CarbonStrong raises ₹12.5 Cr. seed to scale low-carbon cement substitutes
What's the deal? CarbonStrongDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, a Bengaluru-based climate-tech startup, has raised ₹12.5 crore (≈$1.3 million) in a seed round led by IAN Angel FundDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →. RainmatterDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, Social AlphaDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, Spectrum ImpactDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, and Full Circle Ventures also participated.
What's the endgame? Founded in 2022 by Harsh Jain and Vikramaditya Singh, the company turns industrial waste into materials that can replace up to 50% of the cement used in concrete. It says its product is around 30% cheaper than cement, improves durability, and works within existing plants without new equipment.
What's the money for? The round will fund CarbonStrong's first production facility, team expansion, and further product testing as it moves from customer trials to commercial-scale output. The company aims to build capacity of up to 100,000 tonnes a year within two years.
Why now? Cement is one of the biggest sources of carbon emissions, responsible for over 8% of global CO2 output. Meanwhile, hundreds of millions of tonnes of industrial waste, such as fly ash and slag, are generated each year — existing substitutes can only replace a limited share while maintaining performance.
The traction: CarbonStrong has run paid pilots and demonstration projects across Bengaluru, Hyderabad, and Chennai. It is now targeting long-term supply deals with ready-mix concrete companies, builders, contractors, and precast and paver block manufacturers.
The signal: At roughly $1.3 million, this seed round sits near the middle of comparable deals by size, but the bet is on scale. The company estimates India's market for cement substitutes could reach around ₹25,000 crore by 2030, with its own ambition set at 10 million tonnes a year by 2035. "India will build most of its future in the next 25-30 years," Jain said. "We want every ton of that concrete to be stronger, cost-efficient, and lower in carbon footprint."
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