Zomato, in collaboration with Startup India and DPIIT, has announced the second edition of the Plastic-Free Future Packathon. This competition aims to find sustainable packaging solutions for food delivery, and is open to startups registered on the Startup India portal. The deadline for applications is March 10, 2025. The Packathon has two categories: prototype and ready-to-scale solutions. Winners in each category will receive INR ~10 lakhs and INR ~15 lakhs, respectively. Shortlisted startups will also have the chance to showcase their innovations to restaurant partners.
Sanjiv from DPIIT emphasized the initiative’s role in reducing plastic waste and promoting a circular economy. Anjalli Ravi Kumar from Zomato highlighted the company’s ongoing commitment to sustainable packaging, noting their previous efforts like the Plastic-Free Future Program and Hyperpure. Zomato also made “Do not send cutlery” the default option in 2021, preventing 1933 MT of cutlery waste. Additionally, the company has recycled 43,000 MT of plastic waste since FY23.