Kerala 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 deal is a bright spot for startup funding in India, showing patient capital flowing into hard climate technology outside the usual metro hubs.
Founded by Dr Karthika Gopi and Rahul Babu, Carbelim develops microalgae-based carbon capture and air-purification systems that absorb atmospheric carbon dioxide and convert it into oxygen. The company has filed 13 patents, including seven in the US and six in India, and its technology targets industrial and urban air-quality applications.
The funding is expected to help the company scale its technology, expand its international presence and create more than 50 additional jobs, taking its workforce beyond the current 42 employees. Carbelim aims to achieve a turnover of ₹100 crore through international markets, its CEO Dr Karthika Gopi said.
The Unicorn Frontier Fund is backed by IIT Madras, IIT Madras Research Park and Unicorn India Ventures. Announced in February with a target corpus of ₹1,000 crore, the fund raised ₹450 crore in its first phase and has so far deployed nearly ₹55 crore across its first four startups.
Kerala Startup Mission CEO Anoop P. Ambika called the investment a major recognition for Kerala’s deep-tech startup sector, saying it would help growth-stage deep-tech startups in the state gain international recognition and encourage new ideas in the deep climate-tech space.
Why it matters for founders
Deep-tech rounds like this one reward founders who build defensible IP before chasing scale. File patents early, prove the technology with real deployments, and use institutional funds tied to research ecosystems to bridge the long road from lab to market.