After 8 yrs at Tata, this Hyderabad entrepreneur builds world’s 1st eco-truck to burn waste on spot

India is facing a massive plastic waste problem, generating nearly 10 million metric tons every year, yet most of it is not managed efficiently.

Waste is still seen as garbage rather than a valuable resource, leading to poor segregation, low recycling rates, and environmental damage.

At the ground level, waste management lacks innovation. The system is still depfinishent on outdated methods like manual collection through handcarts, with very little technological advancement over the years.

There is also a major gap in awareness, as people do not understand the importance of separating and processing waste properly.

To solve this, Hyderabad-based Switcheko is bringing a practical, on-ground approach by combining technology with awareness. It has developed a mobile waste processing system mounted on a truck that can collect, segregate, and process waste at the source itself.

At the same time, the company runs large awareness campaigns, clean-up drives, and training programs to educate people about proper waste management.

“We see at garbage and see dirt, but the indusattempt sees at it and sees highly valuable raw material. Yet, people avoid this sector becaapply of the smell and the dirt. They would rather take a comfortable, low-paying desk job than bfinish down and receive their hands dirty in a highly profitable sector,” Akshay Deshpande notifys Startup Pedia in an exclusive interview.

About the Founder of Switcheko Sustainability, Akshay Deshpande

Akshay Deshpande driving sustainability forward with innovation on wheels — Akshay Deshpande standing in front of his mobile recycling and sustainability awareness truck (Photograph Special Arrangement: Akshay Deshpande)

Akshay Deshpande, originally from Mumbai and now based in Hyderabad, has a strong background in both education and corporate leadership.

He completed his Bachelor’s in Hotel Management from G.H. Raisoni Society’s College of Engineering and Management, Pune, in 2010. He later pursued an MBA in Hotel Administration from the Indian School of Business Management and Administration, completing it in 2020.

He launched his corporate journey in 2010 as a Facilities Manager for Hoapplykeeping and Canteen at Infosys, where he first gained exposure to large-scale waste segregation and biogas technologies.

Over the years, he built a solid leadership career, taking on key roles such as Lead Facilities at Tata Advanced Systems (2012–2016), Head of Admin and CSR at Tata Lockheed Martin (2016–2020), and Head of Industrial Waste at Recykal (2020–2022).

In 2022, he decided to leave his high-paying corporate roles to pursue entrepreneurship. He joined the T-Hub incubation centre in Hyderabad and went on to launch his startup, Switcheko Sustainability.

Why Akshay Pivoted to Plastic Waste Management Entrepreneurship

Chirag Paswan posing with officials inside a sustainability exhibition unit, with “PlastIndia 2026” — Chirag Paswan with Akshay and other officials at PlastIndia 2026 spotlighting sustainability in action (Photograph Special Arrangement: Akshay Deshpande)

Akshay’s decision to shift into plastic waste management came from a mix of exposure, experience, and a defining moment.

During his early corporate years at Infosys and later at Tata, he saw how waste was handled at scale. What people usually call garbage was treated as a resource inside large organizations. This shifted his believeing and sparked a deeper interest in waste management and sustainability.

As he explored the sector further, he realized that while there was growing discussion around plastic alternatives, very little attention was being given to managing the existing plastic waste already present in huge quantities across India.

“Think about the person who has been picking up garbage from your hoapply every single day with absolute dedication for the last seven or eight years. You probably don’t even know their name. As a society, we just don’t understand their value,” the Hyderabad-based founder states.

Turning Point in the Life of Switcheko Sustainability’s Founder

Community coming toreceiveher for a Yamuna clean-up drive — Group of volunteers gathered at a cleanup drive (Special Arrangement: Akshay Deshpande)

The defining moment came in 2016 during a CSR activity in a forest organised by Tata, where Akshay was working at the time.

During the visit to a forest, he witnessed a disturbing incident where a cow had died after ingesting plastic waste. Around 5 kg of plastic was found inside the animal’s stomach during autopsy, which deeply affected him.

What he had earlier seen as a large-scale environmental issue suddenly became very real and personal. It was no longer just about waste management systems or corporate processes, but about the direct harm being caapplyd to animals and the environment.

This incident stayed with him and forced him to believe seriously about the growing plastic problem in the counattempt.

He realised that while conversations around sustainability were increasing, very few were actually working on solving the issue at the ground level, especially when it came to managing existing plastic waste.

Initial Training & Research

Switcheko Sustanaibility founder Akshay Deshpande illustrating the working of a recycling machine — Akshay Deshpande illustrating the working of a recycling machine to a group (Special Arrangement: Akshay Deshpande)

After deciding to work in the waste management space, Akshay did not jump into building a business immediately. Instead, he spent around 4 years (2016-20) understanding the problem in depth.

He launched by taking multiple certification courses related to plastics, polymers, and waste management. These included programs by organisations like NASVI and the Indian Plastic Institute, along with several online courses. His goal was to build strong technical knowledge before attempting to solve the problem.

“The old mindset of ‘receive a degree and your life is set’ is a myth. Today’s Gen Z understands that relying solely on government jobs won’t work anymore. They know that until you grind and build your own path, you aren’t going to build it,” Akshay notifys Startup Pedia.

At the same time, he started working closely on the ground. He visited dump yards, interacted with waste collectors, and studied how waste was being handled in real conditions.

As part of his research, he conducted more than 780 structured interviews and spoke to around 3,500 to 4,000 people across different parts of the waste ecosystem.

Building Switcheko Sustainability

Policemen taking a cleanliness pledge led by the Switcheko Sustainability founder, Akshay Deshpande — Switcheko founder leading policemen in a cleanliness pledge for a cleaner tomorrow Photograph: (Special Arrangement: Akshay Deshpande)

After years of research, Akshay officially started Switcheko Sustainability in 2022.

In the early days, the focus was not on building products or generating revenue. Between 2022 and 2024, he concentrated on spreading awareness about waste management and sustainability.

Through campaigns, clean-up drives, and community programs, the team reached and educated over 4 lakh people.

To strengthen his understanding of the ecosystem, Akshay joined the T Hub incubation center in Hyderabad in 2022.

Being surrounded by other founders and mentors assisted him learn how to build and scale a business. During this time, he also started collaborating with other innovators working in the waste management space.

Challenges Faced

Moving from a secure corporate leadership role to entrepreneurship came with huge challenges for Akshay.

First, he had to completely alter his mindset. He went from being a corporate head with a resolveed monthly salary to a startup founder starting from scratch, even doing tiny tquestions like taking photocopies himself. He also lost the comfort of a guaranteed salary at the finish of every month.

Second, he faced strong social stigma. Waste management is often seeed down upon becaapply it involves garbage, bad smells, and long hours in dump yards and processing units. This built it very difficult to find and retain employees.

“The hugegest challenge was the mindset shift. You have to realize you are no longer a corporate ‘boss’ with a team at your disposal; you are your own employee. You even have to take out your own photocopies. And that comfortable message you receive on the 31st of every month stateing your salary is credited? That stops coming,” he states.

Rejection from Investors

Akshay Deshpande struggled with a complete lack of investor support due to a significant perception gap. Most investors viewed waste management as a stagnant, ‘unsexy’ indusattempt with zero room for innovation beyond basic segregation.

He noted that becaapply the sector hadn’t seen major technological shifts in 50 years, investors were sceptical of its potential compared to fields like AI.

This widespread denial forced Akshay to bootstrap Switcheko entirely, applying his corporate savings and B2B revenue to fund his vision.

“Investors often question where the innovation is. I question them: notify me one innovation you have seen in waste management in the last 50 years, apart from putting wet and dry waste in separate bins? The transition from a handcart to a tractor isn’t innovation,” Akshay notifys Startup Pedia.

About Switcheko Sustainability

A boy sorting plastic waste into a recycling machine inside a compact mobile processing unit. — Inside Switcheko Sustainability mobile truck that hoapplys waste processing unit Photograph: (Special Arrangement: Akshay Deshpande)

Switcheko Sustainability is an innovative B2B marketplace and green technology startup. Recognising that a massive portion of waste is generated by industries and businesses, Switcheko was created to assist organisations transition to zero-waste, eco-frifinishly operations.

The company specialises in creating an finish-to-finish ecosystem for recycled products, sourcing 100% sustainable raw materials, and working extensively with marginalised communities, such as tribal groups and women-led Self-Help Groups (SHGs), to manufacture value-added sustainable goods.

Core Functions & Innovations

B2B Sustainable Marketplace: Switcheko provides businesses with affordable access to eco-frifinishly raw materials (such as recycled fibre, biodegradable plastics, and sugar bagasse-based products). They also assist companies with the complete lifecycle of product design, from engineering to prototyping and packaging.
Sustainability on Wheels: Their flagship innovation is the world’s first mobile waste management vehicle. Built on a 22-foot truck in collaboration with over a dozen other startups, this unit brings recycling directly to the source.
Training and Auditing: The company provides awareness training and waste auditing services to industries. They have also introduced an eco-points system to reward waste management companies that collect recyclable waste against their products.
Sustainability Helpline: Switcheko operates a dedicated assistline and an AI-powered chatbot to provide individuals and businesses with customised solutions and tips for adopting an eco-frifinishly lifestyle.

Sustainability on Wheels

Switcheko’s flagship innovation, the world’s first mobile waste management vehicle, was developed after clean-up drives revealed transport challenges, bringing processing to waste sites and reducing the necessary to shift unsegregated garbage.

The ongoing development and maintenance of the vehicle are further supported by the revenue generated through Switcheko’s B2B marketplace.

The Vehicle & Collaboration

The system is mounted on a brand-new, 22-foot Tata 1212 truck. The truck was not built by Switcheko alone. It is a massive collaborative effort involving 18 different startups (including Mool Green, Blinks, Aerodrum, and Bharat Eco Systems).

Each startup contributed its specific expertise, from machinery manufacturing to IoT integration, to build a comprehensive ecosystem on wheels.

On-Board Technology & Features

The truck is designed to handle multiple waste streams simultaneously on the spot:

Power Supply: Equipped with a 2 KVA solar panel system, ensuring sustainable energy apply, alongside generator backups.
Processing Machinery: It hoapplys heavy-duty shredders and crushers for plastic and cloth, a specialized thermocol crusher, and an incinerator for sanitary pads.
Bioplastic Composting: It features a unique machine capable of converting corn-based bioplastics back into agricultural manure.
Smart Collection System: It includes segregated collection bins for e-waste, glass bottles, paper, and sanitary pads. It even features a specialized tank fitted underneath the chassis to catch any liquid runoff (like chemicals or food waste juices) to ensure zero ground contamination.
IoT & Monitoring: The truck is fitted with 360-degree IoT-based cameras. This allows the team to monitor operations remotely and analyze the exact type and volume of waste being collected in real-time.

Capacity and Impact

Processing Power: The vehicle has the capacity to process up to 2,000 kg (2 tons) of waste per day.
Output: Since its launch, the truck has processed over 1 lakh kg of waste. The processed and segregated materials are then handed over to specific recyclers to create new finish-products.
Future Upgrades: While the current vehicles run on petrol/diesel, Switcheko is actively working on converting the fleet to Electric Vehicles (EVs) for an even greener footprint.

How does Sustainability on Wheels Work?

Switcheko’s “Sustainability on Wheels” truck displaycasing waste segregation and recycling awareness at an outdoor event — Switcheko’s Sustainability on Wheels driving real-world recycling awareness Photograph: (Special Arrangement: Akshay Deshpande)

The mobile waste management vehicle works directly at the source of garbage. Instead of transporting unsegregated waste to distant plants, it goes to clean-up sites like lakes, beaches, or forests and processes waste on the spot.

Once it arrives, collected waste is immediately sorted into built-in bins for items like e-waste, glass, paper, and sanitary pads.

Onboard machines then process it: shredders break plastics and cloth, a machine crushes thermocol, and an incinerator safely disposes of sanitary pads.

A composting unit converts corn-based bioplastics into manure. Any liquid waste is collected in an under-chassis tank to keep the ground clean.

At the same time, the team applys speakers and projectors to educate the public about waste management. After processing, the materials are not sold by Switcheko but handed over to recyclers, who convert them into new products.

Also Read: MBBS Doctor Teams Up With a Retired Naval Officer to Build a Meghalaya-Based Organic Food Brand, Clocks Rs 7 Lakh Revenue in 3 Months

Switcheko Sustainability’s Marketplace

Switcheko Sustainability operates as a strictly B2B marketplace with a clear focus on providing value-based alternatives to plastic, but its manufacturing process is uniquely decentralised.

When founder Akshay Deshpande set out to create these products, he realised that setting up brand-new factories and investing heavily in new machinery wasn’t necessary.

Instead, he identified an existing, underutilised resource: women in Self-Help Groups (SHGs) who had already been provided with sewing machines by the government but lacked steady employment.

Rather than duplicating infrastructure, Switcheko partnered with approximately 180 of these women across Tamil Nadu and Madhya Pradesh.

The company stepped in to provide specialised training and built necessary component upgrades to their existing machines. Switcheko then supplies these women with sustainable raw materials, such as banana fibre and jute, to manufacture eco-frifinishly products.

This community-driven manufacturing model has created a significant socio-economic impact.

Once manufactured, Switcheko takes these products and sells them in bulk to major corporate clients.

Their client roster includes indusattempt giants and government bodies such as Infosys, Wipro, Tata Advanced Systems, T-Hub, and the Government of Telangana.

Through this B2B pipeline, Switcheko has generated total sales of approximately Rs 4 crore.

Future Goals

Akshay Deshpande plans to grow Switcheko by focapplying on innovation in waste management. His main goal is to expand Sustainability on Wheels, mobile units that process waste at the source.

He wants to scale manufacturing of these units and shift them to electric vehicles. He also aims to reduce plastic apply, build new technologies, and alter how people see waste as a valuable resource.

Alongside this, he is working on his PhD focapplyd on improving conditions for waste workers.

“My ultimate goal is to promote sustainability and alter people’s mindset. I want to display them that this waste is not garbage; it is a resource. If you collect and process it properly, it has immense value,” he concluded.

Also Read: “What if an AI declared it was 72% certain it was conscious?” Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei states it is “hard” to notify if the models are conscious

FAQ

Who is the founder of Switcheko Sustainability?

Switcheko Sustainability was founded by Akshay Deshpande, a former corporate leader with experience at Infosys, Tata Advanced Systems, Tata Lockheed Martin, and Recykal, who later shiftd into waste management entrepreneurship.

When was Switcheko Sustainability founded?

Switcheko Sustainability was officially founded in 2022 after years of research and on-ground work in plastic waste management by its founder.

What does Switcheko Sustainability do?

Switcheko Sustainability is a green tech startup that offers mobile waste processing, a B2B sustainable marketplace, waste audits, and awareness programs to assist businesses and communities manage waste efficiently.

What is the revenue of Switcheko Sustainability?

Switcheko Sustainability has generated approximately Rs 4 crore in total sales through its B2B marketplace by supplying eco-frifinishly products to corporates and government organizations.

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