Husk Power Systems

Husk Power Systems, a startup out of UVA's Darden School of Business, is already providing electricity to nearly 10,000 rural Indians utilizing rice husk generators that run on piles of rice mill waste product. The proprietary technology and business model is brilliant because it provides three solutions to critical problems in India: 1) A lack of reliable electricity, which is a huge obstacle in rural India; 2) A reduction of carbon emissions that amounts to nearly 200 tons per village annually, and 3) The ability to bring new technology to remote villages that are struggling to keep up with the industrialized world. It's no wonder Husk Power just won $50,000 at the University of Texas Social Innovation Competition for having the "most compelling new idea to change the world," $1,000 for the People's Choice Awards, $10,000 from Darden's annual business plan competition and top 10 finalist recognition at the University of California at Berkeley Global Social Venture Competition. On top of all that, the team is currently a top 10 finalist in this year's Ignite Clean Energy at MIT for the top prize of $125,000. The story of the founders, Sinha and Pandey, is quite impressiveContinue Reading...