As India accelerates toward clean energy, SustainaByte Technologies is redefining how energy is managed across industries and commercial buildings. In this exclusive Movers & Shakers conversation at the TN Startup Summit 2025 in Coimbatore, Thanakarthik Kumar, Founder & CEO of SustainaByte Technologies, spoke with Anirudh Bhaskaran, Associate Director at Frost & Sullivan, about how consultative SaaS solutions, IoT-driven analytics, and pragmatic funding strategies are driving smart energy management and powering India’s leap into a net-zero future.
Founding Vision: Enabling Energy Efficiency for Net Zero
Anirudh Bhaskaran: Thanakarthik, great to meet you at the TN Startup Summit. Could you start by introducing yourself and giving us an overview of SustainaByte Technologies—your mission, focus areas, and solutions?
Thanakarthik Kumar: Thank you, Anirudh. I’m Founder & CEO of SustainaByte Technologies. We’re an energy management company serving retail, commercial buildings, and industrial facilities, helping organizations align with global sustainability goals and achieve net-zero emissions.
Our vision directly aligns with key UN Sustainable Development Goals—SDG 7, 9, 11, 12, and 13—and our core mission is to help both nations and industries reach their net-zero targets.
We focus on optimizing utility assets such as chillers, compressors, boilers, and cooling towers. Our solutions are twofold:
- Service-based consulting and energy audits: We analyze performance, identify savings, and assist with implementation.
- Digitization through our AI enabled IoT platform, OptiByte: This combines IoT connectivity with AI driven analytics to help customers sustain those savings, track performance, and predict maintenance needs. In just 18 months, our team of 30+ professionals has built an OEM-agnostic platform that integrates seamlessly across systems, helping organizations achieve tangible, lasting results.
The SustainaByte Differentiator: Service + SaaS Synergy
Anirudh Bhaskaran: There are several SaaS-based companies in the energy management space today. What makes SustainaByte different?
Thanakarthik Kumar: The key difference is that we combine services with AI-powered software, not software alone.
When we speak to engineers and operations leaders in factories or commercial buildings, they often ask, “What value do you add beyond just visualizing data?” That’s where we stand out. We don’t just deliver dashboards—we work hands-on with clients to achieve real savings by delivering intelligent, data-drive insights.
We start with consulting and audits to build trust and demonstrate measurable energy and cost reductions. Once customers see the results, we transition them onto our Smart – SaaS platform, OptiByte, to help them sustain and scale those savings through predictive analytics and intelligent automation
This approach transforms digital tools from mere monitoring systems into smart performance enablers. Often, we begin with a proof-of-concept pilot, showing 8–30% verified energy savings before any major investment. That transparency builds confidence and long-term partnerships.
“The key difference is that we combine services with software, not software alone. We don’t just deliver dashboards; we work hands-on with clients to achieve real savings.”
— Thanakarthik Kumar, Founder & CEO, SustainaByte Technologies
Quantifiable Impact: Turning Data into Savings
Anirudh Bhaskaran: You mentioned measurable impact; could you share the kinds of savings your customers have achieved?
Thanakarthik Kumar: While exact numbers vary by sector, we have seen energy savings between 8% and 30%, depending on asset condition and scale.
During proof-of-concept stages, we typically promise around 10% savings, and in most cases, we overdeliver. These verified improvements translate directly into reduced operating costs and lower carbon footprints, supporting organizations take meaningful steps toward net zero.
Vision 2030: Becoming a Strategic Net-Zero Partner
Anirudh Bhaskaran: Looking ahead, where do you see SustainaByte in the next five to ten years?
Thanakarthik Kumar: Our goal is to evolve into a strategic net-zero partner for enterprises. We start small, proving our value at the utility and unit levels, and then scale to corporate-level implementations.
We are targeting energy-intensive industries like cement, chemicals, and manufacturing, sectors under high regulatory scrutiny and with strong sustainability commitments.
At the same time, our solutions are replicable for commercial buildings and retail chains, where utilities like HVAC and lighting are consistent across sites. By standardizing our approach to utilities, we make decarbonization accessible across diverse sectors.
In short, our vision is to make SustainaByte synonymous with scalable, adaptable, and data-driven energy management.
Funding with Purpose: Building Strategic Partnerships Over Capital
Anirudh Bhaskaran: Let’s talk about funding. Where is SustainaByte in its investment journey?
Thanakarthik Kumar: We started with bootstrapping and a small seed fund from a government startup incubator at BVRIT. We have also generated revenue from consulting and pilot projects, which has allowed us to remain independent.
For future growth, we are not looking for traditional venture capital. Instead, we seek strategic partners, organizations that understand our domain, believe in our technology, and can help us scale responsibly.
We want investors who share our vision, not just those who fund stories.
Overcoming Startup Challenges
Anirudh Bhaskaran: Every startup faces its share of challenges. What have been yours, and how are you addressing them?
Thanakarthik Kumar: As a young company, we face challenges typical to this sector: building trust, scaling efficiently, and accessing capital.
Many established SaaS players focus purely on analytics, but we have built credibility by being on the ground, conducting audits, optimizing assets, and delivering tangible results.
Funding has been another challenge. Being bootstrapped teaches discipline and forces us to focus on creating real value instead of chasing valuations.
Our approach: service first, software next, has helped us earn industry trust and position ourselves as credible Net Zero partners.
Advice for Aspiring Entrepreneurs
Anirudh Bhaskaran: As someone leading an impact-focused startup, what advice would you give to entrepreneurs in sustainability or energy management?
Thanakarthik Kumar: Focus on market fit first. Don’t rush for funding. Build your product, understand your market, and develop your team’s resilience before chasing investors.
Too many startups dilute their focus by raising funds early, offering free pilots, and over-expanding. That can shift attention from creating value to chasing capital.
Raise funds only after your solution is proven, your market is ready, and your team can sustain without external support. Long-term sustainability of your company, not just your product, should be the ultimate goal.
Final Thoughts: India’s Path to Net Zero with SustainaByte
Anirudh Bhaskaran: Finally, how do you see SustainaByte contributing to India’s clean energy transition?
Thanakarthik Kumar: Net zero begins with optimizing what we already have. Before investing in carbon capture or new technology, organizations must improve operational energy efficiency.
Energy efficiency is both a carbon reduction and a cost-saving strategy. By prioritizing operational optimization first, then retrofitting solutions, and finally integrating renewables, we use resources wisely.
Industries contribute 30–35% of CO₂ emissions, and commercial buildings another 26%. Our solutions target these high-impact sectors, helping them monitor, control, and decarbonize effectively.
SustainaByte is proud to be part of India’s clean energy movement, enabling measurable, scalable progress toward sustainability.
Closing Reflection
As India accelerates its transition toward clean and efficient energy, SustainaByte Technologies stands out as a startup uniting engineering expertise, digital innovation, and purpose-driven leadership.
Under Thanakarthik Kumar’s guidance, the company bridges the gap between consulting and technology, creating a replicable model for real, measurable decarbonization.
With its pragmatic “proof first, platform next” approach, SustainaByte is shaping India’s sustainable energy future, optimizing every kilowatt and scaling measurable impact nationwide.
About Thanakarthik Kumar
Thanakarthik Kumar is the Founder and CEO of SustainaByte Technologies, a pioneering energy management and sustainability solutions company based in India. With deep expertise in industrial energy systems and AI-IoT-driven optimization, he leads SustainaByte’s mission to help organizations achieve operational efficiency, measurable savings, and progress toward net-zero emissions. His vision combines consultative expertise, digital intelligence, and replicable solutions that advance both environmental goals and business performance.
Anirudh Bhaskaran is the Associate Director of the Energy & Environment Practice at Frost & Sullivan, with over a decade of experience advising global clients on renewable energy, sustainability, and energy efficiency strategies. He leads research and consulting engagements across clean energy technologies and decarbonization pathways, helping organizations align business growth with environmental responsibility.
About Anirudh Bhaskaran
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Appendix: Enabling Growth through Sustainable Energy Innovation
For further insights into energy efficiency and net-zero transformation, Frost & Sullivan recommends:
📌 IoT-Based HVAC Services Enabling Sustainability of Buildings, Global, 2025–2030
📌 Commercial and Industrial Energy Decarbonization, Global, 2025–2035
📌 Global Homes and Buildings Industry Outlook, 2025
📌 Facility Management Market, Global, 2024–2030
