anoop P Ambika said the investment represented significant recognition for Kerala's deep-tech startup ecosystem. Such funding would help growth-stage companies from the state gain international recognition and encourage more climate-tech ventures to develop innovative solutions and scale up their technologies, he said.
Carbelim is among the first four deep-tech companies selected for initial investment from the Unicorn Frontier Fund, established with contributions from IIT Madras, IIT Madras Research Park and Unicorn India Ventures to support India's deep-tech startups.
Announced in February with a target corpus of ₹1,000 crore, the fund raised ₹450 crore in its first phase and has so far invested nearly ₹55 crore across its first four startups, including Carbelim.
UNI DS
Tags: #Kerala startup Carbelim bags Rs 10 crore from IIT Madras fund# eyes Rs 100 crore turnover
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