INNOVATING SUSTAINABILITY: AN INTERNSHIP EXPERIENCE IN VENTURE CAPITAL AT OMNIVORE

Abstract

My summer internship at “Omnivore VC,” where I evaluated waste management and renewable energy solutions for commercial and agricultural uses in India's tier-2 and tier-3 cities, is thoroughly examined in this report. In India's rapidly growing smaller urban centers, the initiative tackled a crucial market opportunity at the nexus of agricultural production, environmental sustainability, and venture capital investment. Throughout my three-month internship, I created frameworks for evaluating the scalability of clean-tech solutions in semi-urban and rural markets, carried out in-depth market research, and examined more than 40 possible investment targets. The study found that the market for integrated waste-to-energy and renewable agricultural solutions in tier-2 and tier-3 cities is worth $12–15 billion, with substantial potential for both financial and environmental benefits. Key findings show that only 30% of the municipal solid waste is properly processed, highlighting major gaps in waste processing facilities, and there is a big opportunity for solar-powered agricultural solutions, supported by government programs like PM-KUSUM, which aims to help 3.5 million farmers. According to the report, successful initiatives in this field need creative business models that take into account the particular difficulties faced by smaller cities, such as their limited infrastructure, disjointed value chains, and budget-conscious clients. My work aided Omnivore in refining their investment thesis and establishing a pipeline for their third fund, which prioritizes sustainability and climate action. Deep insights into the clean-tech market dynamics, the venture capital ecosystem, and the intricate interactions between entrepreneurship, technology, and policy that propel sustainable development in India's developing cities were all gained from the experience.