Pankaj Mehta
Riya Dhanwani
Aastha Asati
Gaurav Kumar
Gaurav Kumar
Gaurav Agrawal
Gaurav Agrawal
Goa Institute of Management
Divya Singhal
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OrjaBox is a business innovation that provides various choices for cooking fuels, especially renewable ones, to people who want to reduce their carbon footprint and improve their health and well-being. It showcases and sells different devices that use solar, biogas, or biomass energy to cook food. It also offers services that allow people to access renewable fuels for cooking in a convenient and affordable way. OrjaBox’s innovation helps solve several UN SDGs, such as SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy), SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth), SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities), SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production), and SDG 13 (Climate Action).
OrjaBox is an innovation that provides various choices for cooking fuels, especially renewable ones, to people who want to reduce their carbon footprint and improve their health and well-being. It showcases and sells different devices that use solar, biogas, or biomass energy to cook food. It also offers services that allow people to access renewable fuels for cooking in a convenient and affordable way.
OrjaBox was founded by Vishakha Chandhere, an engineer who got interested in renewable energy during her internship with a solar company. She launched OrjaBox in August 2021, after working with some reputed national and international organizations in the energy and climate change sector. She came up with the concept of OrjaBox one day when she was exploring new tools for cooking. She realized that there was a gap in the market for providing various options for cooking fuels, especially renewable ones.
OrjaBox has three main offerings: Orja Devices, Orja Station, Orjaksham. Orja Devices are various cooking devices that use renewable energy sources, such as solar cookers, biogas plants, pellet-based cookstoves, and solar dehydrators. Orja Station is a service where people can buy or cook food using renewable fuels at a shared facility. Orjaksham is a livelihood program that empowers rural communities to adopt clean cooking solutions and generate income from solar drying, clean cookstoves shop, fuel banks, and food stations. Orjaksham aims to create green employment opportunities and promote sustainable development.
OrjaBox’s innovation is aligned with the UN SDGs and a better world, as it promotes clean and sustainable cooking options that reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improve indoor air quality, save money and time, create livelihood opportunities, and empower women and youth.
The inspiration for this innovation came from Vishakha Chandhere’s passion for renewable energy and her curiosity for new tools for cooking. She said, “I got interested in renewable energy when I was studying engineering. I did an internship with a solar company and learned about different devices like water heaters, solar cookers, and solar lights. That sparked my curiosity and passion for the subject.”
She also said, “I was also exploring new tools for cooking. I came across various types of cookstoves and cooking devices. That’s how I came up with the concept of OrjaBox one day.” She added, “It took me some time to decide whether to turn it into a business or not. But once I was confident enough, I launched OrjaBox in August 2021. That’s how my journey began.”
She was also inspired by the need to create awareness and educate people about renewable fuels for cooking, as she found out that not many people know about them and there are some misconceptions about them. She said, “We create awareness and educate people about renewable fuels for cooking. Because we found out that not many people know about them. And there are some misconceptions about them. For example, some people think that biogas is only suitable for rural areas, not for urban areas. We try to challenge those notions and show them that biogas can be used in urban settings as well. We demonstrate how.”
The overall impact of the innovation is that it has enabled more people to access and adopt renewable fuels for cooking, which has positive effects on the environment, society, and economy.
On the environment, the innovation has reduced the use of fossil fuels and biomass for cooking, which are major sources of greenhouse gas emissions and deforestation. By using renewable fuels, such as solar, biogas, or pellets, the innovation has helped to mitigate climate change and conserve natural resources.
On the society, the innovation has improved the health and well-being of the people who use the devices and services. By using renewable fuels, they have avoided the exposure to indoor air pollution, which is a leading cause of respiratory diseases and premature deaths. They have also saved time and money that they would otherwise spend on collecting or buying fuel. They have also gained access to nutritious and hygienic food that is cooked or processed using renewable fuels.
On the economy, the innovation has created livelihood opportunities for rural women and youth who are involved in food processing and distribution using the devices and services. They have earned income and enhanced their skills and confidence. The innovation has also stimulated the market for clean cookstoves and renewable fuels, which has increased the demand and supply of these products and services.
The evidence for this impact comes from the data and feedback that OrjaBox has collected from its customers and partners. Vishakha Chandhere said, “So far, we have demonstrated clean cookstoves to nearly 2000 people. Most of these people had never seen so many clean cookstoves or cooking devices or solar devices in one go at one place or they had not seen them in action. And so we have successfully demonstrated these options to those people and many of them have already started thinking that okay, sometime whenever time permits, we do want to have one pellet-based cookstove or one solar cooker or something like that. And secondly, there have been instances where people have immediately bought our devices when they saw the demonstration. They said that okay, we want to buy this. So far, we have sold nearly 1000 solar cookers and a few biogas plants directly or indirectly through Vaya Mitra. And we have employed five people so far. And we have given employment to a self-help group in a rural area which employs nearly seven people. So we have created that seasonal employment. And yes, we are also doing solar dehydration that we demonstrate. We have processed nearly four tons of vegetables and fruits in the dehydrators so far. So that’s the impact that we have created. And now we might have an opportunity to expand to a couple of other cities as well.”
The innovation benefits the business in several ways, such as increasing its revenue, expanding its customer base, enhancing its reputation, and attracting new partners and investors.
The innovation increases the revenue of the business by selling the devices and services to the customers who want to use renewable fuels for cooking. The business also earns revenue from the food processing and distribution activities that it conducts using the devices and services. The business also saves costs by using renewable fuels for its own operations and by reducing its dependence on external subsidies or support.
The innovation expands the customer base of the business by reaching out to different segments of the market, such as urban and rural households, institutions, restaurants, hotels, and caterers. The business also attracts customers who are environmentally conscious, health conscious, or socially conscious, who want to adopt clean and sustainable cooking options. The business also retains customers by providing them with quality products and services, and by offering them various schemes for buying, borrowing, or renting the devices.
The innovation enhances the reputation of the business by demonstrating its social and environmental impact, and by showcasing its expertise and innovation in the renewable energy and clean cooking sector. The business also builds its credibility and trust by collaborating with reputable partners, such as manufacturers, NGOs, and government agencies. The business also receives recognition and appreciation from various platforms, such as media, awards, and competitions.
The innovation attracts new partners and investors who are interested in supporting the business and its vision. The business also leverages its network of mentors and peers who provide guidance and feedback on its business model and strategy. The business also explores new opportunities for scaling up and replicating its innovation in other regions and countries.
The innovation benefits society and the environment in several ways, such as reducing greenhouse gas emissions, improving indoor air quality, saving money and time, creating livelihood opportunities, and empowering women and youth.
The innovation reduces greenhouse gas emissions by using renewable fuels for cooking, instead of fossil fuels and biomass, which are major sources of carbon dioxide, methane, and black carbon. These greenhouse gases contribute to global warming and climate change, which have adverse effects on the environment and human health. By using renewable fuels, the innovation helps to mitigate climate change and conserve natural resources.
The innovation improves indoor air quality by using renewable fuels for cooking, instead of biomass, which produces smoke and particulate matter. These pollutants cause respiratory diseases and premature deaths, especially among women and children who are exposed to them. By using renewable fuels, the innovation helps to prevent these diseases and deaths, and improve the health and well-being of the people who use the devices and services.
The innovation saves money and time by using renewable fuels for cooking, instead of fossil fuels and biomass, which are expensive and scarce. These fuels require people to spend money and time on collecting or buying them, which affects their income and productivity. By using renewable fuels, the innovation helps to save money and time that can be used for other purposes, such as education, health, or leisure.
The innovation creates livelihood opportunities by involving rural women and youth in food processing and distribution using the devices and services. These activities provide them with income and skills that enhance their economic and social status. The innovation also empowers women and youth by giving them access to nutritious and hygienic food that is cooked or processed using renewable fuels. The innovation also enables them to participate in decision making and leadership roles in their communities.
The innovation benefits society and the environment by promoting clean and sustainable cooking options that reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improve indoor air quality, save money and time, create livelihood opportunities, and empower women and youth.
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OrjaBox is a social enterprise that aims to create awareness and educate people about renewable fuels for cooking. It offers various devices such as solar cookers, biogas plants, pellet-based cookstoves, and solar dehydrators that use renewable energy sources to cook food. It also provides services such as Orja Station, where people can buy or cook food using renewable fuels, and Orjaksham, where people can see, buy, rent, or repair clean cookstoves. OrjaBox also creates livelihood opportunities for rural women and youth by involving them in food processing and distribution. OrjaBox’s vision is to enable everyone to cook at least one meal using renewable fuels and contribute to a sustainable, clean-energy future.
