UKHI: Reinventing Plastic with Purpose and Agricultural Waste

At the intersection of sustainability, science, and rural regeneration, UKHI is pioneering India’s cleantech future. Launched in 2019, UKHI is a material innovation startup that turns agricultural waste into industrial-grade, compostable bioplastics. With its flagship product, EcoGran, the company aims to curb plastic pollution, reduce stubble burning, and create green livelihoods.

From Hemp Fields to High-Performance Packaging

UKHI’s journey began with a deeply personal revelation. Co-founder Vishal Vivek, a serial entrepreneur, was moved by the sight of abandoned villages in Uttarakhand—casualties of environmental degradation and economic stagnation. Amidst this, he found hemp thriving in the wild—untapped and undervalued. 

Alongside Priyanka Chauhan and polymer veteran Sundeep Tyagi, this epiphany gave rise to UKHI and its purpose: to turn rural waste into world-class biopolymers.

Tyagi, a chemical engineer with three decades of industrial packaging expertise, brought the technical blueprint. From scaling a $100M firm to $260M in two years to building packaging lines for multinationals, his experience ensures that EcoGran isn't just eco-friendly—it's factory-ready.

EcoGran: A Circular Innovation

At UKHI’s core is EcoGran, a home-compostable biopolymer derived from agricultural residues like hemp, flax, and nettle. Unlike conventional bioplastics that rely on corn or fossil-based feedstocks, EcoGran is carbon-negative and performance-matched to plastic. It’s a bottom-up material solution that’s both cost-effective and ecologically regenerative.

Through its sister venture, Murth, UKHI also delivers end-to-end packaging—from design to distribution—catering to FMCG brands, e-commerce platforms, and policy-driven sectors like healthcare and construction.

The Power of a Purpose-Driven Team

Led by CEO Vishal Vivek, COO Sundeep Tyagi, CGM Priyanka Chauhan, and CBO Rahul Kumar, UKHI blends diverse competencies, from marketing and rural development to deep R&D and manufacturing scale. The company values mission-aligned hires who prioritise curiosity, adaptability, and a sustainability-first mindset.

UKHI’s growth is supported by premier institutions like IIT Mandi Catalyst (under the DST’s NIDHI program), NSRCEL at IIM Bangalore, and ICAR-Pusa. These partnerships provided foundational resources, from lab access to policy validation, that helped establish EcoGran as India’s first agricultural waste-based biopolymer.

Market and Business Model

The global biopolymer market is poised to surpass $20 billion by 2030, with India’s demand accelerating post-single-use plastic bans. UKHI operates a dual business model:

• Licensing EcoGran to packaging manufacturers.
• Offering Murth’s turnkey packaging services.

With competitive pricing—20–30% cheaper than imported alternatives—UKHI is positioned to disrupt both the domestic and global sustainable materials market.

Milestones and Recognition

In 2025, UKHI launched EcoGran at New Delhi’s Vigyan Bhawan on World Environment Day. Since then, the company has partnered with over 15 firms across the packaging and construction sectors, achieved a monthly production capacity of 140 tons, garnered national media recognition as a cleantech trailblazer, and secured funding from investors including 100Unicorns, Venture Catalysts, HDFC’s Parivartan Award, and IIT Mandi Catalyst.

Overcoming industry inertia and navigating regulatory grey zones were early hurdles. Building farmer trust and setting up reliable supply chains also took time. As Vishal notes, “We learned to over-communicate, test obsessively, and never scale until our systems were watertight.”

Building a Better Future, One Pellet at a Time

UKHI’s impact extends beyond environmental metrics. By increasing farmer incomes by ₹15,000/acre and creating green rural jobs, it’s also a model of inclusive growth. Recognised by global sustainability leaders, UKHI exemplifies how grassroots innovation, backed by scientific rigour, can redefine industries.

As Vishal advises aspiring founders, “Sustainability is not a sector. It’s a systems shift. And that requires belief, not shortcuts.”

The Road Ahead

By 2030, UKHI aims to scale production to 1 lakh tonnes annually and expand into verticals like medical disposables and automotive components. With Southeast Asia and Europe in its sights, the company is positioning itself as India’s flagship in materials innovation.