Move over Elon Musk! This Indian couple is harvesting solar energy – using an umbrella

Move over Elon Musk! This Indian couple is harvesting solar energy – using an umbrella

Company name – Think Sustainable Lab Pvt Ltd (ThinkPhi)
Founder name(s) – Samit Choksi & Priya Vakil
City it is based out of – Mumbai
Headcount/Strength of the team – Under 15
Industry – Clean energy
Investors & Amount raised – Undisclosed amount in angel funding

India may have 99 problems, but scarcity of potable water and lack of electricity should not be one of them.

With large pockets of the country receiving high levels of rainfall periodically, it is a travesty that most of it goes wasted. The country’s position on the global map also ensures that it gets adequate sunshine throughout the year – which again can be harvested to fuel multiple needs.

“What makes it unacceptable is that solar energy and rainwater harvesting – although practised for ages – has not caught on in the mainstream landscape despite being simple,” says Samit Choksi, who along with his wife Priya Vakil developed an innovative solution that combines both.

Launched in 2015, clean-tech startup ThinkPhi has conceived and constructed a sustainably engineered product that purifies water while simultaneously creating energy.

It is a simple device – perhaps a tad too simple: an inverted umbrella!

All-in-one
ThinkPhi’s upturned canopy equipment – christened ‘Ulta Chaata’ in local circles – can harvest and filter up to 85,000 L of water at a time during the rainy season and a maximum solar capacity of 1.5KW on a single charge during dry days.

Powered by a central operating system called the ‘phi-box’, it uses a smart algorithm to supply solar-powered lighting whilst providing quality drinking water through an inbuilt filter.

“Designed to be (ideally) used in clusters controlled by one phi box, its sensors collect data from the environment and alert the building warden or customer via an app in case of any system maintenance,” says Choksi. “It also calculates the quantum of resources collected and measures water purity. Additionally, users can also register complaints or get help in case they run into any technical issues,” he added.

Constructed out of polished stainless-steel, the smart inverted umbrellas weigh at least 100 kg (depending on the version) and come with custom height adjustable configurations. The canopy for model 1080 (the smallest) measures 4m x 4m and is integrated with solar modules.
According to the company, it is the ‘world’s first integrated plug-and-play system for clean water and energy.’

“Starting at about a lakh, these devices may seem expensive at first, but the amount of water and energy generated will ensure that users get their returns soon enough,” says Choksi. They also come with a 15-year warranty. “Each product is designed keeping the highest quality standards in mind, allowing us to provide a long term warranty,” he adds.

The Ulta Chaata can be used for a diverse range of applications including powering EVs, supplying clean water to schools and colleges as well as provide cost-effective shading in railway platforms and toll plazas, among other places.

“Our latest version – model 1080XL – is a superstructure which can generate over 40KW of solar power on a single charge and filter over 1 million litre of rainwater,” says Choksi. “This can supply energy for large infrastructure projects,” he adds.

Ideal for the country’s growing infrastructure needs like highways, railways and metros, these retail for Rs 1.2 lakh a piece and can go up to Rs 80 lakh, depending on the size and energy output.

Green solution
Having studied and worked abroad, the duo were exposed to some breakthrough innovations anchored around sustainable design.
“Priya had finished her education in sustainable design and architecture, while I have spent a lot of time working on software in the development industry. When we came back to India, we merged our two passions and decided to build something from existing products that would be disruptive,” he adds.

According to the couple, the first version of the product was just to harvest water and provide shade. “Building a clean energy system around it was a long term goal, but we managed to integrate it in a small way early on,” says Choksi.

The startup has already closed deals with key customers like Godrej Interio and real estate developer Rustomjee for its patented rainwater and solar harvesting product. And according to Choksi, ThinkPhi has sold over 200 units and are on track to hit 500 by the end of the year.

“We spent the first year fixing product bugs and understanding what people need and how much they are willing pay for it,” he says. “Since then, we have been aggressively building our sales pipeline,” he adds.

Complementing India’s Smart City initiative, the company’s product can already be seen dotting over 60 locations across the country, including on railway stations and college campuses around Bombay, Pune and Bangalore.

Although ThinkPhi raised an angel round of funding from a coterie of investors led by serial entrepreneur Nimmagadda Prasad – best known for investing in Sachin Tendulkar’s ISL team Kerala Blasters – capital has been a primary challenge.

“Even if you have an amazing idea, the capital to build and sell it is always tough,” says Choksi. “Since funding came after a year of bootstrapping, the challenge was to keep operating with a lean team and limited R&D till we had money for more product development,” he adds.

Post the angel round, the startup has been fortunate to attract another capital infusion from new investors, helping it continue with its sales push. “The challenges today are to create more versions and refine the product and focus on building a brand which will allow us to launch new products,” says Choksi.

‘Phi’tting solution to a greener world
According to Choksi, ‘clean-tech’ does not only mean renewable energy as most people would think, but also covers products that focus on air quality and environment conservation in general. “So innovators have to think outside the box to include these other areas and focus on solutions which use smart technology to build a sustainable future,” he says.

The founder of the two-year-old startup believes that “in India, there is a massive herd selling or leasing solar which is led by the government and followed by small and some large players.”

“If you approach a company to sell solar, you will see at least 13 competitive quotes in front of you. It tells you the state of the industry and how innovation is non-existent,” says Choksi. “For India to be known as a clean tech innovator, we need to support companies that do not follow the herd,” he adds.

ThinkPhi wants to take a small initiative down this road by launching more products around energy saving devices and a new segment – consumer waste management.

“We want to manufacture smart bins that tackle home waste generation, but at this point we want to focus on building a sustainable business out of our existing product line,” he says. “I would like to set a target of being profitable by March 2018. This will be a great success story too – one that took a conventional product, added good design and smart technology, created a market and built a sustainable business around it. We want to replicate that story for all our products going forward,” he adds.

Source: economictimes.indiatimes