Ask the Climate Startup is an interactive series we run at CLIMAFIX that derives key insights from innovative climate startup founders on many different aspects of their startup journey. (See all posts at Ask the Climate Startup)
This series is done as part of the CLIMAFIX Summit 2023, India’s largest climate startup summit, organized by CLIMAFIX & Energy Consortium – IIT Madras.
In this post, we have Siddharth Manvati of Clear Meat sharing his perspectives.
CLIMAFIX thanks Siddharth Manvati for his valuable inputs.
Basics
1.Are you a first, second or later generation entrepreneur?
I am the 1st generation entrepreneur.
2.What has been your previous work or professional experience?
Since my early days, I had been drawn towards R&D and had extensively worked on
various topics from formulation to teaching to mentoring students in all the leading universities.
3.Were there any special or specific reasons for you becoming an entrepreneur?
My mentors have always opinionated that R&D and its outcome should be designed in such
a way that it becomes beneficial for society and humankind. Hence keeping in mind those golden
words, the research work had spun around such innovations.
4.Where or how did you meet your co-founder/s?
My co-founder is already an established name in the field of Research. We both had the
same mentor, who is a PADMASHREE recipient.
Highlights
5.Was there anything noteworthy you wish to talk about from your first year or the first
couple of years of your startup?
Always keep yourself open to criticism and failures.
6.Was there an Aha moment/s during your startup journey that made a dramatic difference (
positive or negative difference)
Combining 5 and 6 , of course, our aha moment was when we could have our non-FBS
media, which happened by serendipity.
7.Were there any memorable, amazing or funny memories from your journey?
Everyday is interesting, I remember I was once treated as a sales executive by another sales
executive who was selling his product to us. These were 2 guys, one of them talking and another
just comparing me to the photograph on the news article about me in my background on the
notice board. The other guy was trying to hint to the person speaking about me but he was so
busy in marketing that he just ignored him. But yes these are interesting interactions that help
understand and learn on how to act and react.
Perspectives
8.What was your biggest mistake in the startup journey? Something that you would like
other startups to avoid?
Trusting everyone blindly, its better to keep checks and balances in the system.
9.Looking back, what would you have tried to do differently if you were to start again?
Rather than working on short term strategies, focusing on long term returns.
10.Is there a question you would like startup founders to ask before they start?
What problem are we trying to solve, and how scalable will the solution be along with
market readiness/fit for the product or the solution?
11.What keeps you awake at night?
Nothing Specific.
Others
12.What do you think are your biggest strengths that are especially helping you in your
journey?
Mentors & Team
13.How were you able to find – and retain good talent – given the vast, lucrative
opportunities such talent has today?
Yes, I am able to. Their passion for science and technology drives my team. Along with this
comes the work culture and a support system that has been cultivated in the design, which makes
the group flexible in the approach to solving any issues or problems we face together.
14.Was there some support or help you received in your startup journey that proved critical?
Who would you like to thank?
Networking is very critical, the more you talk the more people talk about you. Don’t
hesitate from sharing your knowledge and vice versa.
