Sustainable Business Growth Insights by Mynzo Carbon Co-Founder at Masters’ Union

When Tanya Singhal, Co-founder of Mynzo Carbon, visited the Masters’ Union DLF Cyberpark campus, she spoke as someone who has lived the reality of building in sustainability long before it became fashionable. 

Mynzo Carbon, her latest venture, focuses on helping companies measure, manage, and reduce their carbon footprint with accuracy and scale. The company works at the intersection of climate data and business decision-making. Her journey from IIT Delhi to strategy consulting to becoming an early entrepreneur in solar power reminded students that climate innovation is not just a mission but an opportunity. 

Her podcast with Swati Ganeti - MD, Master’s Union, offered a grounded perspective on renewable energy, sustainable startups, climate tech, business strategy, and future opportunities in sustainability. The conversation showed sustainability not as a side theme but as one of the strongest economic shifts of the next decade.

Why Mynzo Co-Founder Focuses on Renewable Energy

During the podcast, Singhal explained why renewable energy became the foundation of her entrepreneurial journey. She shared that solar showed early signs of beating coal on cost, long before the sector gained mainstream attention. For her, this was not just an environmental shift but a clear economic opportunity.

She noted that the industry was still young and underexplored, which created a meaningful first-mover advantage for those willing to build ground up. Entering the space required learning land, approvals, financing, and risk end-to-end, yet the long-term value made the effort worthwhile.

Why Renewable Energy as an Industry

1. Solar energy had the potential to outprice coal

2. The sector was early, open and underexplored

3. Renewable energy addressed a long-term, high-impact problem

4. Learning land, approvals and finance was essential to participate meaningfully
   
   

Sustainable Startups Grow When the Economics Work

Tanya Singhal highlighted that sustainable startups scale only when their economic fundamentals are strong. She reflected on her early solar plants, where high costs came from new technology and expensive capital. Over time, disciplined engineering and financing lowered the cost of power, proving that sustainable businesses strengthen through continuous operational improvement.

According to her, a drop in unit cost is the strongest signal of real sustainable innovation. Climate-focused ventures succeed when they outperform traditional systems and offer clear economic value to the market.

Growth Mantras for Founders in Sustainable Domains

1. Engineering and capital disciplines reduce costs

2. Lower unit cost signals genuine innovation

3. Climate solutions must outperform conventional systems

4. Economic viability is the foundation for long-term scale
   
   

How Renewable Energy Becomes a Scalable Business

In the conversation, Singhal explained that renewable energy may look capital-heavy from the outside, but scalability is driven by operations. She outlined three elements that shape scale: stronger plant design, lower-cost capital, and reliable execution partners. Optimising these across projects helped her team reduce cost and build a repeatable model.

Tanya emphasised that climate sectors reward consistency. Companies that refine their processes year after year gain trust, secure long-term contracts, and earn industry credibility.

Reasons Behind the Scaling of Renewable Energy

1. Better plant design and cost-effective capital increase efficiency

2. Ongoing optimisation steadily reduces project cost

3. Consistency builds investor trust and stable contracts

4. Breaking the system into smaller parts makes scale achievable
   
   

New Opportunities Emerging Across Climate Tech

Founder Tanya also mapped out the next big wave in climate tech, noting that future growth will come from intelligent software layers placed over existing infrastructure rather than only new hardware. She pointed to digital twins, predictive AI tools, and grid optimisation as high-impact areas gaining momentum.

She added that rapidly growing segments include clean mobility, energy storage, battery recycling, and water resilience. According to Tanya, the sector now needs product leaders, designers, data specialists, and strategists as much as it needs engineers.

Climate Tech Opportunities

1. Growth is shifting to digital and AI-led optimisation

2. Digital twins and predictive tools improve performance

3. Clean mobility, storage, and recycling are expanding fast

4. Roles now span product, design, data, and strategy
   
   

India’s Strength in Applied Innovation

The podcast touched on India’s position in global sustainability. Tanya highlighted that India leads in applied innovation and deployment rather than fundamental research. The scale of domestic demand creates an ideal environment for testing and scaling climate solutions.

She noted that India is already among the top renewable energy markets, backed by strong policy support and significant private investment. Rapid problem-solving across diverse geographies reinforces India’s role as a global testbed for climate ideas.

India’s Innovative Spirit

1. India excels in deployment and applied innovation

2. Domestic demand accelerates experimentation

3. The country ranks among the top renewable energy markets

4. Government participation drives steady investment

5. Problem-solving across regions strengthens adaptability
   
   

The Role of Policy in Building Climate Startups

Tanya underscored the importance of policy in enabling climate startups. India’s early solar growth was possible because government support helped bridge cost gaps and reduce risk for entrepreneurs.She added that blended finance, targeted subsidies, and early-stage incentives give innovators room to test technologies before they become commercially viable. Tanya also stressed the need for grassroots skilling to ensure that clean technologies reach wider markets.

Policy Enables Scale

1. Early support lowers risk and encourages innovation

2. Blended finance helps new technologies reach viability

3. Incentives support experimentation before costs fall

4. Strong policy ecosystems accelerate industry-wide growth
   
   

Advice for Young Entrepreneurs at Masters’ Union

Closing the session, Tanya shared practical advice for aspiring founders. She emphasised that entrepreneurship in climate sectors demands patience, persistence, and clarity. Founders must be willing to commit to long-term problems and build with co-founders they trust deeply.

Tanya noted that hype cycles come and go, but disciplined improvement, respect for the market, and consistent execution are what create meaningful companies. Her perspective helped students understand how sustainability can be both a mission and a strong strategic business opportunity.

FAQs

1. What was the main focus of Tanya Singhal’s session at Masters’ Union?

She focused on the business side of sustainability, demonstrating to students how renewable energy and climate technology create strong and scalable opportunities.

2. How can a college student enter the renewable energy sector without deep technical expertise?

Roles in strategy, product, finance, software, operations, and policy offer many non-technical pathways into the climate ecosystem.

3. What makes sustainability a smart space for early careers?

Sustainability-driven sectors reward curiosity, adaptability, and problem-solving. UG students entering early benefit from fast learning curves, hands-on projects, and the chance to contribute to solutions that matter both economically and socially.

4. Why is India a strong place for students to explore sustainability opportunities?

India’s rapid adoption of renewable energy, supportive policies, and growing corporate responsibility create a vibrant market for young professionals. UG students can learn from real on-ground challenges and build careers in sectors that are expanding quickly.

5. Why is sustainability becoming a core business priority today?

Sustainability is gaining importance because resource efficiency, cost savings, and regulatory expectations are reshaping how companies operate. Businesses that adopt sustainable practices early gain long-term resilience and competitive advantage.

6.  How does strong financial planning support sustainable initiatives?

Sustainable initiatives succeed when supported by clear economics. Lower operating costs, disciplined capital use, and efficient design help sustainable models outperform traditional ones and grow reliably over time.