Anish Malpani, Founder, Ashaya, Managing Waste using Deep Tech
Anish Malpani is the founder of Ashaya, a social enterprise that is focused on increasing the value of waste through deep tech and using that value to uplift waste pickers out of poverty.
Podcast
Overview
Did you know?
80% of the waste in India is untreated. More than half of the waste generated ends up in landfills.
The status of waste management in the country is not as smooth and efficient as it should be. Compared to the amount of waste generated, the waste management policies are barely sufficient. This problem gives rise to not one but many issues including environmental damage, hygiene problems, health issues, etc. It is evident through many studies that waste pickers are at a high risk of fatal health issues.
Waste Management is a vital and necessary procedure to maintain the efficient and hygienic functioning of societies.
Today TBCY brings you a leader and social entrepreneur who is constantly working to create value from waste. We are pleased to welcome Anish Malpani to the show.
About Anish:
Anish is the Founder of Ashaya, a social enterprise that is focused on increasing the value of waste through deep tech. He also serves on the boards of three nonprofit organizations.
In today’s episode, Anish shares his journey and talks about a very relevant global issue. He is working avidly to provide technology-supported solutions to the increasing waste problem.
About Ashaya
After having spent a great deal of time working in the corporate sector, Anish decided to work beyond the business walls and do something that was more welfare-oriented. With a vision to uplift the less fortunate and use his privileges in an efficient manner, he set off on a journey to find solutions to one of the biggest problems in the country.
He launched Ashaya, a venture focused on taking impossible to recycle plastic waste like packets of chips, colored PET bottles, etc, breaking them down into constituent blocks, and rebuilding them into virgin plastic/polymers. The main goal of Ashaya is to increase the value of waste as much as they can. The value generated is going to be focused on empowering waste pickers.
Anish believes that the answer to waste management in India cannot be one-dimensional. It is holistic and needs solutions accordingly.
Poverty
A man-made construct, the problem of poverty is almost overwhelming in the country. Anish talks about the issue and highlights why he chose to work in the waste management space.
While construction laborers and farmers constitute the poorest population in India, rag pickers have a complex life as well. Having to live in urban areas and work in unhygienic and dangerous environments, the life expectancy of rag pickers is as low as 39. Such situations are sad and extremely inhumane. Instead of making the rich richer and poor, poorer, it is important we raise awareness on these issues.
Using technology:
Anish talks about using technology to the fullest in order to turn his vision into reality. He has a strong team of technical and scientific professionals who are helping him build a product that is value-oriented and of good quality. He explains the science behind his product and also shares the intricate procedure his team has been able to achieve. The icing on the cake here is that his products will be fully recycled and environmentally friendly!
“So we’re not in any rush to put a product out there and come up with something really quickly, you really want to focus on something that can be game-changing and it’s high risk.
And that’s the whole point of the rest recap. So we started off with the hardest waste,
and we’re trying to break it down into its core parts.”
More:
Anish talks about the many challenges and learnings he has experienced while setting up his venture from scratch. Anish shares the major milestones of his career and the ones he is hopeful of achieving. He is determined to launch his product very soon! Anish strongly believes that the government is also focused on finding the right solutions for waste management and is constantly looking for partners to do the same. His intention is welfare-oriented and socially driven. Anish is all set to make groundbreaking changes in the plastic recycling space!
Tune in to know more.
Profile
Anish Malpani is the founder of Ashaya, a social enterprise that is focused on increasing the value of waste through deep tech and using that value to uplift waste pickers out of poverty. Anish brings over 9 years of global experience in finance, strategy, operations, impact, and data. He studied Finance and Sports Management at the University of Texas at Austin, and then worked in Corporate America for five years with a multi-billion-dollar media company, only to realize that making money cannot be his sole purpose. So, he quit his high-paying job in New York to learn how to make a more positive impact in this world. He spent two years in Guatemala and Kenya working with local social entrepreneurs, before returning to India to start Ashaya. He also serves on the boards of three non-profits across three continents.
