Sachin Tendulkar backs Recykal as strategic investor
Hyderabad waste-management startup Recykal has added cricket icon Sachin Tendulkar to its investor roster. The move came during an extension of the company’s $23 million bridge round, though the size of Tendulkar’s investment and the valuation were kept private.
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30 SEC SUMMARY
- Sachin Tendulkar has joined Hyderabad-based waste-management startup Recykal as a strategic investor, with no investment size or valuation disclosed.
- Recykal, founded in 2015, runs a B2B marketplace for recyclables and software for waste tracking—tools used by 650 brands, including Hindustan Unilever, Samsung, and BMW.
- The startup raised $23 million in a June 2026 bridge round and has processed over 3 million metric tonnes of waste to date.
- Revenue grew 53% to ₹1,498 crore in FY26, but losses widened to ₹60 crore.
- Tendulkar will help Recykal promote recycling across India, adding to his recent bets on gaming, fintech, and activewear.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
KEY HIGHLIGHTS
- Recykal has secured Sachin Tendulkar as a strategic investor during an extension of its $23 million bridge round.
- The startup’s FY26 gross revenue reached ₹1,498 crore, up 53.2% year-on-year.
- Recykal has processed over 3 million metric tonnes of waste through its platform.
- The company serves 650 enterprise brands, including Hindustan Unilever, Samsung, and BMW.
- Tendulkar’s investment follows recent bets on gaming, fintech, and activewear startups.
- Recykal raised $23 million in June 2026 and has raised over $60 million to date.
Tendulkar joins during $23 Mn bridge round
Hyderabad waste-management startup Recykal has brought cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar on board as a strategic investor. The deal closed during an extension of the company’s $23 million bridge round, which wrapped up in June 2026. Neither Recykal nor Tendulkar revealed how much he put in or the valuation they agreed on.
Recykal’s platform and funding history
Recykal was launched in 2015 by Abhay Deshpande. Co-founders Abhishek Deshpande, Ekta Narain, Vikram Prabakar, and Anirudha Jalan joined later.
The startup runs a B2B marketplace for recyclable materials and supplies software that helps brands track plastic and e-waste recycling. Its technology stack also includes AI-powered reverse vending machines and a deposit-return system for packaging.
Investors have poured over $60 million into Recykal so far. The most recent round, a $23 million bridge in June 2026, split into $17.6 million of new equity and a $5.4 million secondary sale. Morgan Stanley, 360 ONE, Circulate Capital, and the Murugappa Group all participated.
Customers, scale, and financials
Recykal counts 650 brands as customers, including Hindustan Unilever, Samsung, and BMW. Over 5,000 waste aggregators and recyclers use its network. To date, the platform has handled more than 3 million metric tonnes of waste.
Financially, Recykal’s gross revenue climbed 53.2 % in FY26 to ₹1,498 crore, but losses also rose, reaching ₹60 crore. The company plans to strengthen its tech stack, expand its deposit-return system, and move into international markets.
Tendulkar’s advocacy and recent bets
Tendulkar’s role goes beyond the cheque. He will help Recykal promote responsible waste management and recycling across India. In a statement, he said the company’s tech-driven approach to behaviour change struck a chord with him.
His bet on Recykal follows other recent startup investments. In October 2026, he backed mobile-cricket game Hitwicket’s creator Metasports Interactive. Earlier, he joined rounds for used-car marketplace Spinny, fintech startup Kissht, and activewear brand Ten X You.
What this means
Lazyfounder analysis — our interpretation, not reported fact.
Tendulkar’s star power could cut through public apathy and give Recykal’s deposit-return scheme the adoption it needs to scale.
Key takeaways
- Recykal’s FY26 revenue rose 53% to ₹1,498 crore, yet losses grew to ₹60 crore, showing the capital-intensive nature of waste-tech at scale.
- Tendulkar’s investment arrives mid-bridge round, suggesting existing backers are bullish enough to keep the door open for marquee names.
- With 650 brands on board, Recykal’s B2B marketplace has become a quiet compliance backbone for consumer giants under India’s EPR rules.
Related on Lazyfounder
Sources
- Entrackr · 2026-11-12
Sachin Tendulkar joins Recykal as strategic investor - Inc42 · 2026-11-13
Sachin Tendulkar Backs Waste Management Startup Recykal
This story is an original summary drafted with AI by Lazyfounder from the reporting listed above and checked by automated validation. Facts are attributed to their original publishers; sections marked as analysis are Lazyfounder's. Where a source is in another language, facts were machine-translated and quotations are reported, not reproduced. Read the original coverage via the links, and see our AI policy and corrections policy.
About the author
Editor, Lazyfounder
Tarun Mottlia edits LazyFounders, covering Indian startups, funding rounds, AI and product launches. Every story on the site is AI-assisted and checked against its cited sources before publication.
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