Former cricketer Sachin Tendulkar has invested in Hyderabad-based Recykal, a technology platform for waste management and circular economy, as a strategic investor. His investment extends the $23 million bridge round the company closed in June.
Tendulkar will help the company in its campaign to make responsible waste behaviour an everyday habit, the company said in a statement on Friday.
“What drew me to Recykal was seeing how technology was being used to solve an everyday problem. Recykal’s mission to use technology to drive behavioural change across one billion people is what really connected with me,” he said.
Company to scale technology and overseas operations
The bridge round comprised primary and secondary capital from existing investors and select new family offices. The company is using the money to strengthen its technology platform and Open Marketplace, scale up its Deposit Return System (DRS) and expand into overseas markets.
The DRS brings together technology, logistics, and behavioural change to change how packaging waste is recovered, according to Abhay Deshpande, CEO and Co-Founder of Recykal.
Recykal’s waste management network
Founded in 2015, the company also develops AI-enabled hardware such as reverse vending machines, designed and made in India. The company claimed it had channelled over 30 lakh tonnes of waste, working with 650 brands, including Hindustan Unilever, Samsung, BMW, and more than 5,000 aggregators and recyclers.
Published on November 13, 2026
