IIT Madras Incubated Startup Develops New Wastewater Treatment Technology
The new wastewater treatment technology is now looking to scale up its product deployment across India, serving industries of all sectors.
Published : September 10, 2025 at 2:07 PM IST
Chennai: The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras-incubated start-up JSP Enviro has indigenously developed a next-generation wastewater treatment technology and has successfully deployed it across industries in the Erode district of Tamil Nadu.
With the field implementation of this sustainable effluent treatment technology having proved to be a success, the Start-up is now looking to scale up its product deployment across India, serving industries of all sectors.
Called ‘Bio-Electrochemical Anaerobic Digestor System’ (BEADS), this system delivers cost savings, energy recovery and carbon reduction for industries across India, which are grappling with the dual challenge of managing wastewater and reducing carbon footprint.
Elaborating on the key differences with existing technologies, Dr. V.T. Fidal Kumar, Co-Founder of the Startup and an IIT Madras alumnus, said, “While traditional aerobic systems consume large amounts of electricity to pump oxygen into effluents, BEADS operate without oxygen.”
“By integrating electrodes with microbial treatment, the system increases the rate of organic waste degradation while recovering electricity from the waste. Unlike electrolysis systems, BEADS do not require frequent electrode replacements, and it does not require chemicals for treatment. BEADS can clean the wastewater without the use of electricity and chemicals and produce minimal sludge,” Kumar added.
With successful installations in two industrial units in Erode and Perundurai, JSP Enviro has proven to industries that sustainable wastewater management is not only possible but also profitable.
Established by IIT Madras Alumni in 2019, JSP Enviro focuses on sustainable effluent treatment. JSP Enviro was the first Indian Startup to bag funding from Europe’s climate-based accelerator by winning second place in ‘Climate Launchpad,’ the World’s largest green business competition.
Highlighting the benefits of this technology, JSP Enviro Co-founder and CEO Dr. Priyadharshini Mani, who has a PhD from the University of Westminster, London, said, “Beyond operational savings, BEADS also deliver measurable climate benefits. Each installation treating 100 cubic meters of effluent per day avoids nearly 80 tons of carbon dioxide emissions annually.”
“With global markets opening carbon credit opportunities and the European Union introducing carbon taxes, Indian manufacturers adopting BEADS stand to gain financially from their emission reductions,” Mani said.
Industrial units using BEADS have reported lower electricity and chemical costs and minimal sludge disposal challenges. The company estimates that most installations can achieve a return on investment within 3 to 4 years, making the technology attractive to cost-conscious manufacturers.
Currently, JSP Enviro is working with textile and dyeing clusters in the State Industries Promotion Corporation of Tamil Nadu Limited (SIPCOT) industrial regions of Perundurai and Erode.
The company is also preparing to expand into sectors such as food and beverage, pharmaceuticals, and speciality chemicals, where sustainable and cost-effective wastewater treatment is a critical need.
With BEADS, JPS Enviro is demonstrating that cleaner operations can go hand-in-hand with cost efficiency.
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