Cleaning India’s Rivers: Unscene Innovation's Robotic Revolution

In the heart of Uttarakhand's capital, Dehradun, a startup is quietly making waves, quite literally, in India's fight against water pollution. Founded in 2022 by Cephas Joseph, Ritika Sadana, Ben George, and Dr. Glen Bennett Hermon, Unscene Innovation has one clear goal: to address the massive challenge of water pollution through cutting-edge, autonomous technology. At the forefront of this battle is their flagship product, Amit, an autonomous watercraft designed to clean up water bodies by removing plastic waste and other pollutants.

While Unscene Innovation may still be in its early stages, they’ve already secured ₹10 lakh in seed funding, a crucial step toward bringing its vision to life. With two more innovative products set to be launched soon and plans to start generating revenue by 2025, this young startup is poised to make a significant impact in the environmental tech space.

The Water Pollution Crisis in India

India is grappling with severe water pollution issues. According to a 2020 report by NITI Aayog, 70% of the country’s surface water is contaminated, and an estimated 600 million people face high-to-extreme water stress. The World Bank also reported that untreated sewage makes up about 80% of the water pollution in India, with plastic waste adding a layer of complexity to the problem.

Plastic waste is one of the most visible and harmful pollutants affecting India's water bodies. Rivers, lakes, and seas are choked with millions of tons of plastic, which not only destroys aquatic ecosystems but also threatens human health. Unscene Innovation recognised this glaring issue and decided to address it head-on with a technological twist.

Enter Amit: The Autonomous Watercraft

Amit, Unscene Innovation’s flagship product, is not your average robot. It's a self-navigating watercraft equipped with advanced sensors, AI, and robotics technology designed to autonomously locate and remove plastic waste from water bodies. Amit doesn’t require a captain or crew—just a mission to clean. Its sleek design allows it to efficiently skim across water surfaces, collecting waste while minimising disruption to the aquatic environment.

One of the standout features of Amit is its ability to operate autonomously in both still and flowing water. Thanks to its advanced AI capabilities, Amit can adapt to different water conditions, whether it’s a bustling river or a tranquil lake. The robot identifies waste, collects it, and returns it to its base for disposal, reducing the need for human intervention.

A Startup with Big Dreams (and Two New Products on the Horizon)

While they’ve kept some details under wraps, they’ve hinted at two new products that will be launched in the coming months. These products will expand their environmental solutions portfolio, likely continuing their trend of autonomous robotics and eco-friendly innovation.

Their timeline to start generating revenue by 2025 is ambitious, but not unrealistic. By targeting government bodies, NGOs, and private industries invested in clean water initiatives, Unscene Innovation is building partnerships that will enable them to scale rapidly. In a country like India, where the demand for clean water solutions is immense, the market potential is vast.

As the global startup scene focuses on sustainability and green tech, Unscene Innovation is perfectly positioned to stand out. Startups tackling climate change, water conservation, and pollution control have become highly attractive to investors and governments alike, thanks to the increasing pressure to meet the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). With water pollution being a key issue, the role of startups like Unscene Innovation has never been more critical.